We are devastated to learn that our friend and colleague, Dr. Reza Sarhangi, from the Department of Mathematics, passed away on Friday, July 1, 2016. Reza came to Towson University in 2001 after receiving his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Wichita State in 1994. He was the founder and president of the Bridges Organization, which oversees the annual Bridges conference on connections between art, music, and mathematics. These conferences have been held around the world, from the United States to Europe to Asia.
Reza dedicated his academic career to showing the beauty of mathematics to audiences of all backgrounds and ages. With ceaseless energy and contagious enthusiasm, he brought together mathematicians, scientists, and practicing artists for the annual Bridges conferences. Universities around the world competed to host these events, which always attracted Nobel Prize laureates, the secretary of the International Mathematical Union, and the recipients of many mathematical prizes, as well as artists, historians, educators, and students. Several exhibits at the Museum of Mathematics in New York City can trace their origins to the conferences in one way or another. The conferences always included a variety of free public events, all of which were well-attended by young children and their parents.
Reza’s passing is an incredible loss not only for the Department of Mathematics and Towson University, but also for the large international community he had helped to bring together. The department and the world will not be the same without him. Dr. Reza Sarhangi will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
A public memorial service will be held on Sunday, July 10 at 4:00 p.m. in the University Union.
