Announcing the Passing of Dwight L. Evans, MD
November 22, 2022
Dear Colleagues,
We write with deep sadness to let you know of the passing of Dr. Dwight L. Evans, who died peacefully on Saturday, November 19th. Our condolences go out to his family and the entire community. He was a deeply respected member of our emeritus faculty.
Dr. Evans’ life of service can be defined by his commitment and contributions to the field of Psychiatry, where his visionary leadership and extraordinary impact continue to reverberate.
After successfully completing his postgraduate training and fellowship appointments at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Evans was appointed to the faculty of the UNC Department of Psychiatry from 1980-1992. He subsequently served as chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Florida from 1992-1997.
Dr. Evans joined the Penn faculty in 1997 as chair of the Department of Psychiatry and the Ruth Meltzer Professor of Psychiatry. In 2015 he was named the inaugural Roehrhoff Rickels Professor of Psychiatry.
In his time at Penn, Dr. Evans distinguished himself as not only one of the longest-serving department chairs at Penn Medicine but one of its most impactful leaders. His influence on the department and our school and health system are enduring. From the time that he assumed its stewardship, the department grew and strengthened its faculty, improved across its mission areas, and established highly productive and collaborative relationships across Penn Medicine, the university, and beyond.
In addition to serving as department chair, Dr. Evans oversaw the establishment of Penn Behavioral Health and served in key leadership roles such as psychiatrist-in-chief of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, director of the Penn Comprehensive Depression Center, and co-director of the Penn Medicine Neuroscience Center. He also served the university on numerous task forces and committees and served as a resource for strategies to enhance student and faculty wellness.
An outstanding investigator and clinician, his pioneering translational research on the neurobiology of stress and depression was continuously funded by the NIH for more than 30 years. Dr. Evans led the creation of the NIH funded Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center (PMHARC), and served as its director. Among numerous awards and accolades, he received the Award for Research in Psychiatry from the American Psychiatric Association and the William C. Menninger Memorial Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Science of Mental Health from the American College of Physicians. He served as president of the American College of Psychiatrists, was routinely named to the list of The Best Doctors in America, and served as president of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Dr. Evans also played a lead role in a national effort to educate mental health professionals and the lay public about the treatment and prevention of mental health disorders in adolescents. The initiative produced a major book for professionals and a series of books for parents, as well as a series of books for adolescents. The book for professionals was named best book in clinical medicine in 2005 by the Association of American Publishers, and Dr. Evans was working on a third edition. The second edition of the parent book is forthcoming later this year.
Dr. Evans will be remembered as a superb physician, a transformational leader, and a dedicated colleague and friend who exemplified remarkable strength and eminence. He has left a lasting legacy and will be greatly missed.
Dr. Evans is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jan Evans, their 4 children (Liz, Meredith, Ben and Chris), their spouses, and his 5 beloved grandchildren (Tripp, Will, Chole, Zayn and Wilder), who affectionately called him “Doc."
Details about a service and memorial fund will follow.
Sincerely,
J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, EVP/Dean
Maria A. Oquendo, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Psychiatry