Martin Dale Fox, emeritus professor of electrical and computer engineering, died on July 13 at Hartford Hospital after a sudden illness. He was 67.
Fox received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Cornell University in 1969. He then attended Duke University, where he received his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering and met his wife, Karla Harbin, a law student at Duke. He served in the military in the Army Medical Service Corps during the Vietnam era.
After receiving his Ph.D., Martin joined the faculty of engineering at the University of Connecticut, and later attended medical school at the University of Miami, where he received his MD degree. He taught for 37 years in the Departments of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering, where he attained the rank of tenured full professor and mentored hundreds of students.
A brilliant scientist, inventor, and tinkerer, he contributed to many innovations in science and medical technology, including a number of patents and a cover article in the internationally prestigious scientific publication Nature.
After his retirement in 2009, Fox continued his research and combined his passion for scientific discovery with service to the community. In his later years, he became a dedicated advocate for environmental sustainability, renewable energy sources, and the Transition movement. He dedicated himself to sustainability projects, including the construction of an Eco Village prototype, and projects related to solar energy use and sustainable farming. He was an enthusiastic supporter of local business and held a passion for a healthy lifestyle. He was an avid tennis player his entire life.
He is survived by his wife, UConn professor emerita of business Karla Fox; his son, Alexander Fox, and his wife, Darina; and his two daughters, Ashley Fox and her husband Salla Diop, and Caroline Fox. He was also a beloved grandfather of Miriam Diop, 3, and Mason Fox, 2, and was looking forward to the birth of two more grandchildren.
Donations in his memory can be made to the Windham Area Interfaith Ministry (WAIM), P.O. Box 221, Willimantic, CT 06226; http://waimct.org/donations/cash-donations/). His family will receive relatives and friends on Friday, July 18, at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. (Route 195) in Willimantic between 5 and 7 p.m. His funeral service will take place on Saturday July 19 at 1 p.m. at the Trachten-Zachs Hillel House, 54 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, on the UConn Storrs Campus. Burial will take place in the Storrs Cemetery, with a reception following at Saint Mark’s Episcopal Chapel, 42 North Eagleville Road, Storrs. For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com.
