The Institute of Child Development (ICD) recently discovered the passing of Emeritus Professor William R. Charlesworth on October 28, 2021, at the age of 91. Dr. Charlesworth was a professor in ICD from 1961 to 1995 and had an impactful career in the fields of child development and human ethology. ICD faculty and alumni have fond memories of Dr. Charlesworth as a mentor, colleague, and teacher.

Prior to graduating from Cornell University in 1962, with a Ph.D. in Child Development and Family Relationships, Dr. Charlesworth worked for the U.S. Army Intelligence from 1953-1956. He served as the Institute’s Director of Undergraduate Studies in addition to serving as a member, or chair, on numerous college and university committees, including the President’s Committee on Teaching and Learning.

Dr. Charlesworth received the Horace T. Morse Minnesota Alumni Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education as well as the College of Education Distinguished Teaching Award. In 1968-69 and 1976-77, he was a visiting professor at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Germany.

The field of child development benefited from Dr. Charlesworth’s service. From 1984-1987, he chaired the SRCD Committee for Ethical Conduct in Child Development Research and, in 1983, he chaired the APA Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects. In addition, he served as the President of the International Society for Human Ethology and was also a member of the European Academy of Science and Arts.