Fred Menger, Candler Professor of Chemistry. Photo by Kay Hinton.
Fred Menger
Day Job: Candler Professor of Chemistry
Secret Life: Writer
Menger credits long, uninterrupted hours waiting in airports with his development as a writer of short stories and nonfiction trip reports. Asked how much time he spends writing, he says that's a secret.
His words: "In scientific writing, one must be certain that every sentence is accurate. In short story writing, I have no such constraints. I can fabricate to my heart's content, and it's a most enjoyable change from my profession."
Jonathan Beitler, Professor of radiation oncology, otolaryngology and hematology/medical oncology. Photo by Kay Hinton.
Jonathan Beitler
Day Job: Professor of radiation oncology, otolaryngology and hematology/medical oncology
Secret Life: US Army Reserves and Connecticut National Guard flight surgeon; Angel Flight pilot
Beitler was a general surgery resident when he joined the US Army Reserves in 1983, eventually rising to colonel. A member of the National Guard since 2011, his duty requires one weekend a month as well as a night flight, and occasional deployments or training missions. In December, he took Tactical Combat Medical Care, the military's training course for medical experts going to a war zone. Beitler is the winner in the military service category for the 2012 Atlanta Business Chronicle Health-Care Heroes Awards. He is currently deployed in Kuwait with an Apache unit, expected to serve through April.
His words: "As a flight surgeon, I get to combine my love of flying with a bit of patriotism... At my age, it is a great opportunity to continue serving the country. Particularly with an army that has been at war for more than ten years, this activity satisfies that innate drive to do good. Our motto is to ‘preserve the fighting strength' — and we do."