I was very sad to learn of Peter’s death. The news moved me a surprising amount given my distance from Peter. My contact with him was as an undergraduate engineering student at UIC in the early nineties. I had Peter for two semesters of History of Photography. I found him to be a compelling, insightful, and engaging professor.

Though outside my major, I remember being drawn in. I had a number of in-depth discussions with him about the Columbian Exposition. Somewhere in the conversations it came out that he was working on a book about the Manhatan Project. This was a topic on which I was very interested and later when I was a grad student I stopped by his office to discuss Atomic Spaces and his views on various cold war issues. I don’t remember the specifics of the conversation, but I do remember being struck by how generous he was with his time and how perceptive he was in his analysis.

I am not one of the people that could call Peter a friend, but I am one of a larger group of people that was touched by what a special guy he was. While I was contemplating his death, I was talking with my wife about how I was somewhat perplexed my feeling. I’ve had little direct contact with Peter but yet feel very sad about his death. She pointed out that of all my non-major, undergrad professors, he is the only one for which I can remember his name.

He was an inspiring person. Knowing that I will never again happen to catch him on Chicago Tonight, or come across new book of his makes me sad. Peter’s community has lost a great soul. My thoughts are with his family and friends. I am very sorry for your loss.

-Curt Preissner