Walter R. Lynn, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering and of science and technology studies, joined the Cornell faculty in 1961 and became emeritus in 1998. During his tenure, he served in several key administrative roles, including 12 years as university ombudsman, as well as earlier positions as a faculty trustee and dean of the university faculty.

He earned a B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Miami in 1950, a master’s degree in sanitary engineering from the University of North Carolina in 1954, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1963.

Lynn came to Cornell as an associate professor of sanitary engineering. Early in his career, he held a joint appointment at what is now Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, where he taught systems methods to physicians. His research included modeling epidemiology to explore the interface between human biology and civil-engineered systems.

As dean of the university faculty, Lynn focused on key issues affecting the academic community, including the quality of undergraduate education and the status of federal research funding. He played a pivotal role in establishing the Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellowship program, which honors excellence in undergraduate teaching.