Remembering Professor William “Nick” Hitchon

William Nicholas “Nick” Hitchon, a respected researcher and dedicated educator in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, passed away July 23, 2023. He was 65 years old.

Hitchon joined the faculty of UW-Madison in 1982, focusing on a diverse portfolio of “kinetic” theoretical models and computational modeling tools for low-temperature plasmas used in semiconductor fabrication and lighting, the electrical behavior of semiconductor devices, and microscopic phenomena in magnetic computer storage devices and gas dynamics. Over his career, he published more than 100 journal articles and three books.

Hitchon served on the Graduate School research committee, as admissions chair of the Materials Science Program, and chair of the Physical Science Section of the Campus Fellowship Committee, among other activities. Between 1999 and 2002, he served as the ECE department chair.
During his career, he earned a reputation for outstanding teaching and mentorship, advising more than 20 graduate students, many of whom have taken prominent roles in academia and industry. He taught 25 different ECE courses, including many he developed, at both the graduate and undergraduate level, covering topics including electromagnetic field theory, semiconductor electronics, plasmas and signal processing. He was an ardent advocate for the welfare and success of all students, and his dedication in the classroom led engineering undergraduates to name him an outstanding instructor five times.

One of those who benefitted from his mentorship is Giri Venkataramanan, Keith and Jane Morgan Nosbusch Professor in electrical and computer engineering and director of the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium. Venkataramanan first met Hitchon as a graduate student at UW-Madison before joining him as a colleague and eventually co-authoring a book together. What he remembers most is Hitchon’s unbridled enthusiasm.

“We’d talk about how best to solve problems, and how to teach certain topics,” he says. “Those sessions were so joyous, and never have I had such fruitful interactions with any colleague besides Nick. I’ll dearly miss a friend and colleague.”

Hitchon grew up as part of a farming family in Littondale, England. He is widely recognized outside of academia for his participation in the Up documentary series, which followed the lives of 14 7-year-olds in Great Britain, revisiting them every seven years over the course of many decades. He last appeared in 63 Up, released in 2020.

Hitchon received his bachelor’s (1978), master’s (1979) and PhD in engineering science (1981) from Oxford University.

He is survived by his wife, Cryss, and son, Adam.

Read his full obituary.