People
Obituary: Peter Kennedy – May 18, 1943 – Aug. 30, 2010
September 8, 2010
Retired SFU economist Peter Kennedy passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on August 30.
An accomplished scholar who taught at SFU for 40 years and retired in 2008, Kennedy will be best remembered as a passionate teacher.
In 1987 he received a 3M National Teaching Fellowship for teaching excellence at the university level, one of only a few SFU professors to have received this prestigious award. He was also an inaugural recipient of the SFU Excellence in Teaching Award in 1983.
Kennedy’s commitment to excellence in teaching led him to help initiate the development of what eventually became known as the Learning and Instructional Development Centre (LIDC). He also supervised many graduate students.
As well, he played a key role in the evolution of the department of economics. He served as undergraduate program chair before taking on positions as associate chair and finally departmental chair from 1978-79.
Born in Toronto and raised in nearby Port Credit, ON, Kennedy obtained a BA from Queen's in 1965 and a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1968.
While he published many academic articles in peer-reviewed journals, he is best known for writing A Guide to Econometrics, which in his own words “has become a classic as a comprehensive guide to some incredibly technical stuff”. The book established his reputation internationally and played a prominent role in generating a number of visiting professorships.
Kennedy was editor or associate editor of three journals, including a 20-year association with the Journal of Economic Education.
A ceremony celebrating Kennedy's life will take place on Friday September 17th, 10:30am at the Diamond Alumni Centre, Burnaby campus.
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