Brandeis Magazine

Bruce Jackson, MS’03, of Wayland, Massachusetts, an awardwinning scientist and researcher, died on Nov. 17. He earned a master’s in molecular and cell biology from Brandeis and a doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. He received postdoctoral training at Boston University School of Medicine and, for more than 20 years, served as chair of the biotechnology and forensic DNA science programs at MassBay Community College. He received a National Science Foundation Career Award; a Fulbright; and a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, given to him at the White House by President Barack Obama in 2011. He leaves his siblings, John and Cheryl; his children, Leah and Corey; and a granddaughter. Jonathan Bernbaum ’04, a prominent visual artist in the world of electronic dance music, died on Dec. 2 in a fire that broke out during a dance party he was attending at the “Ghost Ship” warehouse, in Oakland, California. “Jonathan embodied the core values of Brandeis with an unwavering certainty about himself and his beliefs,” remembers longtime friend Alex Green ’04. “He was fiercely political, often doctrinaire, and a challenging person to go toe-to-toe with in an argument, but he balanced his fierce, unyielding positions by being a deeply conscientious friend.” Jonathan earned a master’s degree from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts in 2008. He worked as a video jockey, mixing lights and video projections for Knife Party, Markus Schulz and other dance-music performers. He leaves his parents, Edwin and Diane ’67, P’04; his brother, David; his grandmother, Miriam; and several aunts, uncles and cousins, including uncle Ronald Lowe ’69.