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4/25/2007

Sidney and Mary Lee Burrus named 2007 Gold Medal winners

BY JESSICA JOHNS POOL
Special to the Rice News

The Association of Rice Alumni has named C. Sidney and Mary Lee Burrus its 2007 Gold Medal winners, the highest honor given by the association. The award recognizes Rice alumni, faculty and staff or friends who have rendered extraordinary service and dedication to the university.

Forty years of service

The Burrus’ attachment to Rice University began 60 years ago when Sidney was an undergraduate and then a graduate student. He received a B.A. in 1957, a B.S.E.E. in 1958 and an M.S. in 1960 from Rice. Except for a few years at Stanford, where he received his Ph.D., his and Mary Lee’s time has since been devoted to Rice University and its students.

Mary Lee Burrus and C. Sidney

Sidney, the Maxfield and Oshman Professor Emeritus of Electrical and Computer Engineering and former dean of the George R. Brown School of Engineering, has guided countless electrical engineering students in teaching and research. His numerous teaching awards in 1969, ’74, ’75, ’76, ’80 and ’89 show his dedication to the students of Rice.

Mary Lee’s nuturing of students, while more informal, proved no less important, as evidenced by the many letters of nomination that cited her warmth, generosity and kind influence in shaping students’ lives.

Sidney’s professional accomplishments, particularly his pioneering research in digital signal processing (DSP), brought recognition to the university’s engineering departments.

“The development of DSP was one of the most important developments of the last few decades, and are today used in cell phones, automobiles, appliances, computers and many other items that we use every day,” said Rice trustee William Sick, ’57, chairman and CEO of Business Resources International. “His five books on DSP have been used worldwide and helped Rice establish a reputation as a leader and collaborate with some of the world’s top universities.”

Several former students and former co-workers noted Mary Lee’s support of Sidney as making his many accomplishments possible and invariably refer to their “partnership” as well as their commitment to Rice University.

Making connections

Acting as informal ambassadors of the university to their wide circle of social and professional contacts, the Burruses have brought financial support, encouraged prestigious faculty to join and top-notch students to come to Rice, and alumni to add their knowledge and expertise to the student experience.

Sidney’s latest professional contributions to Rice are his work with the Connexions Project, a Web-based teaching and learning tool, and the Rice Alliance. Connexions allows scholars and teachers to use or modify modular lessons and is recognized by its funders as a major innovation in how education is delivered at all levels. Rice Alliance is a highly successful organization that matches entrepreneurs and early stage technology ventures in Houston and Texas with venture capital.

Both continue to serve as mentors to former students, giving advice, making connections and providing encouragement.

Gracious, friendly hosts for Rice

Despite Sidney’s undeniably significant professional activities, it is the Burruses service to Lovett College that evokes the most warmth and lasting admiration for the couple’s dedication, and Mary Lee in particular. The couple served as masters of Lovett College for two terms, 1972-’75 and 1976-’78.

“Sidney was widely admired for his unflagging support and assistance, available even in the wee hours of the night,” said Christopher Amandes, ’76, partner, Vinson & Elkins law firm. “And through her calm demeanor and astute observations and advice, Mary Lee was frequently a substitute parent and counselor for those of us whose own mothers were far away.”

Mary Lee was known to serve “exotic” dishes at Lovett so students could experience the finer things in life, remembered Rice trustee Vicki Whamond Bretthauer, ’79, a consultant with DLS Associates.

Mary Lee worked for the alumni office in the 1990s, using her extensive planning skills and diplomacy to coordinate presidential alumni trips around the country and Rice women’s conferences.

In “retirement,” the Burruses continue to support Rice by hosting alumni events, discussion groups and celebrations in their home and at the university, attending regional alumni events, and accompanying alumni and friends of Rice as part of the Rice Alumni Travel/Study Program. Perhaps most telling of their long-standing service, the Burruses continue to be invited to student parties and get-togethers, 30 years after the Lovett students’ graduations.

Learn more about Sidney Burrus on the School of Engineering Web pages. Learn more about alumni activities on the Association of Rice Alumni Web pages.