Martin Alan Afromowitz

Martin Afromowitz (born August 27, 1945) died on November 19, 2024, due to pancreatic cancer, while in his home surrounded by loved ones. Marty is survived by his daughter, Sarah Afromowitz, and his partner, Debbi Conger. He will be remembered as a caring father, devoted partner, and dedicated educator.

The following was written in Marty’s own words:

As Martin Afromowitz looked back upon his 79 years, his greatest pleasures derived from his family, especially his daughter Sarah, and his long career in research (electrical engineering) and teaching. His life was greatly enriched by his marriage to Cherryl (Black), from 1989 until her passing in 2003, leaving him to raise his then 9-year-old daughter.

Martin was brought up in the Bronx (Pelham Parkway), and displayed an early interest in science. He attended the Bronx High School of Science (class of 1962), and the Columbia School of Engineering (BS 1965, MS ’66 and PhD ’69). His PhD thesis led directly to an appointment as a Member of the Technical Staff at Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ (1969 – 1974) where he worked on the early development of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and semiconductor lasers. He then moved to Seattle (1974) to take a position as a research fellow in the Bioengineering Center at the University of Washington, and in 1976, became a research assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. His career progressed through the professorial ranks, and he retired in 2015 as an Emeritus Professor after 41 wonderful and productive years at UW. His research, mostly in semiconductor optical devices and applications to bioengineering, led to 13 patents, many journal articles, and consulting work as an expert witness on patent litigation in his field.

Marty enjoyed traveling with his domestic partner, Debbi Conger. They took many great trips together, both domestic and abroad, including their three-month stay in a small mountain village in Tuscany (2019). Once retired, he kept himself busy fixing things around the house, usually with success. He also maintained contact with several high school and college friends, and enjoyed weekly Zoom calls with a group of UW retirees.

Marty wishes Sarah and Debbi continued health and happiness. He thanks them both for being such great help to him during his illness. His final wishes are that the social and political divisions in our country begin to heal, that religion is removed from politics, and that world leaders respond effectively to the global crisis of climate change.