John Paul Robinson, a longtime member of the College of Engineering and a former associate dean, died March 27, 2026, at the age of 87 in Iowa City. He joined the College of Engineering in 1965 and was a steady presence for more than four decades until his retirement in 2008.

Born in Rhode Island, Robinson earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Iowa State University and his master’s and PhD from Princeton University. His scholarly work focused on communication and information theory, including error correcting, compression, and encryption codes, with broader contributions to computer reliability and combinatorial searches.

Robinson’s impact, however, extended far beyond his research. He was widely admired as a teacher and mentor who made highly mathematical material accessible — and even enjoyable. 

“He was one of the kindest and most thoughtful people I’ve ever known,” said Tom Casavant, professor of electrical and computer engineering. “His ego hardly ever showed. He was a calming presence and very generous with his time, especially with junior faculty.”

Colleagues recalled Robinson’s quiet curiosity and dedication. Casavant recalled how he’d “sit with a yellow legal pad, pencil in hand, the page filled with 1s and 0s as he worked through a coding problem.” 

Others remembered his gifts as a mentor and how deeply he cared about students. 

“He was my PhD advisor and the one who taught me how to do research,” said Sudhakar Reddy, professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering. “He was an excellent teacher and research guide, and I’ll always remember his sense of humor.”

Outside of work, he was a dedicated runner and an adventurous spirit, as captured in a framed photo on his desk from a memorable skydiving adventure that quite literally landed him in an Iowa cornfield. 

John is survived by his wife, Eileen Robinson; three sons, Paul, Mark, and Karl; nine grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

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