Norayr Khatcheressian

On retirement in the Spring of 2005, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Norayr ‘Nono’ Khatcheressian was honored by President Trachtenberg, Dean William Frawley, Physics Chair William Parke, and dozens of colleagues and friends, who gave accolades to Nono’s special character at a farewell lunch. As the President noted, Nono was renowned for his devotion, skill, care, speed and accuracy in all of his actions and service to the University. Dean Frawley gave a series of examples of difficult challenges in his office which Nono handled with aplomb. Chairman Parke stated, “Nono has been an example to us all, by being: An ideal gentleman, civilized in the best sense; A warm colleague and friend, always willing to help; A person with rare precision, both in research and administration; and A man who has perfected wisdom, and shares his good ideas.”

Prof. Khatcheressian was born in Lebanon in 1939. After his family immigrated to the United States, Nono attended GW as an undergraduate, receiving a B.A. in Physics in 1960. He gained his Ph.D. at the University of Virginia in 1966, working in the field of experimental solid state physics. He came back to GW in the Fall of 1966 as an assistant professor of physics, setting up a research program and laboratory to study critical fields in thin-film superconductors, while teaching and mentoring our majors.

Through his long tenure at GW, Nono was a major contributor to our University. After arriving, he was soon recognized for his congeniality and unusually clear analytic ability. He was asked to serve as Chairman of the Physics Department (1977-1980) and then to work with and to chair a long series of College and University-wide committees, leading to his appointment as Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs in 1990.

For all the foregoing and more, The George Washington University conferred on Norayr Khatcheressian the status of professor emeritus, with all the rights, duties, privileges and responsibilities pertaining thereto.

(W. Parke, 2005)