Texas Tech University

In Memoriam

Dr. Rodica Gelca

Rodica Gelca

It is with extreme sadness we share with you the untimely passing of our colleague, Dr. Rodica Gelca, in a tragic accident that took place on March 27, 2018. She was much loved by the CSC, the TTU community and her students.

Rodica came to Texas Tech from Romania to do a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology. Her doctoral research resulted in a number of peer-reviewed journal articles, including "Effects of functionalized and nonfunctionalized single‐walled carbon nanotubes on root elongation of select crop species", now cited over 250 times.

After graduating in 2009, she accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship with the Climate Science Center, where she conducted ground-breaking research on the intersection between climate change and water quality in reservoirs in Texas, studying observed climate trends and their connection to water quality and golden algae blooms.

She also worked on climate impact assessments for the state of Delaware and the city of Austin, and her currently analysis of streamflow projections for key watersheds in central Texas will be continued by her co-authors and published later this year. A full list of her publications can be found here.

She was a research faculty member of the Climate Science Center and an instructor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.

Rodica loved life and shared her joy with all of those fortunate enough to know her. She was a talented cook who often shared her creations with her colleagues. She and her husband, Razvan Gelca loved to kayak and ski and hike, and often traveled to explore national parks across Texas and New Mexico, as well as in their home country of Romania. If you would like to know more about our valued Rodica, please click here.

A passionate scientist and much loved, the CSC deeply mourns her passing.

Rodica Gelca