Obituaries : Donald E. Bianchi; Dean at CSUN

Donald E. Bianchi, the longest-serving dean at Cal State Northridge and the first head of its School of Science and Mathematics, died Thursday of a heart attack. He was 62.

Bianchi, a Northridge resident who had suffered from a staphylococcus infection for several months, had been hospitalized at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Woodland Hills, according to a university spokesman. Bianchi was an avid backpacker and cross-country skier, and his death shocked colleagues, who had expected him to rebound from his illness.

“His expertise was especially essential to us during our recovery from the earthquake when his genial and unflappable presence was clearly one of our greatest assets,” CSUN President Blenda J. Wilson said in a statement. She described her colleague, who enjoyed a 37-year career at CSUN, as having had a profound impact on the direction of CSUN.

“Don was science at CSUN,” said Mary Corcoran, biology department chairwoman. “The School of Science and Mathematics is in excellent shape thanks to him.”

Born Nov. 22, 1933, in Santa Cruz, Bianchi received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from Stanford University and his doctorate from the University of Michigan in 1959.

Later that year, Bianchi was hired as an assistant professor of biology at San Fernando Valley State College, which was about a year old. The school later became CSUN.

In 1965-66, Bianchi was named a National Science Foundation Fellow in Geneva, Switzerland. His skill as an instructor was rewarded in 1972, when he was named “CSUN Outstanding Teacher.” Later in his career, he served on the board of governors of the Cal State system’s Ocean Studies Consortium and the board of directors of Associated Western Universities.

Bianchi began his administrative career in 1973, when he was named dean of the School of Science and Mathematics.

After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, Bianchi was instrumental in the restoration of the campus’ four science buildings, which were among the hardest hit by the quake. Bianchi helped conceptualize how the buildings would look and function, and their role in the university.

Wilson said she came to depend upon Bianchi during her first year as president when he served as interim vice president of academic affairs from 1991-93.

As a researcher, Bianchi’s area of expertise was fungal physiology. He co-authored, with fellow CSUN biologist Philip Sheeler, a widely used text called “Cell Biology,” now in its third edition.

Bianchi is survived by his wife, Georgia; a daughter, Diana Voorhees of San Diego; two sons, David Bianchi of Moorpark and William Bianchi of North Hills, and five grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Donald E. Bianchi Memorial Fund, School of Science and Mathematics, Cal State Northridge, Northridge 91330-8238. Funeral and memorial service arrangements are pending.