Gerald B. Stringfellow, an accomplished and brilliant researcher, died on Friday, October 3, 2025.
Stringfellow was the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Utah from 1998 to 2003. He was well known as a humble man, a caring teacher and a beloved mentor.
He was a distinguished professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering (as well as Materials Science and Engineering) and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for his pioneering work on crystal growth processing for LEDs. He was also the recipient of the Rosenblatt Prize, the University’s highest faculty honor.
Current chair of the Electrical and Engineering Department, Hanseup Kim, said in a statement “His contributions to the ECE department extended far beyond his academic research. He was a gifted teacher, deeply respected and loved by students, and always warm and collegial with his fellow faculty members. He was also exceptionally generous, establishing an endowed faculty position now held by Professor Florian Solzbacher, who continues his legacy. Our former Dean Richard Brown will be sharing additional reflections on Professor Stringfellow’s many contributions.”
Gerald Stringfellow was a dedicated researcher who focused his efforts on developments that could help other researchers.
“I don’t consider myself an inventor in the traditional sense because I don’t make things. I invent new concepts that help us select materials and processes to improve the production of semiconductor devices, some of which are patented,” said Stringfellow.
The dean of the John and Marcia Price College of Engineering said in a statement, “But beyond his remarkable professional achievements, Jerry was beloved for his generosity, wisdom, mentorship, and warmth. He was a caring teacher, a skilled and thoughtful administrator, and a colleague who lifted others around him.”
He is mourned by all those who knew him in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.