Michael E. "Mike" Hagerman of Schenectady died on the morning of December 3rd, 2020 after a four-year battle with melanoma.
Mike was born on December 12th, 1969 in Van Nuys, California to Linda (Clark) Hagerman and the late Harry Eugene "Gene" Hagerman Jr, and raised in Springfield, Illinois. He graduated from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois with a BS in Chemistry and Math and from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois with a Ph.D. in Chemistry. He completed post-doctoral work at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and then moved to Schenectady, New York in 1997 to teach at Union College. Mike earned tenure at Union in 2003 and was promoted to Full Professor in 2012. He married his wife Gail, who also taught at Union College, in 2004.
Mike was a passionate teacher who championed undergraduate research and served as co-director of the Nanotechnology Program at Union. He welcomed every student to work with him in the lab and proudly traveled with them to professional conferences to present their results. His colleagues and students will remember him for his warmth, mentoring, and ability to give encouragement when needed.
Mike was always cheerful, fun-loving and quick-witted, ready with a joke and a smile at all times. He was passionate about soccer, having played at the varsity level in high school and college, and enjoyed coaching his own children and others in recreational soccer for the Colonie Soccer Club. Mike was an avid fan of the Dallas Cowboys and enjoyed sharing his love of football with his son, James. He also loved to bake and write poetry with his daughter, Sarah, and looked forward to annual trips to Wisconsin to visit his mother Linda and twin brother Matt, and to play soccer and board games with his nieces and nephews.
Mike is survived by his wife Gail Donaldson, children Sarah (16) and James (15), his identical twin brother Matthew (Dana), brothers Jason (Christy), Joe, and Patrick, his aunt and uncle Sheri and Doug FitzRandolph, his uncle Ray Harris and several cousins, nieces, and nephews, all of whom loved him dearly.
A memorial to celebrate Mike's life and work will be held next year when it is safe to gather. Donations in his honor can be made to advance melanoma research or to Union College, Schenectady, NY.