University Times

Charles Sorber, dean of Pitt’s School of Engineering 1986-93, died Oct. 19, 2013. He was 74.

Prior to assuming the deanship here, Sorber had served in a number of academic, research and administrative positions in the University of Texas system, 1975-86.

He left Pitt to return to the University of Texas system as president of the Permian Basin campus.

In 2001, he returned to the Austin campus to teach and conduct research, then in 2003-04 served as interim president of the University of Texas-Arlington. He also served as interim president of the University’s Pan American campus in 2009-10.

Sorber earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sanitary engineering at Penn State and a doctorate in civil engineering at the University of Texas-Austin.

He was born in Kingston, Pa., on Sept. 12, 1939, and was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.

He began his academic career in 1975, at the University of Texas-San Antonio, where his wife Linda was also a faculty member. There, he began the Center for Applied Research and Technology in the College of Science and Mathematics. He became associate dean of engineering for academic affairs at the College of Engineering on the University of Texas Austin campus in 1980.

He also was president of the Water Environment Federation 1992-93, a diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by daughter Kimberly and grandson Stephen Schirmer, as well as siblings Melinda Sorber Graham, William A. Sorber and David A. Sorber.