It is with great sadness that I inform you of the recent passing of our Founding Dean Oscar N. Garcia on October 22, 2024, at the age of 88.

The College of Engineering owes the foundation of its current success to Dr. Garcia’s leadership and vision.  He served as the founding dean from the inception of the college in 2003 until he stepped down in 2008.  Emphasizing the “three R’s” of Recruitment, Retention, and Research, and benefitting from early successes, the college established a rapid growth trajectory that continues today, more than 20 years later.  Dr. Garcia is fondly remembered by many for his dedicated and caring mentorship of both students and faculty, and for his “out of the box” thinking that helped to establish the College of Engineering.

His innate ability to mentor left a lasting impact not only on our faculty and students, but on all who sought his valuable advice, guidance, and inspiration over the years. Professor Emeritus Murali Varanasi shared how when working on their Ph.Ds. under the same advisor, Dr. Garcia stood out as a mentor to fellow students and advised him early on in his studies leading to a lifelong friendship.  They joined forces again when Dr. Garcia tapped Dr. Varanasi to establish the Electrical Engineering department at the University of North Texas. An innovative thinker, Dr. Garcia envisioned a hands-on, project-based curriculum for the new department to offer students a unique opportunity in Texas.

An educator at his core, Dr. Garcia’s focus was on the students throughout his academic career. As a faculty mentor, he emphasized the duty of the professors to help the students understand the coursework and guide them into becoming productive individuals.  Similarly, he considered the future workforce needs of the Dallas-Forth Worth area and the world when further expanding the college and opportunities for students. This led to the unique combined degree of Mechanical and Energy Engineering.

Dr. Garcia distinguished himself in the field of computer science and engineering, including founding the department at the University of South Florida in 1980 and was most recently researching the field of quantum computing. His efforts earned him countless accolades including Fellowship in both the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the IEEE Third Millenium Medal, and the Richard Merwin Award for IEEE Computer Society. Recognized by his peers as a leader, he was a former president of IEEE Computer Society, Member of the IEEE Board of Directors, and advisor to both the Louisiana Board of Regents and North Carolina State University on computer science related programs.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Dr. Garcia excelled in school graduating as valedictorian. After beginning his studies in Electrical Engineering at the University of Havana, he earned his Bachelor and Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degrees from North Carolina State University. He was successful working for IBM before being invited to help establish Old Dominion University’s College of Engineering and returning to academia. This led him to pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Maryland, College Park, successfully defending in 1969 and starting the born educator’s impactful career.

He is survived by his loving wife, Diane, two wonderful daughters, Flora (Bill) and Virginia, and seven grandchildren.

Memorial gifts can be directed to the Oscar Garcia Academic and Service Scholarship fund at https://one.unt.edu/giving/college-of-engineering (select “Other” for the fund and enter Oscar Garcia Scholarship in the comments).

 

Paul Krueger
Dean and Professor
College of Engineering