Eric James Steele dedicated his life to learning and teaching. He was a physics Ph.D. student studying at the University of Massachusetts Boston. A lover of the mathematics driving science, he studied in fields such as Chemistry, Chemical Physics, Physical Chemistry, and Applied Physics. 

Eric was an outstanding student, a talented researcher, and a dedicated teacher. For his Ph.D. research, he used complex computational techniques to study how particles move in ultracold quantum wires. Eric was a kind and helpful mentor to his other research group members and greatly contributed to many courses and labs in his department. His responsiveness and thoughtful feedback were very much appreciated by all of his students and he will be deeply missed.

He loved Star Wars, Back to the Future, old cartoons, The Legend of Zelda, Megaman, Simpsons, Dungeons and Dragons, Super Mario, Alucard, horror movies, and so much more. He shared his passions with everyone he met, and always seemed to have the perfect reference or quote ready for anything. Eric had lots of meaningful relationships that he built with friends, colleagues, and students. Many have commented that they discovered a new favorite show or obscure movie because Eric shared it with them. 

He is preceded in death by his mother Arleen who died in 2020 and survived by his father James (Jesse), his brother Shawn, his partner Morgan, and niece and nephew Katie and Ryan with whom he played Fury of Dracula well into the night on every visit to their home.

Eric was a man of many degrees, earning a double BA in Chemistry and Math at Clark University, where he met many of his lifelong friends, then working at RMD and NWSW before completing an MS at Northeastern University, then entering the physics Ph.D. program at UMASS Boston. An entertainer at heart, he would include amusing anecdotes in his class lectures and sit and share stories of his unique life experiences and adventures.

“It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.”

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