Obituary

SEAS Remembers Ephrahim Garcia, Dean's Advisory Council Member

Published September 13, 2014 This content is archived.

Ephrahim Garcia.

Dr. Ephrahim Garcia (PhD '90, MS '88, BS '85), Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University and member of the SEAS Dean's Advisory Council, passed away on September 10, 2014.

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Professor Garcia was a remarkable person not to be forgotten.  He was extremely clever, had a tremendous work ethic and lived life with gusto and purpose.  He was very well recognized for his contributions to his profession and the steadfast advice he gave to the school through the years on our Dean’s Advisory Council.  

His professional contributions include many excellent papers and ideas. He also gave his time to serve the technical community in unselfish ways.  First at DARPA and later as Editor of Smart Materials and Structures (SMS).  As a DARPA program manager, he kicked off the CHAPS program, infusing funding into the community and pushing technology forward. Then he turned his attention to the smart wing program and created MAS (Morphing Aircraft Structures), resulting in a great deal of excitement, the creation of a new company and a host of fantastic research results.  

After leaving DARPA and re-establishing his professorial career at Cornell, he took over the leadership of Smart Materials and Structures at a time when it had a terrible review history.  Ephrahim re-structured the review process, breathed new life into it and raised it up into a viable and respected venue for publication.  The result was also a jump in the journal's impact factor.  

Throughout all this, Ephrahim didn’t forget his alma-mater and was a highly respected and admired member of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences alumni family.  He was a regular and generous philanthropist to the school and volunteered his time and energy to help the MAE department and his alma-mater move forward whenever and however he was asked. 

All of us here at UB Engineering who knew him are terribly saddened by this news and our heartfelt condolences go out to his friends and family and our colleagues at Cornell.  In his all too short life, Ephrahim made a tremendous impact on technology…on friends…and on his family.  He is survived by his wife Maria, his son Isaac and daughter Sarah.  

Memorial contributions in Ephrahim Garcia's name may be directed to the University of Buffalo Foundation, PO Box 900, Buffalo, New York 14226.

To offer online condolences visit www.wright-beard.com.