Guenter Herbert Rose, former Associate Professor of Psychology and Department Chair of the Psychology Department, passed away on January 12 in Vista, California after a battle with Lewy body dementia. He was 86 years old.

“He was a popular teacher at Bowdoin, and a number of his students elected to pursue careers in psychology and neuroscience,” President Clayton Rose wrote in an email to all employees.

Guenter Rose graduated cum laude from Tufts University, about an hour’s drive from his hometown of Attleboro, MA and attended graduate school at Brown University and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). After getting his ScM from Brown and PhD from UCLA, he worked at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology as well as at the school’s Lincoln campus as a member of its graduate faculty. Guenter Rose then returned to UCLA to work as a research psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the early 1970s before arriving at Bowdoin in 1976.

Guenter Rose began his career at the College as an Assistant Professor of Psychology. His interest in psychology and biology led to the College’s creation of a psychobiology concentration, the precursor to today’s neuroscience program. In 1981, Guenter Rose was promoted to Associate Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department. Rose ultimately retired in 1995 as a Professor of Psychobiology Emeritus as well as an Associate Professor of Psychology.

In addition to his role as a professor, Guenter Rose authored and coauthored a number of articles on topics in psychology and neurology. He was also invited to national and international conferences to present his research.

Guenter Rose became interested in medical anthropology in the 1980s and received a Fulbright grant to study traditional healers in Nepal and Sri Lanka and learn about Ayurvedic medicine. In addition to his research, Guenter Rose went on to launch a business offering tours of Nepal, and he collected traditional sculptures and masks from Africa and South Asia. He also operated the Samuel Newman house, a bed-and-breakfast that was located where Chamberlain Hall is today.

“We share with Guenter’s family and friends a deep sense of loss at his passing, and we celebrate his lifelong love of learning and his generosity of spirit,” President Clayton Rose wrote.

A Zoom memorial service will be announced at a later date. Those who wish to attend are asked to contact Rose’s son, Mark, at mrose300@yahoo.com.

Editor’s note 02/08/2022 at 11:03 a.m. EDT: A previous version of this article mistakenly reported that Rose’s son, Mark’s email was mrose3000@yahoo.com. His email is mrose300@bowdoin.edu.