Obituaries

John C.G. Boot, professor emeritus and past chair of the Department of Management Science and Systems in the School of Management, died May 15 in Buffalo. He was 83.

Born to Dutch parents in Semarang, Indonesia, Boot was one of five children, including his identical twin, Boudewijn. His family returned to the Netherlands as World War II was beginning, and Boot grew up in Rotterdam. He earned a doctorate from the Netherlands School of Economics and lived in Amsterdam, and later Palo Alto, Calif., while at Stanford University.

An expert in the fields of economic statistics and operations research, Boot was the author or co-author of six books, including “Quadratic Programming: Algorithm, Anomalies, Applications” and “Introduction to Operations Research and Management Science” (1964), “Mathematical Reasoning in Economics and Management Science: Twelve Topics” (1967), and “Statistical Analysis for Managerial Decisions” (1970). His popular economics textbook, “Common Globe or Global Commons,” was published in 1974. He also wrote numerous journal articles.

Boot joined the faculty of the School of Management in 1965 and taught, mainly statistics, for more than 42 years until his retirement in 2007. He was an advocate for students and known for his quirky sense of humor. Once, when his twin was visiting Buffalo, he pranked his class by walking out one door and having his twin walk in another.

He was active in the university's Faculty Senate, serving as chair from 1987-89, and played a key role in developing the university's academic and administrative policies. He also served as United University Professions’ chapter president.