Inspired by John Uyemura's unforgettable teaching style and mentorship, two Georgia Tech alumni have established a scholarship endowment fund in memory of the late educator, whose influence continues to resonate decades after his passing.
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John Uyemura at his desk at Georgia Tech-Lorraine (now Georgia Tech-Europe) where he spent several semesters during the early years of his tenure as a faculty member in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Uyemura dedicated 25 years to Georgia Tech before passing away in 2003, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate through his teaching, mentorship, and contributions to microelectronics.
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Tony Alvarez (EE 1978, MSEE 1979) remembers his first class with Professor John Uyemura. The instructor was facing the chalkboard, lecturing and writing when Alvarez took his seat.
“He never looked back,” said Alvarez, one of Uyemura’s earliest graduate students. “The class was taking notes and scrambling to keep up. Finally, after 30 minutes, he turned around and welcomed us. I fell in love with his style that day.”
That first impression stuck with Alvarez.
Now, more than two decades after Uyemura's passing in 2003, his legacy lives on through the newly established John P. Uyemura, Ph.D. Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. Alvarez and fellow alumnus Don Zyriek (EE 1982, MSEE 1983) established the tribute to support students in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), with a focus on those facing financial challenges.
Uyemura joined the ECE faculty in 1978 after earning his Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley. Over the next 25 years, he helped build Georgia Tech’s academic programs in integrated circuits, fiber optics, and digital design. He authored seven textbooks that became foundational texts in the field and was known for his compelling lectures and dedication to his students.
The textbooks, shaped by years of classroom refinement and student feedback, became widely adopted across universities and translated into multiple languages. They were praised for their clarity, technical depth, and accessibility—hallmarks of Uyemura’s teaching style.
A Teaching Style That Left a Mark
Zyriek remembers the enthusiasm Uyemura brought to every class.
“He was a bundle of energy,” he said. “He was exhausted by the end of class. And so were we. But it was exciting. He made learning feel alive.”
Zyriek and Alvarez both took multiple courses with Uyemura, often seeking him out for mentorship beyond the classroom.
“John didn’t just teach content, he taught us how to think,” said Alvarez, whose career has included senior positions at major solar and semiconductor companies. “He pushed us to challenge assumptions and dig deep into the fundamentals.”
Uyemura’s courses were known to fill quickly.
John Uyemura's faculty headshot. Uyemura played a key role in developing Georgia Tech’s academic programs in integrated circuits, fiber optics, and digital design.
For Zyriek, Uyemura’s influence extended well beyond the classroom. He credits him with inspiring a career in semiconductors that lasted nearly four decades and shaped much of his professional life. He recalled how Uyemura encouraged him to pursue a master’s degree before entering industry.
Years later, Zyriek was stunned to find his name in the acknowledgments of one of Uyemura’s textbooks.
“I didn’t even know until a colleague pointed it out,” he said. “It meant the world.”
Lessons in Learning and Love
Another moment that stayed with Zyriek over the years was being invited to Uyemura’s wedding.
“At the time, I just thought it was cool,” Zyriek said. “Looking back, I realize how rare and meaningful it was to be invited into your professor’s personal life.”
John married Melba Neal. He was the teaching assistant in her electromagnetics class at Berkeley, where she’d later earn degrees in both electrical and nuclear engineering.
“John believed knowledge was powerful and that giving knowledge away was even more powerful,” said Melba. “Even today, over two decades later, students still remember him. They reach out to me and share stories and warm memories of him and what they learned from him. He wanted his students to surpass him.”
That belief shaped the way he taught, blending generosity and creativity with academic rigor.
Melba remembers Uyemura creating a whimsical “Welcome to the Company Employee Handbook” as his class syllabus and using a cartoon pig named Yogi to illustrate serious microchip design concepts based on real industry parameters. As a playful reward, he handed out pig-shaped erasers when students excelled in his class.
“He taught so fast,” Melba said. “He’d fill three chalkboards in minutes. I once asked him what ‘Q.E.D.’ stood for after a proof. He didn’t know, but he came back the next day with the answer: quod erat demonstrandum—that which was to be demonstrated. That was John. He never let a question go unanswered.”
Another time during a late-night study session at Berkeley, Melba and John worked through electromagnetic equations as they shared a pizza. He grabbed the nearest surface to write on and began sketching out the formulas.
“We didn’t have any paper, so he just started explaining and deriving Maxwell’s equation on the back of a pizza box,” she said.
Alvarez was one of Uyemura's first graduate students. He established the John P. Uyemura, Ph.D. Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund with Zyriek (below).
As he approached retirement, Zyriek wanted to establish a fund in Uyemura’s honor to recognize the lasting influence the professor had on his life and career.
John and Melba renewing their marriage vows on their 20th wedding anniversary in Disney World with their daughters Valarie (left) and Christine (right).
Such moments were part of Melba’s long connection to John’s academic life, he was not only her partner in life, but a lifetime student of his teachings both academically and about life.
Over the years, she remained closely involved in his work. When he passed away, she stepped in to complete his final textbook manuscript, and with the help and support of his current and graduated students, took it to publication.
The book, Chip Design for Sub-Micron VLSI, is still in print and being sold, as well as his six other books.
Honoring a Lasting Legacy
A man of deep curiosity and kindness, Uyemura was many things beyond an academic. He was a debate champion, a gourmet cook, a sitarist, and a stargazer. He and Melba raised two daughters together.
Valarie, their firstborn, earned a degree in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech and now serves as director of product management at a digital marketing platform.
Christine graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, specializing in digital media design. She works as a 3D technical director, developing technology for autonomous vehicles.
His absence left a noticeable gap in the ECE community, where his influence had long shaped the academic and personal journeys of countless students.
“He approached life with enthusiasm, candor, and goodwill,” former ECE Chair Roger Webb said at the time of Uyemura’s death. “The discontinuity of his passing rendered poorer all who knew him.”
Through the scholarship, Zyriek and Alvarez hope his spirit continues to inspire. The endowment has already received additional support from some of Uyemura’s other students.
“We all have these little snapshots in time,” Zyriek said. “And I know I’m not the only one Dr. Uyemura influenced. There’s a whole wave of students who came after me who had the same experience. He was a great mentor, a great teacher. This scholarship is a way for all of us to honor that.”
For those interested in contributing to the John P. Uyemura, Ph.D. Memorial Scholarship Endowment Fund. You may do so online.
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