Today in Wheeling History: August 6—Wheeling Jesuit University mourns the passing of Dr. Benjamin Stout, Professor of Biology and environmental advocate (2018).
Dr. Benjamin Mortimer Stout III was born on December 21, 1957, in Morgantown, West Virginia. A lifelong West Virginian, he graduated from Morgantown High School in 1975, earned a B.S. in Agriculture and Forestry from West Virginia University in 1980, and completed his M.S. in Biology at Tennessee Tech in 1982. He later earned a Ph.D. in Biology from Virginia Tech in 1990. Dr. Stout joined Wheeling Jesuit University in 1992, where he taught biology and environmental science for 26 years, mentoring students and conducting groundbreaking research in sustainability and watershed ecology.
Known for his work on coal slurry contamination and mountaintop removal mining, Stout was a fierce advocate for environmental justice. His research led to tangible improvements in water quality for communities in southern West Virginia, including connecting over 500 families to municipal water systems. He served as an expert witness in federal court cases, including the landmark Spruce Mine No. 1 injunction, and appeared in documentaries such as "Burning the Future: Coal in America." Stout was honored with numerous awards, including the Don Gasper Science in the Public Interest Award and induction as a Fellow of the Society for Freshwater Science. He passed away from cancer on August 3, 2018, at his home in Wheeling. His legacy lives on through his students, research, and the communities he empowered.
To learn more: West Virginia Public Broadcasting tribute (https://tinyurl.com/5n6enwpr), Appalachian Voices remembrance (https://tinyurl.com/bdrde3mm), Find a Grave memorial (https://tinyurl.com/4m5jy4sd), FracTracker tribute (https://tinyurl.com/535b386d), YouTube: Bad Water documentary clip (https://tinyurl.com/mr8mt3dv), Wheeling University Timeline (https://tinyurl.com/7928bbvc), The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register - Wheeling Jesuit University Professor Ben Stout Recalled as an Environmental Hero (https://tinyurl.com/32xa6kyc), Grissell Funeral Homes - Obituary (https://tinyurl.com/34yauxvz)
Photo credits: West Virginia Public Radio, Grissell Funeral Homes, Find a Grave
Dr. Benjamin Mortimer Stout III was born on December 21, 1957, in Morgantown, West Virginia. A lifelong West Virginian, he graduated from Morgantown High School in 1975, earned a B.S. in Agriculture and Forestry from West Virginia University in 1980, and completed his M.S. in Biology at Tennessee Tech in 1982. He later earned a Ph.D. in Biology from Virginia Tech in 1990. Dr. Stout joined Wheeling Jesuit University in 1992, where he taught biology and environmental science for 26 years, mentoring students and conducting groundbreaking research in sustainability and watershed ecology.
Known for his work on coal slurry contamination and mountaintop removal mining, Stout was a fierce advocate for environmental justice. His research led to tangible improvements in water quality for communities in southern West Virginia, including connecting over 500 families to municipal water systems. He served as an expert witness in federal court cases, including the landmark Spruce Mine No. 1 injunction, and appeared in documentaries such as "Burning the Future: Coal in America." Stout was honored with numerous awards, including the Don Gasper Science in the Public Interest Award and induction as a Fellow of the Society for Freshwater Science. He passed away from cancer on August 3, 2018, at his home in Wheeling. His legacy lives on through his students, research, and the communities he empowered.
To learn more: West Virginia Public Broadcasting tribute (https://tinyurl.com/5n6enwpr), Appalachian Voices remembrance (https://tinyurl.com/bdrde3mm), Find a Grave memorial (https://tinyurl.com/4m5jy4sd), FracTracker tribute (https://tinyurl.com/535b386d), YouTube: Bad Water documentary clip (https://tinyurl.com/mr8mt3dv), Wheeling University Timeline (https://tinyurl.com/7928bbvc), The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register - Wheeling Jesuit University Professor Ben Stout Recalled as an Environmental Hero (https://tinyurl.com/32xa6kyc), Grissell Funeral Homes - Obituary (https://tinyurl.com/34yauxvz)
Photo credits: West Virginia Public Radio, Grissell Funeral Homes, Find a Grave
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