Robert Trew

1944 - 2019

Robert James Trew

December 8, 1944 - February 24, 2019

Cary

On February 24, 2019, at age 74 and much too soon, Robert James Trew slipped the surly bonds of this earth. He was our beloved husband, enthusiastic father of two, and friend to multitudes. He was a B.E.E. graduate of Kettering University and M.S. and Ph.D graduate of the University of Michigan. He was an engineer, distinguished professor, educator, academic researcher, administrator, department head, mentor, consultant, journal Editor-in-Chief, published author of "Get Funded: An Insider's Guide to Building an Academic Research Program," and multi-award-winning pioneer in the field of semiconductor devices. During his distinguished career in industry, academia and government, he served as Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Head for eleven years, collectively, at three major research universities, N.C. State, Case Western, and Virginia Tech; a Senior Executive Service level Director of Research for the Department of Defense with management oversight responsibility for DoD's $1.3 billion annual budget for basic research programs; Vice-Chair of the U.S. government inter-agency committee that planned the U.S. Nanotechnology Initiative; Director of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems Division of the Engineering Directorate of the National Science Foundation; a Life Fellow of the IEEE; recipient of the 2014 MTT Society Pioneer Award; and an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He retired as Lancaster Distinguished Professor from the ECE Department at N.C. State this January. He was an enthusiastic maker and appreciator of excellent music, a highly accomplished amateur baker and photographer, and a voracious reader. He loved movies, his wife and daughters' cooking, drinking cold craft beer with his friends, savoring fine scotch and chocolate ice cream. He loved his backyard birds, the ocean, the football and baseball teams of Washington, D.C., his Wolverines (M go Blue!), his Lions, and his Wolfpack. He was a professional problem solver, the man upon whom you wanted to rely in an emergency, and the first person you wanted to call. He contributed to the sum of human knowledge, the advancement and welfare of civilization, and the education and training of the next generation. He has twelve patents. He enthusiastically welcomed the chance to travel to new places, and he loved meeting with his colleagues, or hobnobbing with fellow wizards, as he put it. Over his career, he logged more airline miles than George Clooney, and in the last year of his life, defied death more times than James Bond. He was a steely-eyed missile man. He is survived by his wife of 49 years and love of his life, Diane; his adored daughters - his spitting image, Heather, and his favorite musician, Robin; his wonderful former son-in-law, Jeff; his dear sisters Sue and Pat and brothers Mike and Roger; and the children of his pen. He joins his late sisters Janet and June, his parents Phyllis and Robert, and the pantheon. He and his family cannot thank enough the amazing teams at UNC Rex, Wake Med, Transitions, and Hillcrest of Raleigh. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to any of these entities, or the American Cancer Society, which does simply critical work. A celebration of his life will be held on March 30, 2019 in Raleigh. Please contact his family, the NCSU ECE Department, or Wake Funeral & Cremation Services for more details. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened - Dr. Seuss.