Tribute to Professor Emeritus Griffis to Be Held Next Tuesday

Photo Submitted

Carl L. Griffis

Carl Griffis, emeritus professor of biological and agricultural engineering, passed away on Friday, Oct. 31, 2014. Griffis came to the U of A in 1968 as an assistant professor of chemical engineering, after spending two years as an engineer with Exxon. He worked in the Department of Agricultural Engineering as a research associate, then an associate professor. In 1983, he became a professor of biological and agricultural engineering. From 1992 until 1997, he served as head of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, and he served as interim head of that department from 2008 until 2010. Griffis retired in 2011.

During his career, Griffis was recognized several times for his outstanding teaching and research. He received the Teaching Award of Merit from the National Association of Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture and the Imhoff Award for Outstanding Teaching from the College of Engineering. He received the Halliburton Outstanding Teaching Award three times and the Halliburton Outstanding Research Award once. He was named the Outstanding Teacher for the Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department twice, and received the John W. White Award for Outstanding Teaching twice.

“Professor Carl Griffis was a dedicated team-player who always looked out for the best interest of the students, his colleagues, and biological and agricultural engineering alumni,” remembered Lalit Verma, head of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. “His kind, untiring and selfless contributions through teaching, research and service of over 40 years to our department, university and the state of Arkansas will be greatly missed. He was a true gentleman who touched the lives of hundreds of young minds who fondly remember him. Many of his students turned out to be very successful professionals and citizens. Professor Griffis also provided academic leadership to our department at several critical junctures and helped maintain the high-quality programs that contributed to the land-grant mission of this great university.”

In an article Griffis wrote about his retirement, he reminisced about his career at the U of A. “I have never wanted to be anywhere else,” he said. “My almost 43 years with the University of Arkansas, the College of Agriculture, the Division of Agriculture and the Agricultural Engineering/Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department have been part of the best career I could ever have dreamed about.”

A tribute celebrating the life of Carl L. Griffis will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, in John White Jr. Engineering Hall Room 209. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Dr. Carl L. Griffis, made payable to U of A Foundation Inc. sent to Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, John White Jr. Engineering Hall Room 203, Fayetteville AR, 72701.

To share a memory of or tribute to Carl Griffis, visit this page on the College of Engineering website: www.baeg.uark.edu/6743.php.