Campus News

Kendall Birr

By Carol Olechowski (February 4, 2005)

Kendall A. Birr, professor emeritus of history

Kendall A. Birr, professor emeritus of history, passed away Dec. 26, 2004 at the age of 80.

Born in Illinois, Birr earned a degree in electrical engineering at Michigan State, a bachelor’s in history and political science at Cornell College in Iowa, and a master’s in history at the University of Wisconsin. After earning his Ph.D. in American civilization, he joined the Department of History faculty in 1952 and remained at UAlbany until he retired in 1990. During his years at the University, he served in a number of administrative positions, including history department chair. Named a Collins Fellow in 1985, Birr received the University’s most prestigious award, the Citizen of the University, in 1993.

He was the author of several books, including Prelude to Point Four (1954) and Pioneering in Industrial Research: The Story of the General Electric Research Laboratory (1957). To commemorate the University’s 150th anniversary 11 years ago, he wrote the comprehensive volume A Tradition of Excellence: The Sesquicentennial History of the University at Albany, State University of New York 1844-1994. Birr did much of his research in the University Libraries and, in 2000, established the History of American Science and Technology Fund, which strengthens the collections by enabling the Libraries “to routinely buy 10 to 15 volumes published that year in that field.” In addition, he founded the Kendall A. Birr Scholarship Endowment to provide awards to seniors majoring in history. Birr’s survivors include his son, Christopher; three grandchildren; a brother; and several nieces and nephews.