A gifted scholar, dedicated teacher and caring colleague, Hector Garcia-Molina, a professor of computer science and of electrical engineering who pioneered some of the database technologies that underlie modern cloud computing, died of cancer on Nov. 25, on the eve of his 66th birthday. “He will be sorely missed,” said Stanford Provost Persis Drell, who became acquainted with Garcia-Molina while she served as dean of Stanford’s School of Engineering.
Jennifer Widom, who is currently dean of the school and had long-standing research collaborations with Garcia-Molina, received an outpouring of messages extolling the humility and wisdom that made him a sought-after mentor.
“His door was always open, and he welcomed everyone with a smile,” Widom said. “Hector served as a mentor to me from the time I arrived as an assistant professor, through succeeding him as chair of the computer science department, to when I became dean.”
A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Garcia-...
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