Mark Becker (1961–2014)

Faculty member Mark Becker was killed February 26, 2014, in a multi-vehicle accident in the northbound lanes of I-87 (the New York State Thruway), just north of the Woodbury tolls, in which several others were injured. Mark was on his way from his home in New Jersey to teach at Bard.

Mark had been an instructor since 2003 in the Bard Center for Environmental Policy. He taught the Introduction to Geographic Information Systems class on spatial analysis to both Bard CEP graduate students and undergraduates. His class was an inspiration for dozens of senior projects and master’s theses and the basis for much student work after graduation.

He was also associate director of the Geospatial Applications Division of the Center for International Earth Science Information Network of Columbia University’s Earth Institute and co-director of Bergen SWAN (Save the Watershed Action Network), a community-based watershed association that he co-founded with Lori Charkey.

He is survived by Lori Charkey, his partner of 30 years; his mother, Edith Becker; and two sisters, Patricia Schilling and Teresa Soshini.

Post Date: 02-26-2014