Paul Rude, Ph.D.
Paul Rude was a professor of electrical engineering from 1963 to 2008. A year after joining LMU, he was appointed chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, a position he held for 18 years. During his time as chair, Professor Rude was responsible for establishing the computer science option within electrical engineering that grew into the computer science degree program within the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Additionally, he was the driving force behind bringing the first academic computer facility to the university and in facilitating computer literacy for all university students.
One of Professor Rude’s proudest accomplishments at LMU was the development of the “Electrical Engineering Senior Design Course.” He was also responsible for developing the part-time Master of Science degree program for all three engineering disciplines — civil, electrical and mechanical — as well as computer science. In recognition of his contributions and achievements at LMU, Professor Rude was inducted to the Frank R. Seaver College Wall of Fame in 2003 and the LMU Faculty Hall of Fame in 2017.
Professor Rude earned his B.S. from UCLA, and he earned his M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. He passed away on Oct. 28, 2017, following a brief illness. Professor Rude was 86 years old.