The UBC community mourns the passing of Dr. Spyridon (Spiro) Yannacopoulos, Professor of Engineering, on Monday, December 21, 2015.

Dr. Yannacopoulos held the roles of Director of the School of Engineering since 2006 and Associate Dean of Applied Science from 2008 through August 2015. His contributions to UBC and in particular the Okanagan campus were extraordinary, and his leadership contributed to the School of Engineering’s success as one of Canada’s newest and fastest-growing engineering schools.

Dr. Yannacopoulos is survived by his loving wife Nada, of 33 years; son Theodore Yannacopoulos of Kelowna; his mother Eleftheria Giannakopoulou; sister Maria Evangelatou; brother-in-law Spyridon Evangelatos; nephew Pavlos and niece Katerina, also a sister-in-law and two brothers-in-law and their children of Kelowna, BC as well as many relatives all over Canada and Europe.

Our sincere condolences go to his wife and family, friends and colleagues, and the many students and alumni of the School of Engineering. Dr. Yannacopoulos touched many people’s lives, and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Dr. Yannacopoulos’s leadership contributed to the School of Engineering’s success as one of Canada’s newest and fastest-growing engineering schools; he worked closely with both campuses to ensure the school’s success.

A new student award has been created at the UBC Okanagan School of Engineering, in Dr. Yannacopoulos’s name. Your gift will help create a legacy for him, by supporting future generations of engineering students to succeed.