Maxwell Mozell

Maxwell Mark Mozell March 28, 2020 Maxwell Mark Mozell, Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience and Physiology at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York and former Dean of its College of Graduate Studies, died on Saturday, March 28 at Weill Cornell hospital; in the end, a victim of COVID-19. He was 90 years old. In 1978, he founded what he would call his, "proudest professional achievement," the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, or AChemsS. He was the editor of its journal, Chemical Sciences, for many years. Founded as a focus for the coalescence and promotion of chemosensory research, AChemS has grown into a global society, with two members awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2004. Dean Mozell liked to tell how he reserved hundreds of hotel rooms before AChemS' first meeting, using his credit card, but not knowing whether just a handful or a crowd of scientists would show up. The inaugural meeting was a huge success. After receiving his PhD in Physiological Psychology in 1956, he enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to the Pensacola Naval Air Station where he studied the effects of flight and g-forces in the nascent space program. Following a Navy rule at the time, that researchers must first try out on themselves any experiments involving people, Lieutenant Mozell suffered a pneumothorax on a shaketable which led to a hospital stay. Eventually, he perfected the experiment and published a scholarly paper about his Navy misadventure. Max's first academic appointment came in 1961 at SUNY Upstate Medical University where he remained for 47 years, ascending the ranks first as Professor and, eventually, as Dean of Graduate Studies. A favorite of students as a Professor of Physiology, he taught hundreds of medical students who fondly remember his animated lectures and immutable bow tie. Max chose his own doctors from among his best students. His many graduate students have gone on to distinguished careers. Together, they pioneered and advanced the knowledge of the olfactory system (the sense of smell). Max would have been fascinated to know, had he not been too sick to hear about it, that loss of the sense of smell has been identified as an early symptom of COVID-19. A workaholic, despite living with Multiple Sclerosis for over 50 years, Max maintained the same NIH grant he first received in 1961. He published 78 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters. He received many prestigious awards, among them the Monell Institute's Mannheimer Award for Achievement in the Chemosensory Sciences, the Javitz Neuroscience Investigator Award from the NIH and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Exemplary Contributions to Research. Max loved travelling with his family. He loved the Russian composers. He loved playing chess. He loved his boat and swimming from it. He loved his bow ties, black socks and wingtip shoes (the latter two even showing up at the beach). He loved the evening news and Nova. He immersed himself in politics and science, even after retirement, and enjoyed talking well into the evening, until age fatigued him. He loved ice cream and chocolate and a good beer. Most of all, Max loved the family and they loved him. They loved his brilliance, his judgment, and the wisdom from his long life's experience. They loved his sense of humor and his way with words; he could tell both the best and the worst puns at the same time. And they admired his resilience. Maxwell Mozell was born on May 20, 1929 to Samuel and Fredelle (Goldstein) in Brooklyn, New York. His father, a jewelry designer, moved the family to Providence, Rhode Island where Max grew up. He earned his three degrees ( A.B, M.SC, and Ph.D) from Brown University '51. He was a long-time member of the Temple Concord Society. He retired to Manhattan in 2010. He married Charlene Widener in 1955. They had three children and divorced in 1967. He married Judith Larson in 1968. They had two children and divorced in 1994. In addition to his long-time partner, Beatrice Farnsworth, he is survived by a son, Everett, and four daughters, Michelle, Robin, Samantha and Rachel, 12 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. He will be missed. Please sign the guestbook at syracuse.com/obits