William T. Peria

1928-2017
BS 1948

William T. Peria, died Feb. 1 2017. He is survived by his four children, their families, and his sisters. After studying physics at Queen’s, he went on to earn his PhD in that field at UBC. As a professor at the University of Minnesota, he led cutting-edge research in surface physics for nearly half a century, enabling the founding, by his PhD students, of Physical Electronics Inc., provider of crucial surface analytical equipment to the semiconductor industry. Widely respected and feared by his undergrads, he convinced legions of them either to learn or to leave electrical engineering. Ever the teacher, in retirement he volunteered to help young students learn to read.