In Memoriam

Richard Harrison, Chief of the Contracts Review Branch, Office of Extramural Affairs, National Institute on Drug Abuse, passed away on January 19, 2005. He joined NIDA in the early 1980s, transferring from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism where he administered a grants program for Native Americans. Harrison quickly rose to Chief of NIDA's Contracts Review Branch, maintaining a standard of excellence throughout his career. He is remembered as a capable and involved leader who worked tirelessly on behalf of NIDA's mission to bring the power of science to bear on the problems of drug abuse and addiction. Harrison received several NIDA Director's Awards of Merit for his accomplishments, including exemplary service as Contracts Review Branch Chief and work on NIDA's health disparities committee. He was a member of the equal employment opportunity advisory committee and also served on the first NIH Diversity Council.

Harrison was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma on the Osage Indian Reservation. As a member of the Osage Tribal Nation, he made an annual pilgrimage to Fairfax, Oklahoma to participate in a 4-day tribal ceremony. While at NIH, he was active in recruiting Indian youth to consider careers in government by serving as interns. He was a key participant in the recent opening ceremonies of the National Museum of the American Indian, and loved to demonstrate his Indian dances and share his culture with children in area schools. In addition, Harrison volunteered his skills to Family Services of Montgomery County and the National Minority Organ/Tissue Transplant Education Program. He was a member of the American Indian Society of Washington, Americans for Indian Opportunity, American University/Washington Internships for Native Students, the Kiwanis Club of Rockville, Toastmasters International and the Bahai community of Montgomery County Northwest.

He is survived by his wife Joan; his son John; his brothers David, Henry and John; his stepchildren Deborah Ward, Sandra Meinberg, Linda Hazlewood, Patricia Haga, Michael and David Doyle; and 16 grandchildren.