SHARJAH // Hundreds of students turned out to honour a long-standing professor at the American University of Sharjah who passed away this week.
Alumni and current students visited the campus on Monday to attend funeral prayers and express their condolences for Dr Ibrahim El Sadek, 63, who was found dead at his home on campus on Sunday.
His death sparked a huge reaction on Twitter, with hundreds of people expressing their sadness within hours of the news breaking.
It was one of the highest trending subjects in the country and worldwide on the social media site.
Dr El Sadek, the associate dean of the college of arts and sciences, was one of the original academics when the university opened in 1997.
Dr Peter Heath, the university's chancellor, yesterday spoke of the professor of maths and statistics as a man of quiet intelligence, constant good humour, integrity and honesty.
"That the AUS community will deeply miss Dr El Sadek is an understatement of the highest order," Dr Heath said. "Ibrahim represents the ideal of the devoted and caring teacher - someone who works each day to ensure that his students understand and enjoy the intricacies of the math courses he teaches.
"Ibrahim was a committed researcher, but teaching was his passion. In addition, he was a master of putting a warm human face on the details and requirements of cold university bureaucracy."
Dr Mark Rush, dean of the college of arts and science, said Dr El Sadek "was indeed loved across the campus".
"He was a wonderful, popular teacher, a prolific scholar, a great mentor to junior faculty and a super colleague," he added.
Childless, Dr El Sadek saw his students as his own children.
Dr Pia Anderson, a fellow scholar in the college, recalled her colleague's good humour.
"What I will miss most about Ibrahim is his wonderful sense of humour. No matter how busy he was he could always make us laugh with his jokes and songs. He will definitely be missed."
Comments from students on Twitter included: "Amazing how many lives you have touched. May your soul RIP."
And "We will all miss his smile and laugh, such a warm and loving person. God rest your soul Dr Ibrahim Sadek".
[ mswan@thenational.ae ]
