David Cohen
By Marcelle Richards
DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF
[email protected]
Senior lecturer David Cohen of the mathematics department passed
away last week after a battle with leukemia.
Cohen specialized in elementary mathematics and taught
pre-calculus and finite math courses.
His pre-calculus book is largely based on his experiences with
students, said mathematics professor Phil Curtis.
“He’ll be sorely missed. It’s not easy to
replace someone like that,” Curtis said. “His students
thought he was just great.”
Curtis, department chair from 1971-75, hired Cohen the winter of
1974.
Cohen had only been at UCLA a few years, working with the
Academic Advancement Program in a remedial math program.
Curtis said Cohen was still green and relatively unestablished
when he was interviewed for the job, but that quickly changed.
“He rapidly established his reputation as a wonderful
teacher,” Curtis said.
Curtis said he remembers the striking trait of Cohen’s
friendly demeanor which persisted throughout his years in the
department.
Shabnam Melamed, a second-year psychobiology student, recalls
Cohen as one of UCLA’s most memorable faculty members.
“He’s one of the smartest teachers at this
school,” she said. “I really enjoyed his class more
than others.”
She said his classes were difficult and challenging, but
worthwhile.
Melamed, a frequent visitor at his office hours, remembers the
professor’s declining health and how he remained bright
throughout his health complications.
Explaining how he kept a very strict division between his
private and professional life, she said: “He didn’t
seem to be sick on the outside and never said anything about it,
but he took a lot of days off.”
Cohen received the Distinguished Teaching Award and worked
extensively at the freshman level to advise incoming students.
Much of his time was spent advising students outside the
classroom and helping them determine which level of math they
should take.
“He was a spectacular teacher and very devoted to
students,” Curtis said.