Dr. Verplanck joined the faculty of the Department of Psychology in 1963 as head of the department and served in that capacity for 10 years. He continued his academic career in the department until his retirement in 1981. A specialist in the fields of perception, learning, and research methods, he brought the department national recognition by the caliber of his own scholarship and the eminent scholars he attracted to the faculty. He authored or coauthored over 40 scholarly papers published in professional journals and served on the boards of numerous national and regional professional organizations. He was a founding member of the Psychonomic Society and was elected a fellow of five divisions of the American Psychology Society and of the Association for the Study of Animal Behavior. His contributions to the intellectual life of the university have been recognized by placement of a plaque in his honor on a faculty study. He donated his papers to the University of Akron.