Kansas University professor emeritus Jack Davidson was a renowned physicist. Adrian Melott, his colleague at KU, said Davidson was known in the physics community for coining the phrase “meltdown” in reference to nuclear reactors while conducting research for the Norwegian merchant marine.

But Davidson, who died Sunday, was also known in Lawrence for the work he did when not teaching physics and astronomy at KU.

That work included serving on the Lawrence school board and working as the treasurer of the Douglas County Democratic Party, duties in line with Davidson’s outspoken commitment to social justice.

“You always knew what he thought,” said Melott, who remembered Davidson’s work on integrating the local swimming pools.

Lawrence school board President Scott Morgan, who served on the school board with Davidson from 1999 to 2003, said that though Davidson was passionate about many issues, he always valued both sides of an argument.

“He respected the dialogue,” said Morgan, adding that Davidson’s tenure on the school board was a very controversial time, including a once-again hot topic: possible school closings.

Davidson fought against school closings back then, and he’d still be arguing against it today out of a concern for the neighborhoods, said his wife, Mary Davidson.

She said her husband’s desire to effect positive change in his community began early, when he was in graduate school at Washington University in St. Louis. The couple met as Jack was working to persuade the university to admit black students to the school.

“(Jack) always wanted to make the world better for everyone,” Mary said.