In Memoriam

Dennis M. Feeney, PhD

Dr. Dennis M. Feeney, age 76, passed away peacefully at home with his wife Marilyn at his side on Saturday, April 7, 2018. He had a long distinguished career as both a scientist and teacher. Receiving his bachelor's degree in 1962 in experimental psychology at the Pennsylvania State University, he went on to receive a masters of arts in psychology at Kent State University in Ohio from 1962 to 1964. Receiving his doctor of philosophy degree in experimental psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1968, he stayed on for a full year to complete his post-doctoral training at the UCLA Brain Research Institute.

Dr. Feeney settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1970 when he joined the faculty in the Department of Psychology at the University of New Mexico.

Dennis enjoyed his associations with A. Earl Walker, MD, who came to the University of New Mexico after retiring as Chair of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. Together, they addressed many issues related to epilepsy and the topic of brain death. However, Dr. Feeney's main interest was the impact catecholamines had on recovery after experimental cortical lesions of the brain.

During his tenure, Dennis wrote many articles related to the topic of recovery of function. One of his most seminal papers appeared in Science in 1982, where he and his students reported how amphetamine, haloperidol, and experience interacted to affect the rate of recovery from motor cortex injury in rodents.

Dr. Feeney had a great influence on his students, instilling a sense of morality and ethics while, at the same time, demanding...