In memoriam: Bradley W. 'Brad' Fenwick, former Virginia Tech vice president for research
An award-winning scientist, veterinarian, and leader in science policy, Bradley ‘Brad’ Willard Fenwick passed away from cancer complications on July 22, 2021. He was 66 years old.
Fenwick began his higher education career as a faculty member at the University of Florida, and then was recruited by Kansas State University in 1987 where he built a world-class infectious diseases research program. During his tenure at Kansas State, Fenwick held numerous academic leadership and administrative positions at the department level, chaired an interdisciplinary graduate program, and served as associate dean of graduate education, and president of the faculty senate.
In 2001, Fenwick was selected as the first veterinarian to be appointed as the chief scientist for the Competitive Research Programs and the National Research Initiative for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He also served as chief science advisor during 9/11, a time when the foundation for replacing the Plum Island Animal Disease Research Center was laid ensuring the construction, opening, and operation of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas.
Fenwick joined the Virginia Tech community as vice president for research and vice president of Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties in 2003. Four years later, Fenwick became vice chancellor for research and engagement at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville.
During this time, Fenwick chaired the U.S. Microbe Project - Federal Interagency Working Group, which representated 14 federal agencies and coordinated individual and cross-agency efforts to promote genome-enabled studies of the microbial world and the roles of microbes in human health, agriculture, and the environment.
In 2011, Fenwick was selected as the senior science and technology advisor with the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Economic Policy, East Asian, and Pacific Affairs. He led the development of the terms of reference and chaired the office’s Policy Partnership on Food Security as well as the Policy Partnership of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
One year later, he was recruited by Elsevier, Inc., the world’s largest publisher of over 2,000 science and technology journals and dozens of databases to be their senior vice president for Global Strategic Alliances, a position created specifically to capitalize on his talents. With the publishing giant, Fenwick fostered non-commercial strategic alliances between research universities and centers, foundations and government research agencies, and related associations and stakeholders.
In 2020, Fenwick joined Taylor & Francis, an international company originating in England that publishes books and academic journals, as their senior vice president for Open Science and Innovation.
Over the course of his professional career, Fenwick secured over $30 million in research funding from numerous governmental and private sources; published over 150 refereed and industry/professional publications and reports; supervised 35 graduate students and postdoctoral students; presented over 200 invited and keynote presentations throughout the world; held five United States patents; and with his spouse was the owner of a veterinary technology start-up company.
He received numerous accolades including the Beecham Award for Research Excellence, the Yarborough Medicine Award, Sigma Xi Outstanding Scientist and Service Awards, the Kansas Veterinary Service Award, and the University of California - Davis Distinguished Alumni Award.
He was an elected fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Council on Education and a Distinguished Fellow with the National Academies of Practice. He served on and chaired numerous professional and national organizations and committees including those with the National Academies of Science, the National Research Council, and the Association of Public Land-Grant Universities. He worked with research and policy groups such as Research America, Council on Governmental Relations, Association of Academic Health Centers, University Industry Development Partnership, Association of Pacific Rim Universities, and many more.
Fenwick earned a doctor of veterinary medicine and master’s degrees from Kansas State University, completed a residency and received a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis focused on microbiology and immunology.
Aside from his professional career, Fenwick was a devoted family man. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and spouse of 44-years, Debbie Nuss, of Manhattan, Kansas; his son, Benjamin Fenwick (Jillian Oberfield) of Arlington, Virginia; and daughter, Emily Fenwick (Tom Ashby) of Golden, Colorado. He is also survived by his adoring granddaughter, Sadie Fenwick of Arlington, Virginia. He is preceded in death by his father, Willard Fenwick and stepfather, Phil Bloom; survived by his mother, Martha Bloom of Manhattan, Kansas and his brother John Fenwick (Sheena Boyd) of San Francisco, California.
Fenwick’s family celebrated his life with a private service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions/pledges to the Brad Fenwick Endowment for Civic Science can be made on the Science Counts website or can be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.