CMU Professor of Anthropology Dr. Barry Michrina died recently.

According to an email from CMU President Tim Foster Wednesday, Dr. Michrina joined at CMU in 1990.

“His identity was inseparable from western Pennsylvania,” Foster’s email read. “He loved his home state, its heritage of coal mining, labor struggles and its hard working people. He also loved Pittsburgh sports teams and never lost interest in his Pirates, even though they have had a losing record for about 18 straight seasons. He could be found walking around every day wearing either a Pirates or Steelers cap. He was a superb teacher and dedicated to the classroom, giving every day his best.”

Michrina earned his B.S. in Chemistry from St. Francis College in 1969 and his M.S. in Physical Chemistry from Colorado State University in 1971. He obtained his first Ph.D. in Agronomy from Pennsylvania State University in 1981 and his second in Cultural Anthropology from Binghamton University in 1991.

Michrina wrote three books. This semester, he taught Cultural Anthropology, North American Indian, Ethnographic Methods, and Religion and Culture.

“For most of our academic careers teachers fly in and out of our lives and our relationships with them are over in the blink of an eye,” Sophomore Cassie Heykoop said. “Dr. Michrina was not a professor that is easily forgotten and his class left a huge impact on my life. He was the kind of teacher that made class enjoyable, but still demanded that every student give their best work and participation. He challenged us and picked our brain. Each class brought a fresh perspective to the table. It is the only class, not pertaining to my major, that I have kept every reading and article from.”