Tuesday, February 1, 2011

In Memory of Timothy Chang


Timothy N. Chang, 52, NJIT Distinguished Professor of of electrical and computer engineering and coordinator of the Intelligent Systems Area, died at home surrounded by his family on February 1, 2011.

Tim was born in Hong Kong on May 23rd, 1958. He attended Pui Cheng School in Hong Kong, graduated as valedictorian from Tecumseh High School in Windsor Ontario. He received his bachelor’s degree from McGill University in Montreal and his doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto.

After a brief career at Kearfott Corporation Tim joined NJIT in 1992 where he enjoyed a flourishing career as teacher and innovator. He was the recipient of many teaching awards and was recently named Master Teacher and Distinguished Professor.

He was the holder of many patents and received a Special Award from the New Jersey Inventor’s Hall of Fame at their annual meeting in the fall of 2010. He was a Senior Fellow of the Society of International Electrical and Electronic Engineers.

He is survived by his mother; his wife Daphne and his children Norbert and Naomi; brothers Victor and Julian (Doris); a sister Charling (William) and his niece Sara.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers contributions be sent to the NJIT Annual Memorial Scholarship Fund in his name. Checks should be made payable to The Foundation at NJIT and mailed to NJIT, University Advancement, 323 Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Newark, NJ 07102, and attn: Colleen Vandervort.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Parsippany Funeral Home.  A remembrance and visitation will be held on Saturday February 26th, 2011 from 2 pm to 6 pm.

Parsippany Funeral Service
60 North Beverwyck Road
Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034

37 comments:

  1. It is so sad and unfortunate. Tim was a wonderful person and a great researcher and educator. It is a tremendous loss to all. He was an exemplary role model for all of us.
    God bless his soul and family!

    Atam Dhawan

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  2. Wishing him rest in peace. My condolences to his family and loved ones.

    Ali Akansu

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  3. It's so sad to lose such a wonderful professor, leader, and friend. Tim is very sincere, working hard, and creative. He is a superstar. This has me think of my PhD advisor, late Prof. King-Sun Fu, at Purdue University. May God bless his family!

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  4. I remember him as a really gentle and attentive person. My deepest condolences to his family.

    Roberto Oboe
    University of Padova
    Italy

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  5. He was a very talented and enthusiastic professor. We can see his enthusiasm in whole 3 hour class. We never miss toffee that he was giving us in every class. Wishing him rest in peace. May god give strengths to his family members!!

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  6. Dr. Chang is one of the most important persons in my life, I was his first PhD student, and my husband is his close coworker and friend; As Dr. Chang's first PhD student, I had received more than other students the academic guidance and support from Dr. Chang; I could not have reached many milestones of my career without Dr. Chang's help, I am heavily in debt of Dr. Chang!

    Dear Dr. Chang is live forever in my heart, and in my family's memories!

    Zhengfang Chen

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  7. Tim Chang was a shinning star in the world. He was a great human and a wonderful professor not to mention an unmatched leader. He altered the course of my life dramatically just by the passion and spirit of his lectures. He will be missed by the world and all future scientists and engineers. I am so sorry to hear this news. My sincere condolences to Tim's family and close friends. This is a loss.

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  8. Sad news for Tim's family and also Tim's colleagues, among them the IEEE-IES-NBCS TC where he was admirably active. We will miss him
    Pep Fuertes
    IEEE-IES-NBCS TC Chair

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  9. Tim was a great colleague. We worked together on several efforts with the IEEE and he was both talented and pleasent to be with. My deepest condolences to his wife and family.

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  10. It has been very sad news, we will miss him very much. My deepest condolences to his family.

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  11. An intelligent man. A passionate educator. A distinguished gentleman.

    Having worked closely with Dr. Chang for almost a year, I realized how vested he is in the success of those around him. My heart breaks for his family and for all of those that were close to him.

    Shamoon Siddiqui

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  12. Dr. Chang was a rare individual who went out of his way to be good to others. He cared about his work and those around him. He always gave of himself...he will truly be missed and fondly remembered always.

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  13. Dr. Chang was my favorite professor ever!
    This is very sad. My deepest condolences to his near and dear ones!

    Pragna Pulusani

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  14. It has been 6 hours since I got the news and still cannot get over this incredible loss. I am so proud I have been one of his students and I will always remember him for his superior intelligence and caring attitude.
    NJIT, his students, the whole scientific community will miss him terribly.
    Thank you Tim from the bottom of my heart, you will always be a reference point in my life.

    Maurizio Zanni

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  15. may his soul rest in perfect peace

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  16. Professor Chang is one of the best teachers I have come across in my entire life. He was intelligent and he always take time to listen to you. Rest in Peace professor, we miss you.

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  17. Dr. Chang was an amazing person. He was always cheerful and a very friendly person.

    Dr. Chang will be missed and fondly remembered always.

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  18. RIP. My condolences to his family.

    HAIJUN PAN

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  19. Professor Chang kept my interest in school going simply by making a course applicable to the real world. His intelligence was inspirational. The NJIT community has lost a tremendous contributor. RIP.

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  20. It was great working with him while working on my Master's thesis. He was Innovative and thoughtful personality who had great impact in many lives like me. May his soul rest in peace. My deep condolences to his family.

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  21. All those who know him will miss such a lovely person and a wonderful professor. RIP

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  22. I had the pleasure of having Dr. Chang as my professor for only one semester (his last semester at NJIT) and right away I could tell this was one of the best educators (if not the best) at NJIT. His loss is very sad for everyone who knew him. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.

    Emilio Baca

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  23. Tim Chang is a distinguished researcher and teacher at our ECE, NJIT; a very pleasant and descent man. Having been with us for almost 20 years, he is a great colleague and dear friend. With my wife being his first Ph.D. graduate, and my eldest son taking his excellent course, our two families have been close. The good time we have had together in my wedding ceremony with Zhengfang in 2000 is just unforgettable. Therefore it is a great tragedy that we lost him. He is only 52 years old with a bright future ahead. It is really a great loss from every aspect. One thing for sure, however, that Tim is always in our mind.

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  24. Tim Chang was not only a talented faculty of NJIT but also a member of the large IEEE-IES family. He was the General Chair of our flag conference IECON'2010 he missed because of his illness.

    IES has lost a has not lost only a member of its family, but a friend and an unforgettable individual. We will miss him a lot.

    I would like to pass my deepest condolences to his family, his close friends and his colleagues from NJIT.

    May his soul rest in peace!

    Gérard-André Capolino, IEEE-IES President-Elect

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  25. Checkout this website:
    http://www.njit.edu/features/faculty/timchang.php
    The talk is humor and full of wisdom. The teaching method is creative and very impressive. I bet you will be inspired and learn something from it. Maybe you will be lucky to enjoy some jolly ranchers he stored for his student in his office.

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  26. Dr. Chang, has to be one of NJIT's best professors. I will never forget him. A young brilliant mind, and he has taught me much. He will truly be missed.

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  27. ...I had Professor Chang last semester for ECE 432, he was a great teacher, great researcher, and role model for all of his students...thank professor I am honored for having been a student of yours

    EEE

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  28. ...I had Professor Chang last semester for ECE 432, he was a great teacher, great researcher, and role model for all of his students...thank professor I am honored for having been a student of yours

    -Edgar

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  29. Dr. Chang was a wondeful person, great teacher and tlented and distinguished scolar. I am very sorry for his untimely depart. My deepest condolences to his family.
    May his soul rest in peace!
    Oksana Manzhura

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  30. It is so sad, I could not believe it when I heard Dr. Chang was in ill last year.

    Dr. Chang was my thesis' committee member, he is a great person, great scientist, great teacher, great professor.

    My condolences to his family. RIP, Dr Chang !

    Wu, Han

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  31. I still cannot believe the news after I accidentally found it in NJIT's homepage.

    I took one course from him in real-time control. After so many years, I still remembered the project we did with TI DSP with him. I was especially impressed with Dr. Chang's capability of presenting theory in a concise and neat way and linking them directly to applications.

    That was a fun and challenging learning experience. Although I have not stayed in the field, I have always found it refreshing and relevant. Meanwhile, Dr. Chang had been obviously staying true to his passion and had created so many new applications for the theory and technologies that he had created imprints on.

    Last time when I saw him I was passing by a restaurant but had not gotten a chance to say hello --- may I should have....

    May peace be with him and family.

    Haobo

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  32. For Professor Tim Chang --
    Throughput his life, Tim was passionate about his family, and at the same time passionate about his teaching and research, and always passionate about the joy of life! Above all, Tim always found joy in helping others.
    We will all greatly miss him!
    For such a special being, one can only conclude by quoting Matthew 25:21 - "Well done good and faithful servant."

    Ted Davison
    Systems Control Group
    Dept of ECE
    University of Toronto
    Canada

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  33. "A scholar and a gentleman" - often a sarcastic comment today, but 100 years ago it was the highest of praise to possess nobility and intelligence. That was Tim. His passing is a tragic loss to all his colleagues and former students, and perhaps equally, to the future generations denied his guidance.

    - Don Sebastian

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  34. I was saddened and shocked by the news, I still couldn’t believe that we have lost such a great person, a great teacher. I was so grateful being his student and worked for him for three semesters. He certainly was one of the most important persons in my entire life. Dr. Chang you will be always remembered and your great sprite will always inspire me for the rest of my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    Penghuai Shen

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  35. What a tremendous loss. Dr. Chang was a great professor and teacher. His enthusiasm for his work inspired many students including myself. I am thankful for having learned so much from him.

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  36. I met Timothy Chang first time in Seoul, then we talk a lot in Porto, now he's part of my good memories. Thank you for those brief and nice moments.

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  37. What a sad news, last year, I exchanged email with Dr. Chang and he was explaining me about the evolution of NJIT...

    Recalling my school days in late '80s, he was the pioneer showing us the possibility of future world and demonstrating right attitude of engineering mind to tackle and solve the problems. I'm sure many of us were inspired by his innovative and passionate mindset.

    May his soul rest in peace...

    Shingo Uto
    Tokyo, Japan

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