After nearly three decades at BYU, Dr. Brad Hutchings will be trading in his FPGA’s and integrative circuits for scuba gear and well-earned leisure. The computer engineering professor will officially retire at the end of this week.
Hutchings received his PhD in 1992 from the University of Utah and established the Reconfigurable Computing Laboratory at BYU in 1993. In 2003, he helped found and direct Tabula, a Bay-Area startup, and returned to BYU in 2007, where he has remained for the past fourteen years.
“I was always impressed with how he did a really wonderful job in his curriculum, in teaching, in the effort he puts out for the students,” Dr. Brian Jeffs said of Hutchings.
Other faculty members remember Hutchings fondly as a colleague, friend, and role model. Hutchings even served as Dr. Mike Wirthlin’s PhD advisor while he pursued his degree.
“He’s had a big impact on my career,” Wirthlin said. “We’ve had a lot of fun and interesting experiences over the years, and I’ll miss his insight and expertise.”
Dr. Karl Warnick as well as Jeffs noted Hutchings’ caring concern for his students. Two former students even spoke (over video) at his retirement party, wishing him the best.
Bellows said he had many great memories of writing JHDL and going on school-related trips with Hutchings. He remembers feeling like Hutchings really cared about him as a person and connected him to people that led to a great career.
Hutchings is an avid outdoorsman as well as an accomplished academic, and the faculty expect his retirement will be full of marvelous adventures in boating, water skiing, mountain biking, and as Dr. Daniel Smalley put it, “scuba diving bohemian bliss.”
The department appreciates his service and contributions over the past few decades, and wishes him all the bliss - bohemian and otherwise - his retirement can bring.