It's with a great deal of sadness that I write of the death of Dr. Randall Forsberg, one of our nation's foremost authorities on arms control, not to mention a truly brave and kind-hearted person. Dr. Forsberg died this past week at the age of 64 from a long-standing battle with cancer.
Dr. Forsberg was that rare mix of academic scholar and social activist. Before receiving her doctoral degree in political science from MIT, Dr. Forsberg founded the Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies, and had established herself as one of the world's leading nuclear disarmament advocates. In addition to her intellectual contributions to thinking on a potential nuclear freeze, Dr. Forsberg also involved herself in politics, challenging John Kerry for his Senate seat in Massachusetts, and serving as a member of Bill Clinton's Advisory Committee of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.
I had the privilege to know Dr. Forsberg in the last year of her life. Even when ill, she was unflaggingly engaged with her work, as well as that of others. I'll fondly remember our conversations on all manner of topics, and continue to benefit from her insights on my own work which she took the time to read and discuss. More than anything, however, I'll remember Dr. Forsberg for the considerable patience, good humor, and bravery she exhibited even during the worst moments of a painful illness.
