Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Princeton Environmental Institute, Emeritus, died on Sept. 28, 2022
Ignacio Rodriguez-Iturbe, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Princeton Environmental Institute, Emeritus, died on Sept. 28, 2022
Wonderful man. Best ideological disagreements I ever had with any colleague. It was an honor and a pleasure to be at Princeton with him.
I’m very sad to hear of Ignacio’s passing. His joyful presence will truly be missed. He was a wonderful adviser to first-year BSE students, who benefited from his wisdom and guidance. When Ignacio learned my middle name, he would always address me as “Peter Ignatius” in his booming voice and putting the stress on our shared name.
I am deeply saddened to hear of Professor Rodríguez-Iturbe’s passing. He was brilliant, passionate, incisive, and kind, and he inspired so many with both his work and his humanity. The time I spent with his research group studying the virtual water trade and its global impacts during my junior year at Princeton fundamentally shaped my worldview. I will always be so appreciative of his embrace of interdisciplinary study and his encouragement to follow the endless threads of curiosity, to always ask “why,” and – perhaps most importantly – to savor the journey of discovery and growth. I fondly look back on our conversations in his EQuad office talking about South America and travel adventures over a cup of tea. He was a wonderful person who had an enduring impact on me and on many others, and he will be missed.