In remembrance
In remembrance: Rob Simmonds
22 July 2026Dear colleagues and students
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our colleague, Professor Rob Simmonds (60), a professor in the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science. He passed away on Saturday, 4 July 2026.
Professor Simmonds joined the University of Cape Town (UCT) in May 2015, bringing with him deep international experience in high-performance and distributed computing. He became closely associated with the growth of large-scale research infrastructure at UCT, particularly through his work with the Inter-University Institute for Data Intensive Astronomy (IDIA), where he served as Associate Director: New Technology Developments.
Colleagues will remember, with affection, his wide range of interests that included photography and cooking, often accompanied by an enthusiasm for the latest gadgets. He assembled an impressive collection of guitars and was a keen traveller who often entertained colleagues with anecdotes from his journeys.
His legacy will continue to be felt in the systems he helped build, the research they enable, and the institutional capacity he helped establish.
Professor Simmonds is survived by two sisters, Susan Heavens and Anne Beaver. Funeral and memorial service arrangements had not yet been finalised at the time this notice was released.
The university has offered its support to the Simmonds family and to all who knew and loved him.
Sincerely
The UCT Executive
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