I regret to inform you that Lowell McCaw, professor emeritus of electronic technology/instrumentation whose MCC career spanned 24 years, passed away March 29, 2017.
Having come from a family of educators, Lowell possessed an enthusiasm for teaching and found it particularly rewarding in educating and training students for careers in industry.
Lowell joined MCC in 1964 as assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Technology after a brief stint as a Rochester city high school teacher.
Because of his keen interest in electronics and instrumentation, in 1966 he created an instrumentation technology program, the first of its kind in any college in the U.S. (Instrumentation is a field associated with automation. During this time, the instrumentation field was growing rapidly and skilled workers were in demand to fill the many job openings in the Rochester area as industries expanded and converted to automatic processing.)
During his tenure at MCC, Lowell rose through the ranks to become associate professor in 1967 and in 1972 was promoted to professor of electronic technology/instrumentation. As the field of electronics advanced rapidly in many directions, Lowell maintained contact with local industry partners and stayed abreast of developments in this field to ensure MCC’s program curriculum remained current. By 1972, the electronic technology program was nationally recognized because of its instructional innovations and the quality of its graduates.
In 1978, the Instrument Society of America awarded him the Distinguished Society Service Award and the Donald P. Eckman Education Award "in recognition of his significant contributions to technical education which include curriculum development in the community college, participation in career guidance programs, and student motivation in teaching techniques."
Lowell was respected by his colleagues as a creative, hardworking, dedicated faculty member who tirelessly devoted himself to his students and made significant achievements within his departments. In addition to teaching students in degree/certificate programs and serving as department chair from time to time, he also provided contract training for companies including Xerox, Eastman Kodak, Delco Products and RG&E.
Upon his retirement in 1988, Lowell was accorded the rank of professor emeritus.
An Air Force veteran, Lowell graduated with a master’s degree in engineering technology from Rochester Institute of Technology and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Colgate University. He did graduate work in polymer chemistry at Brooklyn Poly Tech.
At the time of this posting, his obituary was not available online.
Anne M. Kress
Office of the President
04/05/2017 |