Philip H. Duran

PARKER, Colo. – Phillip H. Duran – author, activist, alumnus, computer systems analyst and industry-certified disaster recovery planner for WSU – died recently. He worked for WSU 1978-98.

Below is a tribute written by a retention counselor from WSU Multicultural Student Services in Duran’s honor:

 

By Rafael Pruneda, Multicultural Student Services

PULLMAN, Wash. – It is with a heavy heart that the Office of Multicultural Student Services reports the passing of Phillip H. Duran, longtime WSU activist and faculty member.

Phil-DuranDuran and his wife Norma had a strong presence in the Washington State University Chicana/o Latina/o community 1971-98. After leaving Pullman, they would visit almost yearly and continued to support Semana de La Raza events and the Gabriel Cardenas Memorial Scholarship banquet.

Phil received his BS and MS in physics from the University of Texas-El Paso and an MS in computer science from WSU in 1978. Since 2000, his focus has been on American Indian science education and Native re-indigenization. He also explored important parallels between modern physics concepts (quantum theory and relativity theory) and Indigenous traditional knowledge.

His first book, “Bringing Back the Spirit,” speaks to the American conscience (churches, society and government) and describes how his consciousness shifted from ultra-conservative views to a more realistic Native traditional perspective. His second book, “The Condor and the Eagle,” explores the relationships between modern physics and Indigenous knowledge.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, supporters give to the American Indian College Fund in Phil’s memory (https://community.collegefund.org/donate)