A Note from Dan:
I'm truly saddened to report that Dr. Maureen Clemmons passed away in December, 2021, at age 64. Maureen (thanks to Soaring Stones, I was fortunate enough to simply call her Maureen) was not only one of the brightest, most energetic people I have ever met, but a dynamic individual who tackled problems the way all of us should: by approaching them from fresh perspectives that few others consider.
It should also be said (and I think Maureen would want it said) that she was usually the fun, sometime frivolous, center of attention at any gathering! I personally saw her walk into a conference room filled with stuffy engineers and transform the place into something akin to a party within fifteen minutes flat. Maureen was that kind of person.
That affable personality helped her navigate the endless gender bias and academic elitism she faced (to say nothing of outright insults) before such obstacles received today's level of recognition. Trust me when I tell you that what's in the book, though sometimes appalling, pales in comparison with the muttered comments and disparaging treatment she often received, especially from Egyptologists.
While we hadn't been in close touch in recent years, I'll always be grateful that I had the chance to work with her on Soaring Stones. Maureen's kite-obelisk project with Caltech (and beyond) was certainly among the pinnacles of her life, and I'm proud to have shared some small part of that experience.
-- March 18, 2023
