Santa Clara University

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept. 24, 2011—Daniel Strickland, a mechanical engineering assistant professor at Santa Clara University, died in a car accident on Friday, Sept. 23. He was 27 years old.

Strickland was driving southbound on 280 just north of Alpine Road, when he hit a deer, damaging his car. Before emergency vehicles could arrive, another vehicle crashed into his.

“This is devastating news for Santa Clara University. He started teaching just a year ago and has been off to a rocket start in his teaching and research,” said SCU’s School of Engineering Dean Godfrey Mungal.

With a bachelor’s degree from Seattle University and a master’s and Ph.D. from Stanford University, Strickland joined Santa Clara University’s School of Engineering in 2010 to teach classes in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics. His research interests were in affordable energy conservation with particular emphasis on mass transport and innovative fabrication processes in electrochemical systems.

Strickland was proud to be a part of Santa Clara University and its mission, particularly in serving the poor and benefiting society. Among his many contributions to Santa Clara during his short time here, he served as a faculty advisor on senior design projects and was named a Roelandts Fellow with SCU’s Center for Science, Technology and Society. Beloved by his students and colleagues alike, Strickland had a passion for Santa Clara, a commitment to Jesuit education, and dedication to student learning. 

Santa Clara University will hold a memorial service on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 4 p.m. in the Mission Church. For those not able to attend Wednesday's memorial service, a live video stream will be available at:

http://ammsweb.scu.edu/webcasts/mobile1/memorialservice/index.htm

Strickland's family has also planned a memorial service at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church at 950 Santa Cruz Ave. in Menlo Park on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 11 a.m. fol A pre-service celebration of photos and music celebrating Daniel's life will be held at 10 a.m.

A scholarship fund is being established in memory of Strickland. Donations can be sent to:

Santa Clara University
Development Office, Gift Processing Department
Daniel Strickland Scholarship Fund
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053

Notes of condolences may be sent to:
Kerry Strickland (mother) and her partner Shawn Hays
Rick Strickland (father)
P.O. Box 1946
Vancouver, WA 98668

About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 8,800 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, theology, and engineering, plus master’s and law degrees and engineering Ph.D.s. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu. 

Media Contact
Connie Kim Coutain | ccoutain@scu.edu | 408-554-5126 O | 408-829-4836 C