He earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering in 1959 and a doctorate in 1962.Īfter working as an engineer, McMurtry pursued a career in Silicon Valley’s emerging venture capital field.

They both attended Rice University and moved west so that McMurtry could pursue graduate studies at Stanford while working for Sylvania Electric Projects. McMurtry was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and met his wife in high school. We will continue to feel Burt’s contributions at Stanford for decades to come.” Silicon Valley pioneer He and Deedee have had a tremendous impact on every part of our university community, from the arts to engineering, medicine, graduate education and economic policy research. “I am profoundly grateful for Burt’s insight, his thoughtful service, and his generosity to Stanford over the last 40 years. “Burt inspired us all with his lifelong curiosity and his commitment to higher education,” said Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. Earlier this year, McMurtry and his wife, Deedee, received Stanford’s Degree of Uncommon Man and Degree of Uncommon Woman, the university’s highest award honoring alumni.

He served on Stanford’s Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2008, including four years as chair. At Stanford, he was equally influential, shaping academic initiatives over the course of four decades through his work as an adviser and volunteer. McMurtry was renowned in Silicon Valley as an early venture capital investor.

2, helped shape Stanford’s academic initiatives over four decades through his work as an adviser and volunteer.

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