In Memoriam: Georg Ernest Otto Widera (1938–2022)

Abstract

Otto WideraOtto Widera passed away on Feb. 11, 2022. Otto, well-known by his friends with that name, was born on Feb. 16, 1938, in Dortmund, Germany. The Widera family sailed to the U.S. on the Queen Mary in 1950, when his father was hired as the chief engineer at the Ladish Co., Cudahy, WI.Otto attended the Stadt Gymnasium in Dortmund, Germany, and Don Bosco High School in Milwaukee, WI. He attended the University of Wisconsin where he received his B.S. and M.S.Eng degrees (1956–1962) and Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics (1962–1965). He joined the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 1965, and in 1981 Otto became Founding Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department (formerly Energy Engineering) from 1983 to 1991. He served in a number of capacities until he retired in 1991 from UIC. He then joined Marquette University in 1991. At Marquette, as Chair of the Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, he headed an interdisciplinary group offering two ABET-accredited undergraduate programs as well as three graduate programs. He served as Senior Associate Dean of the College from 1999 to 2007 and as Interim Dean from 1998 to 1999 and in 2003. He also served as Director of the Discovery Learning Center, as Co-Developer and Co-Director of the Engineering Management M.S. Program (joint with the College of Business Administration), and as Co-Director of the Center for Joining and Manufacturing Assembly. Otto advised 27 Master's Students and 22 Ph.D. students. Otto retired in May 2014 from Marquette University after more than 30 years of service, with the title of Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering.