In memoriam: Professor and Chair Jeffrey Froyd

The College of Engineering is mourning the death of Jeffrey Froyd, professor and chair of the Department of Engineering Education, who passed away on October 5. He was 68 years old.

Froyd arrived at Ohio State as professor in November 2017. He began his tenure as department chair in June 2020. An engineering education pioneer, he chose Ohio State primarily because of the department’s potential to influence engineering education.

“By any measure, Jeff Froyd was an engineering education leader,” College of Engineering Dean Ayanna Howard said. “But by the measure of lives touched and futures nurtured, Jeff Froyd was as impactful and talented as they come. His wisdom, passion and warmth will be greatly missed.”

He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. Prior to his arrival at Ohio State, Froyd was a research professor in Texas A&M’s Engineering Experiment Station and Engineering Academic and Student Affairs office. He also taught electrical engineering at Rose-Hulman and the University of Minnesota. At Rose-Hulman, he co-created the Integrated, First-Year Curriculum in Science, Engineering and Mathematics, which was recognized in 1997 with a Hesburgh Award Certificate of Excellence. Additionally, he was a principal investigator or co-principal investigator on numerous National Science Foundation supported projects and served on the leadership team at Texas A&M’s NSF ADVANCE project.

Froyd served as editor-in-chief for the IEEE Transactions on Education from September 2012 to December 2018, as an associate editor and senior associate editor for the Journal of Engineering Education since 2003, and as an associate editor for the International Journal on STEM Education since 2014. He was an IEEE Fellow, an American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Fellow and an ABET Program Evaluator for the Engineering Accreditation Commission.

He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Joy, his two children, Nathan (Tricia) and Cara, his six grandchildren, Becca, Ally, Maggie, Caleb, Connor, and Judah, and brother Steve (Sue). In lieu of flowers, the family would like to establish a designated graduate fellowship in Jeff’s honor. Send contributions to The Ohio State University Foundation, P.O. 710811, Columbus, Ohio 43271-0811, Fund 314822, “in memory of Jeff Froyd”. Other donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity, the Dublin Food Pantry, or charity of donor’s choice.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, October 13, 2:00 p.m., at Schoedinger Dublin, 5980 Perimeter Dr., with a reception to follow.