Professor leaves behind intellectual legacy

Emeritus Peter Dorato dedicated years to the UNM Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, but his students and colleagues said his passion and kindness is what they will miss most.

Dorato, 77, died Sept. 18. His daughter, Sylvia Dorato, said her father did everything full force.
“He loved people,” she said. “He loved interacting, and he loved teaching. And that is something he did literally until the very, very end.”

Dorato was celebrated in his field.
He was named a Gardner-Zemke Professor for outstanding teaching. He was also given the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Third Mil­len­nium Medal, the World Automa­tion Con­gress Life­time Achieve­ment Award and the School of Engi­neer­ing Senior Fac­ulty Teach­ing Excel­lence Award. He wrote eight books and more than 65 journal articles, his daughter said.

“He was extremely well-known and respected in his field and in his area of research,” colleague Chaouki Abdal­lah said. “He really enjoyed what he was doing, He was one of the best teachers, one of the most concerned about education and about students that I have ever met.”
Abdallah said that Dorato’s love of education is reflected in his students.

“He enjoyed arguing with people in intellectual arguments,” he said. “He liked the Socratic exchange of ideas, and he really honestly believed in it.”

Dorato is survived by his wife, four children and 10 grandchildren. He served as chairman of the ECE department from 1976 until 1984. He retired from UNM in 2005, though he continued teaching as an adjunct professor until he died.
Former student Todd Barrick said Dorato’s classes were unique.

“I sought out his classes,” he said. “And just sought out information from him in general even when I didn’t have classes with him. He really cared about what students thought and had to say.”

Abdallah said Dorato was in it for the students.

“He would do teaching sessions for classes he wasn’t even teaching, just because he wanted to help,” he said. “He didn’t care about money. Sometimes he wouldn’t ask for a raise; he would ask for something for the department.”
Beyond teaching, Dorato was a nationally ranked senior tennis player and taught an Italian culture class in the Continuing Education Department.

“It is just another example of him going all the way with the things he did,” Sylvia said.
Abdal­lah said the department will feel a void without Dorato’s presence.
“It is going to leave a big hole, and we are not going to be able to fill it for a long time,” he said.
Family and friends will hold a service Thurs­day at 10 a.m. at the Aquinas New­man Cen­ter on the UNM cam­pus.