ECE Mourns Passing of Professor Emeritus Robert Newcomb

ECE is mourning the passing of Professor Emeritus Robert W. Newcomb at the age of 92.

Professor Newcomb retired from ECE in 2021, after 51 years with the department. Originally from California, he graduated from Purdue University in 1955 with a BS in electrical engineering. He went on to earn a MS from Stanford University in 1957 and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 1960. He joined ECE in 1970, after ten years of teaching at Stanford University.

At UMD, he led the ECE Department of Graduate Studies, directed the Microsystems Laboratory, and sponsored a Writers Here and Now poetry lecture series. He also chaired the committee establishing the campus Applied Mathematics Program.

Newcomb made significant contributions to multiple areas of electrical engineering, particularly in microelectronics. His research focused on analog VLSI biomedical engineering, circuit and systems theory, microsystems neural networks and robotics. He is credited with the design and fabrication of the first MEMS micromotor in the 1960s.

He was a Life Fellow of IEEE, an awardee of the IEEE CAS Society Golden Jubilee Medal and the IEEE CAS Society Education Award. He was also a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biologocial Engineering (AIMBE).

As an internationally-recognized researcher Newcomb was highly regarded worldwide. In 2005, the Polytechnic University of Madrid opened the “Laboratorio de Comunicacion Oral Robert Wayne Newcomb.” In addition, he his connections with Pohung University of Science and Technology in South Korea has resulted in fellowships for undergraduates named after him.

“Bob Newcomb was not just a brilliant academic, but he was also modest, humble and gracious,” says ECE Chair Sennur Ulukus. “Not only has his work in microelectronics had a substantial impact on multiple generations of students and fellow researchers, but he will also be remembered for his ability to brighten a day with a smile and some kind words. He will be greatly missed by his fellow faculty members and students, as well as his family and friends.”

Professor Newcomb is survived by his wife, Sally; daughter, Gail; son-in-law, Ted; granddaughter, Jessica; and great-granddaughter, Marian.

Published April 23, 2026