Joaquin Bustoz

Joaquin Bustoz. It is with deep sorrow that we advise of the death of Joaquin Bustoz on Wednesday August 13. Dr. Bustoz was born in Tempe, Arizona, one of five children of parents who were farm workers and long time employees of the Tempe Elementary School District. In recognition for their years of service, the Joaquin and Ramona Bustoz Elementary School was named after his parents. Joaquin Bustoz achieved his Ph.D. in Mathematics at Arizona State University in 1967 and returned to ASU in 1975 after serving on the faculty at the University of Cincinnati. In addition, he has been a Senior Fulbright Lecturer at the Universidad Nacional de Columbia, a Visiting Professor of Mathematics at Universidad Coimbra in Portugal and a Visiting Mathematician at the Mathematical Association of America. His Mathematical research has been in Analysis, most recently in Orthogonal Polynomials and Special Functions. Since 1985, Dr. Bustoz has been deeply involved in enhancing the number and quality of minority students in the fields of mathematics and science. In 1985, he created and directed the Summer Math-Science Honors program, which became the national model. Since 1993, he has also served as the Director of the Institute for Strengthening Understanding of Mathematics and Science (SUMS). In addition to this work, Dr. Bustoz directed the National Institute of Health's MARC program. Minority Access to Research Careers. For his many successes in encouraging minorities to earn degrees in mathematics and science, the National Science Foundation honored Dr. Bustoz individually in 1996 and his institute in 2003 with the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. He has received numerous teaching awards including the Wexler Award at ASU and, in 1996 and 2002, the ASU Alumni Association's Outstanding Faculty Service Award. His passing is an immeasurable loss. Joaquin's defining characteristic was his passon not only for the field of mathematics, but also for helping talented minority students achieve their full potential. He recognized the hard work and long study required to achieve an understanding of mathematics and sciences, and he taught his students how to rise to the challenge of mastering those demanding fields of study. Joaquin's dry humor and intellegence will be sorely missed by his friends, students, and colleagues. But his loss will be most acutely felt by his wife, Maureen; by his children, Sara, Mathew and David; by his grandsons, Kyle, Michael, and Alejandro; by his brothers, Manuel, Albert, and Ramon; and by his sister, Mary. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, August 21, 2003 at 1:00p.m. at the Galvin Playhouse in the Fine Arts Building (adjoining the art museum) on ASU campus. In lieu of flowers, we suggest contributions to the scholarship fund established in his name. Contribution checks should be made payable to the ASU Foundation and may be sent to: ASU Foundation, P.O. Box 5005, Tempe, Az. 85287-5005, Attention: Joaquin Bustoz Memorial Scholarship Fund. Arrangements made by Carr Tenney Mortuary.