John D. Arras and his wife were on a spring break vacation on Sunday when he suffered a stroke. He was taken to the University of Texas Medical Center, where he died the next day.
A memorial service will be held March 18 at 3 p. Interment will be private. His recent research interests included assisted suicide, public health ethics, research on human subjects, theories of global justice and the social determinants of health, and methods of practical ethics. Arras was serving on the White House Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, which has focused on a range of topics, including synthetic biology, research ethics and whole genome sequencing.
The commission issued a report just a few weeks ago on how the U. Appointed in , Arras was the second U.
He was also a longtime hospice volunteer. The U. Alumni Association honored him in with its Distinguished Professor Award for teaching, research, and contributions to student life, and in he received an Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. His death is a great loss for U. I love being around young people, prodding them, arguing with them. There is a Socratic element to it, an intense connection between the teacher and student.
Prior to his move to U. He also leaves behind his brother, Ernest Arras; his sister, Barbara Scruggs; and other relatives.
