It is with sadness we report the passing of Professor Emeritus Joseph Richard Newman, a distinguished computer scientist and tireless administrator who helped shape the curriculum at Florida Tech’s College of Engineering and ushered the university into the era of high-speed networks with its early participation in the Florida LambdaRail.
Dr. Newman passed away peacefully at his Palm Bay home on Feb. 18, 2026 – his 84th birthday.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, Dr. Newman would remain in his hometown to earn a bachelor’s degree in German and a master’s degree in computer science, both at the University of Utah. He would go on to earn his Ph.D. in computer science at University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette).
After serving as a teaching assistant and instructor at his two alma maters, Dr. Newman was named associate professor at University of Nebraska, where he taught from 1974-76. Over the next 12 years at several universities, he both taught and began to serve in administrative roles, including directing the mathematical systems program at Sangamon State University and serving as academic coordinator at Boston University’s overseas program.
In 1988, Dr. Newman came to Florida Tech. He was hired to lead the department of computer science – the start of more than a quarter-century of key positions of leadership for him at the Melbourne university. He also served as an associate professor of computer science during that time.
In 1992, still on faculty, Dr. Newman was named associate dean in the College of Engineering. In 2000, he was named associate vice president of information technology, a perfect fit for his skills as both a computer scientist and a university executive.
It was a momentous decision for the university. A few years later, Dr. Newman would lead Florida Tech’s efforts as a founding member with nine other Sunshine State universities of Florida LambdaRail, the first regional, high-speed network of its kind owned and operated by universities.
This 1,540-mile-long research and education fiber optic network supercharged collaboration and academic, scientific, educational and clinical application development.
“This has been a major effort involving a great many people,” Newman said in 2005 when the project launched. “The improvement will make a huge difference in how we meet our computing and connectivity needs here.”
Dr. Newman also helped shape powerful learning opportunities in the classroom, according to his former College of Engineering faculty colleagues Ed Kalajian and Martin Glicksman, both also former deans and emeriti professors.
“He had a truly distinguished career in academics, developing and teaching courses offered in computer sciences, information technology and particularly software engineering––the latter, a brand-new field (at the time) in engineering education,” they said.
As a colleague, Dr. Newman was a pleasure to work with, they recalled.
“He was one of the easiest faculty to work with at Florida Tech in both building and introducing novel engineering curricula. He always brought positive input on significant topics of interest and focused on solution details, which were best for both students and faculty,” Drs. Kalajian and Glicksman said. “Professor Newman will be sorely missed by everyone he touched.”
A visitation will be held on Saturday, Feb. 28 from 1-1:30 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1065 Emerson Dr. NE, Palm Bay, FL 32907. A funeral service will follow from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the same location. A visitation and graveside service will be held March 6 at the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park in Millcreek, Utah.
