The Department of Anesthesiology's 75th Anniversary Gala was a night to remember! More than 400 guests turned out to celebrate with colleagues and friends, reunite with alumni, and honor the history and future of the department. The evening, organized by planning chair Dr. Christine Lennon, was held at 583 Park Avenue on December 2nd.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Hugh Hemmings, the Joseph F. Artusio, Jr. Professor and Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology, welcomed audience members and acknowledged their contributions to the department. Several of our earliest pioneers were among the attendees including emeriti professors Drs. Alan Van Poznak and Marjorie Topkins, and Dr. Liebert Turner, an assistant professor of clinical anesthesiology. A video recounted the founding of the division of anesthesiology in 1948 under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Artusio, who chaired the department for a remarkable 41 years.
Research Scholar Award Announced
A highlight of the evening was the announcement of a generous gift to support a young physician scientist: The Fun-Sun Frank and Bawr-Chyr Peggy Yao Research Scholar Award in Anesthesiology. Dr. Yao, a professor of clinical anesthesiology, is also celebrating his 50th anniversary as a member of the faculty and the 40th anniversary of the acclaimed textbook Yao & Artusio's Anesthesiology.
Photo at left: Fun-Sun Frank and Baw-Chyr Peggy Yao. • Photo at right: Drs. Hugh Hemmings, Alan Van Poznak and Kane Pryor
The program continued during dinner with presentations from Drs. Natalia Girardi, executive vice chair for clinical affairs; Kane Pryor, executive vice chair for education; and residency program director Dr. Eric Brumberger. They highlighted the department's triple mission of "Care, Discover, Teach" and recognized the many faculty, alumni, trainees, CRNAs and staff who have contributed to 75 years of excellence at Weill Cornell Medicine Anesthesiology.
The festivities continued with a popular photo booth and lively dance floor that was in full swing when the evening came to an end. It was a joyful celebration of a landmark anniversary year.
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