Professor had eclectic mix of interestsBy Eric Quiñones
Durbin came to the University in 1953 as a member of the research staff and rose to the rank of senior research aeronautical engineer and lecturer before joining the faculty as a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in 1965. He transferred to emeritus status in 1993. The main focus of Durbin's most recent research was alternative fuels, fuel economy and pollution control in the internal combustion engine. He published many articles on the environmental, economic and political benefits of using natural gas as fuel. Durbin was the founder and first director of the alternative fuels laboratory at the University of British Columbia in 1980-81 and was the organizer of a global conference on the use of methane as motor fuel. Durbin also served as a consultant and adviser to many industrial and U.S. government agencies and to NATO. Among his wide range of other research activities, Durbin held a patent on a tennis racket designed to reduce elbow strain, studied new concepts in hearing aids and examined efficient conversion of salt water to fresh water. Durbin's teaching specialty was in dynamic data analysis and instrumentation and systems analysis. He also was known as an enthusiastic supervisor of undergraduate independent work projects. He was a fellow of the American Association for the Ad-vancement of Science and served as vice president and director of the research division of the Instrumentation Society of America. He earned a bachelor's degree from City College of New York and a master's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. A resident of Princeton for 50 years, Durbin also served on the Princeton Borough Council. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marilyn Durbin; sons Jon and Paul Durbin; daughter Karen Jain; and five grandchildren. A memorial service was scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Princeton. Memorial contributions may be made to the Deborah Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 820, Browns Mills, NJ 08015. |
 
June 16, 2003 Contents Sections Commencement 2003 Inside People The Bulletin is published weekly during the academic year, except during University breaks and exam weeks, by the Office of Communications. Second class postage paid at Princeton. Postmaster: Send address changes to Princeton Weekly Bulletin, Office of Communications, Princeton University, 22 Chambers St., Suite 201, Princeton, NJ 08542. Permission is given to adapt, reprint or excerpt material from the Bulletin for use in other media. Subscriptions. The Bulletin is distributed free to faculty, staff and students. Others may subscribe to the Bulletin for $28 for the academic year (half price for current Princeton parents and people over 65). Send a check to Office of Communications, Princeton University, 22 Chambers St., Suite 201, Princeton, NJ 08542. Deadline. In general, the copy deadline for each issue is the Friday 10 days in advance of the Monday cover date. The deadline for the Bulletin that covers September 8-14 is Friday, August 29. A complete publication schedule is available at deadlines or by calling (609) 258-3601. Editor: Ruth Stevens Calendar editor: Carolyn Geller Staff writers: Jennifer Greenstein Altmann, Steven Schultz Contributing writers: Patricia Allen, Karin Dienst, Jerry Price, Eric Quinones Photographer: Denise Applewhite Design: Mahlon Lovett, Laurel Masten Cantor, Margaret Westergaard Web edition: Mahlon Lovett |
