[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING CHARLES M. CHAMBERS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SANDER M. LEVIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 17, 2009

  Mr. LEVIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the life of 
an important community leader and a good friend, Charles M. Chambers, 
who passed away on Wednesday, May 20, 2009.
  Mr. Chambers served from 1993 to 2006 as Lawrence Technological 
University's fifth president and as the University's first chancellor 
from February 1, 2006 to July 1, 2006, when he was named president 
emeritus. His dedication to higher education and technology reshaped 
the business acumen at Lawrence Tech and allowed the University to 
enjoy unprecedented fund acquisition to enhance curriculum and 
facilities throughout the campus.
  During his tenure, Chambers lead the institution in investing 
millions of dollars in upgrading older facilities on the University's 
102-acre campus. In addition, the University constructed several new 
facilities, including the University Technology and Learning Center, 
the Student Housing Center-North, the A. Alfred Taubman Student 
Services Center, and the Center for Innovative Materials Research. 
Growth and expansion of applied research and academic offerings 
accelerated during his presidency, including the launch of Lawrence 
Tech's first doctoral programs and the establishment of learning 
centers and higher education partnerships elsewhere in Michigan, 
Canada, Germany, Mexico, and Asia.
  Dr. Chambers' career accomplishments are testaments of his passion 
for revitalizing the scientific community and enhancing higher 
education. In the 1960s, he was an aerospace engineer with NASA, where 
he participated in the Apollo space program. He was president of the 
American Foundation for Biological Sciences, a consortium of over fifty 
scientific laboratories, museums, and societies. In addition, he served 
on the faculties of Harvard University, the University of Alabama, and 
George Washington University, where he was a dean for graduate evening 
programs.
  Dr. Chambers was also involved in economic development initiatives 
for southeast Michigan. A founding director of Oakland County's 
Automation Alley, he also served on the advisory board of the Detroit 
Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit Renaissance Steering 
Committee, the Oakland County Workforce Development Board, the WIRED 
(Workforce Investment for Regional Economic Development) and the 
Education Foundation of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. He was 
also a member of the Oakland County Business Roundtable.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Chambers, a genuine 
leader in the field of education, science and technology. I join with 
the Chambers family, and the extended family of Lawrence Technological 
University, in mourning his loss, celebrating his life, and paying 
tribute to him for all the good work he did for others.

                          ____________________