Sanford J. Cohn, 73, passed away November 19, 2018. He earned his PhD in psychology at Johns Hopkins University, studying with measurements expert Dr. Julian Stanley.  In 1979, he married Catherine Gore and became a professor at ASU’s Special Education Department (now the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College) where he focused his research and life work on educating academically talented students.  He was known to his friends in education as "The Grandfather of the Gifted in Arizona." He created the Project for the Study of Academic Precocity (PSAP) at ASU, and he worked with legislators to write the first mandate for gifted education in Arizona. In 1984 he helped the Center for Talented Youth at Johns Hopkins University expand their educational options for gifted students in grades 2 through 6. In 1992, he started Conexiones, a program that brought secondary school-age migrant students to ASU for workshops and summer classes and introduced them to state-of-the-art technology and the possibility of a college education. One of his more recent passion projects was to support  the development of a school within the University that would help exceptionally gifted 7th through 12th graders bridge the gap between middle school and college. This school became a reality as the Gary K. Herberger Young Scholars Academy, part of the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College.  Throughout his career, Sandy worked as a consultant to numerous schools all over Arizona and the United States as they worked to create educational opportunities for their talented students, and he published many academic articles on assessment and identification of academically talented children, program evaluation, and intellectual development.  He also co-authored two informative books: Educating the Gifted: Acceleration and Enrichment, co-edited with William C. George and Julian C. Stanley; and Smart Boys: Talent, Manhood, and the Search for Meaning, co-authored with long time friend and colleague Barbara A. Kerr.  In 2009 The Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT) established the Sanford J. Cohn Lifetime Achievement Award and honored Sandy as the first recipient.  Sandy is survived by his long time partner, Antonio Diaz, best friend Cathy Cohn, a brother, niece, nephew and many grand nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center . A celebration of life will be held at Double Buttes Cemetery in Tempe, Arizona, at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 5, 2019. (Source: ASU Foundation)