University of Missouri and the Department of Political Science mourns the loss of emeritus professor, Dr. Robin Remington. Dr. Remington was a native of Boston, Massachusetts. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Indiana.
Dr. Remington conducted research in comparative politics. She focused on countries such as Bosnia, Yugoslavia, and the former Soviet Union. Further, Dr. Remington authored numerous books, namely The Warsaw Pact: Case Studies in Communist Conflict Resolution (The MIT Press), Winter in Prague (The MIT Press), and Codependency and Globalization: Central, East, and Southeastern Europe (Rowman & Littlefield Pub Incorporated). In addition, she wrote a number of scholarly articles.
Dr. Remington was the first woman to be hired and achieve tenure in the Political Science Department at the University of Missouri. Dr. Steve Roper, faculty member at Florida Atlantic University and a student of Dr. Remington, said “Robin was a pioneer. During the 60s and 70s, there were only a few women in political science and very few in Soviet/Eastern European studies. When I was at Mizzou, I did not appreciate how she really broke the mold and was ahead of her time. I wish that I could have let her know.” Dr. John Messmer, another student of Dr. Remington and faculty member at St. Louis Community College at Meramec, stated he has “Wonderful memories of Professor Remington. I remember being in her Soviet Foreign Policy class (had to be one of the last times that class was offered!) when Yeltsin faced a coup in '93. The perspective she shared in class was extraordinary! We hung on every word. One of the smartest professors I have had. Also one of the kindest.”
Dr. Remington was a generous donor to the University. Dr. Lael Keiser, Interim Chair of the Department of Political Science, stated “Dr. Remington had a positive impact through research and teaching, as well as through the student scholarships she created.” Dr. Remington generously donated to the Political Science Department by creating four scholarships to support undergraduate and graduate students (the Robin Remington Scholarship, the Wallace/Remington Graduate Research Scholarship, the Robin Remington Award, and the Edith Taylor Therrien Award). These awards have benefited many students over the years. The Edith Therrien Award was created by Dr. Remington and named after her grandmother. The scholarship is awarded to a highly accomplished women graduate students or to outstanding scholars studying women and politics at the University of Missouri. Dr. Remington and her husband, Dr. Paul Wallace, also a University of Missouri emeritus professor, created the Paul Wallace and Robin Remington Graduate Research Scholarship. This scholarship provides funds for a graduate student to engage in policy-relevant research projects focusing on international regional security.
Dr. Remington was a trailblazer in the Political Science Department at the University of Missouri, and will be remembered as such. She will be missed.