It is with profound sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of Christopher Tong, Ph.D., on January 8, Tracey Leibach on January 18, and Mona Hella, Ph.D., on January 20. All three were important and valued members of the RPI community.
Dr. Tong was a professor of practice in the data analytics graduate program with Rensselaer at Work. Born in Hong Kong, he earned a bachelor’s degree at Westminster College and a Ph.D. from the University of Utah, then taught at Hong Kong Baptist University before emigrating to the U.S. with his family and teaching at his alma mater. He joined Rensselaer at Work in 2019, where he was instrumental in developing the data analytics program, and was popular among students for his mentorship and advising. Chris was an avid researcher with many publications in international monetary systems, economic development, and evolving financial markets. More information about Chris’ life, and information about services, can be found here.
Ms. Leibach was director of periodicals and editorial content in RPI’s Office of Community Engagement and Communications. She joined us in 1992, and over the course of more than three decades, she was highly regarded as both a colleague and source of institutional knowledge. She took great pride in RPI and the students, alumni, and faculty whose stories she told. Prior to her time here, she was an editor at the local alt-weekly Metroland after graduating with a degree in journalism from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications. Outside of work, Tracey was active in Sidewalk Warriors, a volunteer organization providing food and necessities to the Troy community. Details on services, donating to Sidewalk Warriors, and her life are available here.
Dr. Hella was a professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering, a key member of RPI’s collaboration with GlobalFoundries, and a leader of our chip design efforts. She received her Ph.D. from the Ohio State University and spent several years in industry before joining RPI in 2004. Mona deeply cared about women in STEM and was a role model for many. A 2015 Fulbright scholar and senior member of the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers, Mona was active and engaged on campus, performing research in Tera-Hertz circuits and systems, energy harvesting, and sensor design. She built the analog and RF circuit curriculum in ECSE that emphasized experiential learning, applications, and included a design contest supported by Analog Devices, Inc. Her husband, Hisham Mohamed, Ph.D., is a senior lecturer of biomedical engineering, and one of their daughters is a student in our ECSE department. A commemorative event will be announced and held by the department at a later date.
Our community is so close and collaborative that the passing of three members in such a brief timespan is a great loss. Counseling and grief services are available for students through the Rensselaer Counseling Center. Schedule sessions via email at counseling@rpi.edu, by phone at (518) 276-6479, or through the Student Health Portal. Faculty and staff seeking counseling and grief support may contact the Employee Assistance Program by calling (800) 327-2251. Chaplains are also available to provide grief counseling and support for anyone in the Rensselaer community. Call Religious Affairs at (518) 276-6518 or Father Jordan Lenaghan at (518) 276-8622.
The contributions and memories of Chris, Tracey, and Mona will live on in those who worked and studied with them. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, colleagues, and students.