PATEL

Ph.D candidate drowns during vacation

Work with protein 'cutting edge'

By: TAMARA BEST

Posted: 3/19/08

A University student known for his love of racquetball and microbiology research drowned in Pensacola, Fla., while on spring break vacation.

Bijal Patel, a 27-year-old Ph.D. candidate in microbiology, drowned Saturday at 4:30 p.m. in the waters of Pensacola Beach, according to officials.

"Bijal was a really excellent student," said Anna Karls, graduate coordinator in the microbiology department. "The students he taught in the intro microbiology class just loved him. He was always very understanding and giving of his time."

Anne Summers, Patel's adviser, shared similar sentiments.

"He was a fine young scientist, teacher and mentor," she said. "It's a tragedy that he has been lost."

Patel was swimming with friends in the ocean behind a Days Inn when he was pulled away by a current, Bob West, director of the Santa Rosa Island Authority Safety, told the Pensacola News Journal.

"A longshore current dragged him from west to east down the beach," West said.

Lifeguards went into the water to rescue Patel, but he went under as they reached him, West said.

Patel was brought back to shore with a reel, where West and other bystanders pulled him and the lifeguard to shore. Patel was not breathing and had no pulse when he was pulled onto the beach, West said, and was transported to Gulf Breeze Hospital by Escambia County EMS.

As news of Patel's death reached Athens, members of the University community expressed their sympathy and spoke about his life.

"We have expressed our condolences to his family. This is another tragic loss for the University community," Alan Campbell, associate dean for student affairs, said. "We have had more than our share this year."

Nicki Hendrix, a friend of Patel's, said she first met him when she and her husband joined the racquetball team. She described him as "unfailingly adventurous with caution."

"He was the best teammate, even if he was going to win, he only did so in an honorable way," Hendrix said, remembering his good-natured personality on and off the court.

"I just can't say enough good things about him," Hendrix said. "He was quite possibly one of the nicest people I have ever met."

Patel's research on protein modification was described as cutting edge. Summers said the research will continue.

"He had been working on probably the most difficult project in my lab," Summers said. "It shed light, and we're going to continue the line of research he began."

The Microbiology department will hold a memorial for Patel, and details will be listed at www.uga.edu/mib.