In May 1988, Dr. Ron K. Bhada (Ph.D., Michigan) joined NMSU as Chemical Engineering Department Head and associate dean. In 1990, the NMSU Chemical Engineering Academy was started under Dr. Bhada’s leadership. That same year, Dr. Bhada was also responsible for beginning the U.S. Department of Energy Waste-management Education and Research Consortium (WERC). The consortium, led by WERC and NMSU, included New Mexico Tech, the University of New Mexico and Diné College, as well as Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Under his direction, WERC established a national model for environmental research and education, including the first Environmental Design Contest in 1991. Although the original WERC program has concluded, its impact endures — laying the foundation for NMSU’s current environmental engineering programs and inspiring generations of students through the annual Environmental Design Contest, which celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2025.

Obituary:

Rohinton Khurshed Bhada was born on March 23, 1935, in Bombay, India, to Khurshed A. and Goola K.

Bhada. He was one of five children in his family. On August 17, 1953, heleft his home country to moveto Ann Arbor, MI, USA and attendschool at The University of Michigan. His intention wasto get his degree and go back hometo India to get married. On May 15,1958, his plans all changed. That day, hemet Patricia Ann Bergman while taking a break from studying and classes. They both were seeing a movie, and he asked to sit next to her. The rest as they say, is history. They married on Jan 18, 1959.

He continued his education and, in time, obtained multiple degrees. He worked in the field of Chemical Engineering at Babcock and Wilcox in Alliance, OH, and in 1988, hemoved to New Mexico to be a professor and associate dean of Engineering at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. After many years of working, he gradually retired and movedto Georgia to be closer to family.

One of Papa's greatest joys was his family that he created with Patricia in the 63 years they spent together.

They went on to raise five biological and two adopted children together who knew him as their papa: John, James, Sarah, Naomi, Jenny, Nikki and Cindy. Papa was a big part ofhis grandchildren'slives as well. They loved spending time with their grandparents and have many treasured memories of those moments together.

In 1997, after many years of being a Zoroastrian, Papa madethe decision to become one of Jehovah's Witnesses. This became the other great joy in his life.

He loved to share with all his love for Jehovah and spent many years teaching others about Jehovah. He served as an elder and a pioneer for many years. Even as his health declined, he did not let this stop him from sharing about Jehovah and helping others. Hewas deeply loved and cherished by his large spiritual family.

Papa'slegacy is carried on by his children Cindy Bhada, John (Lori) Bhada, James (Sherry) Bhada, Sarah Chavez, Naomi (Victor) Pitrowski, Jenny (Michael) Edwards and Nikki (Mandy) Bhada, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great- grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Khurshed and Goola, his brother Noshir, his sister Pervin, wife Patricia and grandsons Jacob DeHer and Eric Hawley.