Richard A. Scribner
Richard A. Scribner (CAS’61) of Fernandina Beach, Fla., writes, “During my undergraduate years, my mother, Carrie, then a librarian at BU, was a great support. I remember many people, especially my adviser and physics department chair, Robert S. Cohen. After graduating with an AB in physics, I earned a PhD in physics from the University of Florida. To my unfolding surprise, my career became more varied and rewarding than I dreamed. Within a few years, I was creating innovative new science policy programs for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and other scientific and engineering organizations. In 1973, I was the architect for the highly competitive, yearlong science policy fellowship program, which I designed and led for a decade. It continues today and has about 4,500 alumni. I was a State Department official dealing with nuclear nonproliferation and an international security associate professor at Georgetown University, and I set up and led a counterterrorism technology research institute at Dartmouth College. And that’s only half the story. I’m 87 and each year, for the last several, I teach an eight-week innovative lifelong learning course on what the future may hold, and lead a seven-month-long set of weekly lectures on timely national and geopolitical issues that each draw more than 50 people. My personal life has been even more rewarding, with a loving, remarkable wife, Kaye, three accomplished children, and six amazing grown grandchildren pursuing their dreams. I’m active, healthy, and joyful in a full life. Thank you, Boston University! I would love to hear from friends and colleagues from my BU days.” Email Richard at rscribnr@sover.net.
From the Summer 2026 issue.