Gayle Hamilton Dies

Gayle Hamilton, an associate professor in Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources, succumbed to bone cancer July 17 at age 59. She was a pioneer in nutrition and addiction treatment.

Prior to joining the George Mason faculty in 1988, she worked in the addictions field, creating two of the first treatment centers in the country for female alcoholics. She also served as a consultant to the National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse and wrote the alcohol and drug abuse yearly updates for World Book Encyclopedia's Health and Medical Annual.

During her career at George Mason, Hamilton received numerous grants that funded the establishment of a master's level curriculum in substance abuse studies, research on drug and alcohol prevention programs, and community alcohol and drug projects with the Center for the Advancement of Public Health.