Dr. Rodney A. Swain, Professor of Neuroscience and former Dean of the UWM College of Letters & Science, moved on to the next great experiment on Christmas Day, 2025. Born December 16, 1960, in Oakland, CA, Rodney deeply loved turning over rocks in creeks, good cocktails, great conversation, trips to Paris, his art collection, his dogs, being on the water, and his beloved wife, Carolyne, who preceded him in death in 2017.

After completing an undergraduate degree at Eastern Kentucky University, Rodney completed graduate training at Miami University and the University of Southern California and postdoctoral training at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Rodney moved to Wisconsin when he joined the UWM faculty in 1997. He stayed because he loved UWM and Milwaukee. As a long-time resident, he loved Bay View specifically.

Rodney’s research focused on the effects of exercise on the structure and function of the cerebellum, motor cortex, and hippocampus, and in turn, the effects these plastic changes have on learning and cognition. While Rodney was born a research scientist, he felt that the sciences and the care of and for humans, in all their complexity, are best combined. He found great joy in knowing that the students who passed through the Swain Lab, his contributions to furthering the field of Neuroscience, and his efforts as part of UWM’s administration, will continue his academic legacy. He was kind of a big deal, even if he often felt uncomfortable with any expression of that fact.

He was a devoted son to Sherrill (Beling) Swain and Margaret Katherine “Kay” Swain, and a devoted brother to older sisters, Scharmone Young and Marlene Green. He was raised as a brother to his nieces and nephews, Sherry Peterson, Pamela Carpenter, Dennis Gurley, John “John John” Young, Jr. and those with whom he is joined once more. Know their adventures together were wild, many, and that he loved them fiercely.

Rodney and Carolyne shared children, Tammy (Amanda) Forcke, Rebecca (Raphael) Busch, Melida (Matthew) Busch and Reynold (Heather) Busch, III. While they were skeptical of Rodney at first, they, too, liked turning rocks over in creeks and in the end of getting to know him, simply loved the way Rodney loved their mother. They all cried happy tears at the wedding and are grateful to have been part of Rodney’s family for forty years.

Sheila (Alex) Kemper made Rodney a much older brother and based on the pictures of him holding her as an infant, at her wedding, and with her children, he found the entire experience wonderful.

If one listed all the grand nieces, grand nephews, grandchildren, dear friends, dear colleagues and dedicated students who were loved and uplifted by Rod and in turn loved and uplifted him, it would begin to sound a bit like a very long genealogy and Professor Swain would certainly request edits.

While there will not be a single public memorial service, the family hopes that there will be many celebrations of Rodney’s life in the days to come. Please gather, eat good food, drink something that brings you happiness and share stories. Basically, have the kind of party he would be eager to attend. If you would like to honor Rodney’s memory with a memorial gift, the family suggests giving to Eastern Kentucky University’s Eastern Fund or the UWM Foundation.