In Memoriam: Dr. Ram Gupta

We regret to inform you of the recent loss of RWU emeritus professor Dr. Ram Gupta.?Many of us fondly remember Dr. Gupta, who joined the RWU faculty in 1981, and retired as a Professor of Engineering in 2018.?Dr. Gupta passed away on July 22, 2022.

Ram Gupta was a soft spoken but strong presence in the engineering program.?During his long tenure at RWU, he was a driving force for many of the changes that occurred within the engineering program as it evolved.?In the 1990s, he oversaw the development of an ABET accredited environmental engineering degree, one of only a few in the country.?In addition, his research in the area of hydro and wind power led him to be one of the founding developers of the sustainability program at RWU.?His contributions to the engineering program are still evident today as we continue the success of the program and it’s graduates.

Although he taught many courses in civil and environmental engineering, his real passion was in hydrology and water resources and he authored a textbook that has been widely used in hydrology courses. A true testament to the enthusiasm that he brought to his teaching, as I look back over the alumni from the past decades, I am impressed by how many of our students have gone on to very productive careers in hydrology and water resources.?Dr. Gupta clearly made an impact on students’ education at RWU and he will be remembered fondly, and perhaps with a little fear, by our alumni.??

As engineering alum Kara Falise said, “He was firm but patient with us as we figured things out.”?The students all joked that at the senior design final presentations, they would always try to avoid his questions because they were always tough!?He truly pushed the students to be the best they could be and the students really responded.?Another alum, Amy Anderson George noted, “I struggled at times with his Water Resources class but he always took the time to explain things to me.?He really cared.”

Funeral services will be held on 7/28/22 @ 9:30 am at Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home, 659 East Greenwich Avenue, West Warwick, RI 02903.??

We extend our thoughts and condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and students,