Everyone at EHT is deeply saddened at the news of Robert’s passing. It is absolutely true that without Robert EHT would probably not have existed. Four of the five founding members studied, worked, and collaborated with Robert. I was one of Robert’s first graduate students and was his first experimental graduate student, where he trusted me to help him test his M2P2 concept. At the time, I had very little experimental experience, but Robert trusted me all the same and encouraged me through both success and failure. It was an amazing experience and his positive attitude and endless energy to explore helped shape me as both a scientist as a person. As you can read from all the other comments on social media, Robert had a unique ability to make science accessible to anyone and his role in education will be greatly missed. Robert was warm and encouraging in a business where far too many are cold and dismissive.

In many ways, Robert’s legacy continues to live on, and this is certainly true at EHT, where most of our employees were either Robert’s students or participated as EHT interns under the NASA Space Grant program, which Robert played a critical role in founding and supporting at the UW.

As for me, I will miss Robert’s warm smile, positive attitude, and his endless energy most. While I imagine him at peace, I doubt he is resting; he always had the next thing to discover.

 

Tim Z.  President & CEO, Eagle Harbor Technologies

 

 

 

experimental flight image courtesy of Ian Johnson

b&w photo courtesy of Brad Hines

#wingitlikewinglee

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Winglee family and all those he inspired. — John C.