For more than a decade, Dr. Paul Peercy offered essential guidance to Sonic Foundry for using technology to create deep and durable learning for students around the globe. His knowledge of the business of higher education, coupled with his passion for learning and student achievement, brought a rare and valuable perspective to the company.
Dr. Peercy, who served on the Sonic Foundry Board of Directors for 12 years before his retirement in June, passed away on October 20.
“Paul’s commitment to higher education, his dedication to academic video and his hunger to never stop learning was an inspiration,” said Gary Weis, chief executive officer, Sonic Foundry. “His contributions have been of immeasurable value to the board, the company and our customers’ missions.”
Dr. Peercy was a member of the National Academy of Engineering; was named by former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson to the Wisconsin Technology and Entrepreneurship Council; served as president of SEMI/SEMATECH, an Austin, Texas-based non-profit consortium of more than 160 of the nation’s suppliers to the semiconductor industry; was also director of Microelectronics and Photronics at Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico; was the author or co-author of more than 175 technical papers and the recipient of two patents. Dr. Peercy received a BA degree in Physics from Berea College and MS and PhD degrees in Physics from UW–Madison.
Read more in this tribute to Dr. Peercy on the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering website.