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Syd Clausen |
“Syd’s performance during our recent exodus out of level two of Wittson Hall can only be described as remarkable,” said James Shull, Ph.D., chairman of the department of genetics, cell biology and anatomy. “During this move, Syd played the lead role in organizing the move of our faculty, together with possessions and teaching materials accumulated over the past 40 years, to their temporary quarters.”
Clausen — recipient of the Chancellor’s Gold ‘U’ for the month of March — also is a bit of an inventor.
“He single-handedly designed and built mobile carts with battery powered commercial sprayer units to support the gross anatomy lab that are so well conceived that other labs are copying them because of their overwhelming usefulness and efficiency,” said Gordon Todd, Ph.D., professor in the department of genetics, cell biology and anatomy.
UNMC Today recently spent some time in the lab with Clausen — the department’s anatomy education coordinator and a native of Arlington, Neb.
Since 1993, Clausen has worked in the gross lab where he performs a wide variety of duties. On any given day, he may:
- Set up cadavers for dissection;
- Prepare rooms for lecture;
- Cremate dissected cadavers; and/or
- Clean trays used for dissection.
That’s a small sampling of his responsibilities in the gross lab.
UNMC Today asked Clausen to reflect about his job and his 16 years in the lab. Below, in his own words, are some of his responses:
“Dr. Binhammer’s great. Gordon Todd’s great. The people here, they’re all great.
Working with kids and working with the faculty is the greatest reward.”
“Some students get a little squeamish when they first start working down here. One girl passed out. She went down pretty easy, though. I think someone caught her.”
“The bodies don’t bother you at all. They don’t talk back. If there are no students or faculty down here, it’s quiet. It’s great. But every once in awhile we will hear a pacemaker going off.”