Spring Break
Friends, colleagues remember Bilgutay's successes
Nancy Lan
Issue date: 7/11/08 Section: News
Dr. Nihat M. Bilgutay, 56, a professor and former head of Drexel's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, died July 1 at his home in Wallingford, Pa., after a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
During his 26 years at the University, Bilgutay was a driving force in the ECE department's success and growth, according to Moshe Kam, ECE department head and professor. Bilgutay was instrumental in building some of the area's most advanced laboratories, and was a pioneer in bringing multidisciplinary collaborations to the department, Kam said.
"His work … took the College of Engineering a very important step forward," Kam said. "It presented the faculty with opportunities we didn't see before."
Another significant project Bilgutay coordinated was the ECE's move from Commonwealth Hall to its current home in the Edmund D. Bossone Research Enterprise Center, Kam said, a transition that took about two and a half years to complete. This was a difficult time for the department, but Bilgutay was able to coordinate a smooth technical transition while never losing sight of providing the best accommodations to students and faculty.
"This project took a lot out of him. You have no idea how good he was at getting this extremely complex project done. He was a very methodical, very meticulous man," Kam said.
Though Bilgutay garnered many professional achievements throughout his career, many of his colleagues expressed that they will remember him most of all for his spirit and personality.
"He was a very kind, considerate, thoughtful person. I found him a real gentleman and a real scholar," Mark Greenberg, interim provost, said.
According to Greenberg, Bilgutay was an exceptional teacher and showed his passion for students time and time again by volunteering to teach honors courses at the University.
However, students were not the only group Bilgutay sought out to teach - according to Kam, Bilgutay was a mentor to faculty members as well.
During his 26 years at the University, Bilgutay was a driving force in the ECE department's success and growth, according to Moshe Kam, ECE department head and professor. Bilgutay was instrumental in building some of the area's most advanced laboratories, and was a pioneer in bringing multidisciplinary collaborations to the department, Kam said.
"His work … took the College of Engineering a very important step forward," Kam said. "It presented the faculty with opportunities we didn't see before."
Another significant project Bilgutay coordinated was the ECE's move from Commonwealth Hall to its current home in the Edmund D. Bossone Research Enterprise Center, Kam said, a transition that took about two and a half years to complete. This was a difficult time for the department, but Bilgutay was able to coordinate a smooth technical transition while never losing sight of providing the best accommodations to students and faculty.
"This project took a lot out of him. You have no idea how good he was at getting this extremely complex project done. He was a very methodical, very meticulous man," Kam said.
Though Bilgutay garnered many professional achievements throughout his career, many of his colleagues expressed that they will remember him most of all for his spirit and personality.
"He was a very kind, considerate, thoughtful person. I found him a real gentleman and a real scholar," Mark Greenberg, interim provost, said.
According to Greenberg, Bilgutay was an exceptional teacher and showed his passion for students time and time again by volunteering to teach honors courses at the University.
However, students were not the only group Bilgutay sought out to teach - according to Kam, Bilgutay was a mentor to faculty members as well.
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