Michael J. Auerbach

Michael Jeff Auerbach, 66, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, passed away on Thursday, October 10, 2019. His graveside service will be held Sunday, October 13, 2019 in the Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens, 1308 Mathis Ferry Road at 11:00 am. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.

Michael was born August 15, 1953 in Queens, New York, son of Max Auerbach and the late Estelle Auerbach. Dr. Auerbach served as the Dean of the School of Sciences and Mathematics, at the College of Charleston, from 2010 until his retirement in July 2018. He was the driving force behind the completion of the School of Sciences and Mathematics Building and renovation of the Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center which reopened in June 2018. He also served the College as Chair of the Department of Biology (1996-2000). Upon his retirement, the Dean Emeritus Michael J. Auerbach Undergraduate Research Mentor Award was created in honor of his strong belief in providing students with opportunities to conduct hands-on research projects with the ultimate goal of presenting at professional meetings and/or being published in a peer reviewed journal. This award is given annually to a faculty member demonstrating a sustained track record of mentoring student research over a three year period of time. Additional contributions to the science community include serving as Executive Director of the Division of Earth and Ecosystems Sciences at the Desert Research Institute in Reno, NV and Program Director of Ecological Studies for the National Science Foundation. He was the Lady Davis Postdoctoral Fellow in Field Plant Ecology at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, where he met his beloved wife Nitsa. As an ecologist, Mike had an unmatched enthusiasm for our environment and all its creatures. He was an avid bike rider and enjoyed traveling.

He is survived by his wife, Nitsa Dagan-Auerbach of Mt. Pleasant, SC; father, Max Auerbach of Mt. Pleasant, SC; son, Daniel Auerbach of Mt. Pleasant, SC; and sister, Leslie Auerbach of Santa Cruz, CA;