Robert Thomas "Bob" Francoeur

Ph.D. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of graduate study and original research. The name of the deg ...

, A.C.S. (October 18, 1931 – October 15, 2012) was an American

biologist A biologist is a scientist who conducts research in biology. Biologists are interested in studying life on Earth, whether it is an individual Cell (biology), cell, a multicellular organism, or a Community (ecology), community of Biological inter ...

and

sexologist Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behaviors, and functions. The term ''sexology'' does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sexuality, such as social criticism. Sexologists app ...

Life and career

Francoeur was born on October 18, 1931, in

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

Michigan Michigan ( ) is a peninsular U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States. It shares water and land boundaries with Minnesota to the northwest, Wisconsin to the west, ...

. He earned a B.A. in

philosophy Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, Value (ethics and social sciences), value, mind, and language. It is a rational an ...

and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

at Sacred Heart College in 1953, a M.A. in Catholic

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

Saint Vincent College Saint Vincent College is a private Catholic, Benedictines, Benedictine college in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1846 by Boniface Wimmer, a monk from Bavaria, it is operated by the Benedictine Monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey, the first Bene ...

in 1957, a M.S. in

biology Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, History of life, origin, evolution, and ...

at the

University of Detroit The University of Detroit Mercy is a private Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 and is the largest Catho ...

in 1961, a Ph.D. in experimental

embryology Embryology (from Ancient Greek, Greek ἔμβρυον, ''embryon'', "the unborn, embryo"; and -λογία, ''-logy, -logia'') is the branch of animal biology that studies the Prenatal development (biology), prenatal development of gametes (sex ...

at the

University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...

in 1967, and an A.C.S. in

sexology Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, Human sexual activity, behaviors, and functions. The term ''sexology'' does not generally refer to the non-scientific study of sexuality, such as social crit ...

at the

Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality (IASHS) was a private, unaccredited, for-profit graduate school and resource center for the field of sexology in San Francisco, California. It was established in 1976 and closed in 2018. Degre ...

in 1979. He received the "Golden Brick Award" from the Center for Family Life Education for outstanding contributions to sexuality education in 2008 and was chosen by the

German Society for Social-Scientific Sexuality Research The German Society for Social-Scientific Sexuality Research (, ) is a sexuality research and counselling organization (cf. sexology) based in Düsseldorf, Germany. It is primarily devoted to sociological, behavioral, and cultural sexuality researc ...

to receive the

Magnus Hirschfeld Medal The Magnus Hirschfeld Medal is awarded by the German Society for Social-Scientific Sexuality Research (DGSS) for outstanding service to sexual science, granted in the categories "Sexual Research" and "Sexual Reform". It is named in honour of Germa ...

for Sexual Reform in 2008. Trained in embryology, evolution, theology, and the humanities, Francoeur's main work was to synthesize and integrate the findings of primary sexological researchers. He is the author of twenty-two books, contributor to seventy-eight textbooks, handbooks, and encyclopedias, and the author of fifty-eight technical papers on various aspects of sexuality. His books include ''The Scent of Eros: Mysteries of Odor in Human Sexuality'' (1995), ''Becoming a Sexual Person'' (1982, 1984, 1991) and ''Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Human Sexuality'' (1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2000) - two college textbooks, ''Utopian Motherhood: New Trends in Human Reproduction'' (1970, 1974, 1977), ''Eve's New Rib: 20 Faces of Sex, Marriage, and Family'' (1972), ''Hot and Cool Sex: Cultures in Conflict'' (1974), and ''The Future of Sexual Relations'' (1974). He is editor-in-chief of ''The Complete Dictionary of Sexology'' (1991, 1995) and ''The

International Encyclopedia of Sexuality ''The International Encyclopedia of Sexuality'' is a four-volume reference work on human sexuality Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, e ...

''. A fellow of the

Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS, or "quad-S") is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional membership organization "dedicated to advancing knowledge of sexuality and communicating scientifically based sexuality research and scholar ...

and past president of the Society's Eastern Region, he is also a charter member of the American College of Sexology. He served as professor of biological and allied health sciences at

Fairleigh Dickinson University Fairleigh Dickinson University () is a private university with its main campuses in New Jersey, located in Madison / Florham Park and in Teaneck / Hackensack. Founded in 1942, Fairleigh Dickinson University offers more than 100 degree prog ...

, adjunct professor in the doctoral Program in Human Sexuality at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

, and professor in the New York University “Sexuality in Two Cultures” program in Copenhagen. He received the 2008

Selected publications

;Books *''Becoming a Sexual Person'' (1982) *''

'' (1997-2001) *''Utopian Motherhood: New Trends in Human Reproduction'' *''Biomedical Ethics: A Guide to Decision Making'' *''The Scent of Eros: Mysteries of Odor in Human Sexuality'' (with JV Kohl) *''The Complete Dictionary of Sexology'' *''Hot & Cool Sex: Cultures in Conflict'' *''Religious Reactions to Alternative Lifestyles'' *''The Future of Sexual Relations'' (with AK Francoeur) *''Eve's New Rib: Twenty Faces of Sex, Marriage, and Family'' *''The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality'' (2004) ) *''Taking sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Human Sexuality'' *''A Descriptive Dictionary and Atlas of Sexology'' ;Articles * * * * * * ;Talk Show Appearances *''The David Frost Show'' January 5, 1971; Season 3, Episode 69 *''The Dick Cavett Show'' May 23, 1972; Episode 257 on ABC *''The Dick Cavett Show'' June 20, 1972; Episode 353 on ABC; with Robert Rimmer and Barbara Williamson

References

External links

Sexology Institute brief bio

{{DEFAULTSORT:Francoeur, Robert T. American sexologists American biologists American theologians Fairleigh Dickinson University faculty Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality alumni Sacred Heart Major Seminary alumni Saint Vincent College alumni University of Delaware alumni University of Detroit Mercy alumni 1931 births 2012 deaths