Fayetteville, Arks. – On March 31, ABET Past President Jerry Yeargan passed away. After receiving both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, he became an electrical engineering professor at the University of Arkansas where he taught for forty years. During this time, he served as head of the Electrical Engineering Department from 1977-’82 and head of the Department of Computer Science and Computer Engineering from 2005-’07.
At ABET, he was a member of the Engineering Accreditation Committee (EAC) from 1992-’97; chaired the Criteria Committee from 1995-’97; served as the ABET director from 1998-2000; chaired the Board of Directors and Executive Committee; and served as the 2006 ABET president. After dedicating so much time to serving ABET’s mission, he received the Linton E. Grinter Award in 2006, ABET’s highest honor.
He received many other distinguished awards including the IEEE 2004 Harden Pratt Award; the 2001 IEEE Educational Activities Board Meritorious Service Award; the 2000 IEEE Millennium Medal; the 2004 Outstanding Teacher Award – Department of Electrical Engineering; Outstanding Service to Students – College of Engineering in 1998; the Outstanding Faculty Award, presented by the Arkansas Academy of Electrical Engineers in 1998; the 1997 IEEE Education Society Achievement Award; the 1981 Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Professor in the College of Engineering; the 1986 Haliburton Award – Outstanding Engineering Faculty; and the IEEE Centennial Medal in 1986.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jane Evans Yeargan, as well as his brother, daughter, son and two grandchildren.
We are very grateful for the dedication and time Jerry Yeargan gave to ABET, and he will be missed. Read his obituary here.