University community remembers engineering professor Nancy Kinnersley


Tue, 05/24/2016

author

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas community is grieving the death of one of its engineering professors.

Nancy Kinnersley, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, died May 18 in Kansas City, Kansas. She was 71.

“Nancy Kinnersley was a valuable member of the KU family for 27 years, and we are deeply saddened to hear of her death,” said Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. “On behalf of the KU community, I extend our condolences to her family, colleagues, friends and students during this difficult time.”

Kinnersley came to KU as an assistant professor in 1989 and was promoted to associate professor in 1995. She taught courses in the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

“Nancy Kinnersley was a member of the computer science faculty for 27 years,” said Victor Frost, Dan F. Servey Distinguished Professor and electrical engineering and computer science department chair. “During that time her dedication to teaching benefited generations of KU students. She will be missed by her colleagues and students.”

Kinnersley researched design and analysis of algorithms, graph theory and graph algorithms, and discrete mathematics. She also served as KU Faculty Senate President for 2013-2014.

Kinnersley had scholarly interest in computer science education. For more than 15 years she was involved in computer science accreditation, including with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

“Nancy Kinnersley was an outstanding educator, and her service to the electrical engineering and computer science department was exemplary,” said Michael Branicky, dean of the School of Engineering. “Through her close association with Engineering Diversity and Women’s Programs as co-adviser to the Society of Women Engineers, she helped provide guidance and support to countless female engineering students during her time at KU. We are deeply saddened by this loss.”

Services are pending.

Tue, 05/24/2016

author

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson

Media Contacts

Erinn Barcomb-Peterson

KU News Service

785-864-8858