Dr. Tony Au served in the Department of Industrial Technology for 34 years, beginning in 1985 as an associate professor. He was promoted to professor in 1989 and went on to serve as department chair for nine years. He entered the Faculty Early Retirement Program in 2014 and officially retired in 2019. That same year, he was honored with the titles of chair emeritus and professor emeritus in recognition of his many years of dedication and service.

Throughout his career, Au was an active member of the Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering , the organization that accredits the department’s programs. He served as both a member of the accreditation team and as Region Six director. He also served two years as president of the California Association of Industrial Technology. In addition, he advised the Center for Advanced Research and Technology robotics team, which won the 2006 regional competition under his guidance.

Au’s passion for innovation extended to his research. He received more than $1 million in grants from the National Science Foundation and other institutions to support projects ranging from manufacturing improvements and product development to cattle monitoring, frozen fruit production, and mechanical cotton harvesting. He collaborated with industry leaders including IBM, Cisco, Wawona Foods, Duncan Enterprises, Hughes Aircraft Co., Raytheon Systems and Grundfos Pumps.

Au was also a devoted mentor who guided countless undergraduate and graduate students throughout his career. One student shared, “Everything I learned, I owe to Dr. Au.” Another reflected, “It was a great experience having Dr. Au as an instructor.” His colleagues and staff remember him as a “dedicated educator willing to try new things in the curriculum,” “a source of wisdom in every conversation,” and “a courteous, nonjudgmental listener who always put students’ welfare before his own.”