Dr. John Autian, class of 1950, received his BS from Temple after serving in Japan during World War II. He later earned his MS and PhD from the University of Maryland.

He served as a member of Temple’s faculty, as well as at the University of Michigan and the University of Texas. He later became faculty at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy and started the Materials Science and Toxicology Lab, which was recognized nationally and internationally. He later served as dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Tennessee and eventually was named dean of the Graduate School and Vice Chancellor for Research.

Dr. Autian co-authored numerous articles on pharmacology, toxicology, and biomedical materials, and presented lectures on these topics on a global scale. Following his retirement, Dr. Autian became involved in global humanitarian efforts and taught in the field of health sciences, while also advocating for the development of the Memphis Biomedical Research Zone.