It is with great sadness that we share the passing of former University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA) Professor Martin Staniland, who died Thursday, November 26, 2020.
Staniland joined GSPIA in 1984 as an associate professor. He was subsequently promoted to full professor and went on to serve as the School’s interim dean from 1995-1996, interim associate dean in the spring of 2012 and the director of the International Affairs program. He twice received the Joseph Pois Award for Distinguished Service from GSPIA. He retired in April 2018.
He is survived by his wife Alberta Sbragia, a long-time Pitt faculty member, sister Kay Staniland, half-sister Brenda Delamain, daughter Laura Trybus and son-in-law Matthew Trybus, son Paul Staniland and daughter-in-law Rebecca Incledon, and two grandchildren, Ethan and Leo Staniland.
Staniland received his bachelor’s degree in History from Cambridge University, his master’s degree in African Studies from the University of Ghana, and his Ph.D. in Social and Political Sciences from Cambridge University.
Prior to joining GSPIA, he taught at the University of Glasgow and upon arriving in the U.S., he served as a post-doctoral Fellow at UCLA, and a Research Fellow at the University of California-Berkeley and Harvard.
Having research interests in commercial aviation, international political economy, and development theory, he published five single-authored books and an edited volume during his time at GSPIA.
Here are memories that colleagues share about him:
"Dr. Staniland played a central role in building our School and shaping our international affairs and development programs. He was a mentor to many and will be truly missed."
- GSPIA Dean Carissa Slotterback
"Growing up, I heard so much about GSPIA, and the thing that stuck with me the most was how devoted my father was to the success of the school's students."
– Dr. Paul Staniland, son of Dr. Martin Staniland
"Martin Staniland was an accomplished scholar and a teacher who cared deeply about his students. Above all, he was a fine human being who reveled in the embrace of his loving family and who showed care and empathy to all. His colleagues and friends will fondly remember Martin’s dry British wit and his delightful story-telling. I had the privilege of serving with Martin as his associate dean and working closely with him on many GSPIA initiatives. But I will most fondly remember his thoughtful and loving friendship. His passing leaves a hole that may never be filled, but his family and many friends will be consoled by his spirit which lives on."
– GSPIA Professor Kevin Kearns
"Martin’s scholarship was impressive. His work on air transport policy and regulation of the airline industry and the policy conference he organized, brought some of the key European experts and policymakers to Pitt. It was a first-class example of policy research that was grounded in both theory and extensive empirical research and that had an impact on the field. At a more personal level, I remember his dry wit and the pride he took in sharing the latest news about his children."
– Former GSPIA Dean and Professor Emerita Dr. Carolyn Ban
"One afternoon during the 2008 financial crisis, when Martin’s office and mine were adjacent, he appeared in my doorway. 'Paul, why don’t we go spend the remainder of my 401(k) and have a cup of coffee?' We did. I don’t remember the particulars of our conversation, but I will never forget the invitation, which captures the humor and friendliness that are among my strongest impressions of Martin. He was a mentor to me and others, a conscientious leader, a caring advisor and teacher, wise, loving, and fun. I am grateful to have known Martin Staniland."
– GSPIA Professor and former Associate Dean Dr. Paul Nelson
"When Martin retired, he gifted me his original copy of E.H. Carr’s What Is History? The book is a record of Carr’s Trevelyan Lectures at Cambridge in 1961. This act of gifting one of his prized possessions was representative of Martin’s generosity, kindness, collegiality, friendship, and commitment to critical intellectual discourse. Yet Martin was also uncommonly honest and blessed with a sense of humor. He admitted with an ironic grin that he had missed the first of Carr’s lectures while hanging out with fellow students in a local pub."
– GSPIA Professor Emeritus William Dunn
Martin's family asks that, in lieu of flowers, members of the GSPIA community, colleagues, and friends consider donating to Doctors Without Borders, the GSPIA Internship Resource Fund, or the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra in his memory.