About Optica
In Memoriam: Burton "Burt" McMurtry, 1935-2018
02 September 2018
Burton “Burt” McMurtry, Stanford volunteer leader and venture capitalist, passed away on 2 September at the age of 83. McMurtry served on the Stanford Board of Trustees for eleven years and was a major donor to the campaign to establish the Siegman International School on Lasers, in honor of 1999 OSA President Anthony E. Siegman. McMurtry studied electrical engineering at Stanford under the guidance of Tony Siegman before establishing a venture capital business in 1969.
McMurtry was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and he went on to attend Rice University where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree (1956) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering (1957). He completed a Master’s of Science degree (1959) and PhD (1962) at Stanford, while working for GTE-Sylvania where he managed laser research and development. McMurtry spent the majority of his career in venture capital, during which he founded several venture capital partnerships, including Institutional Ventures Associates and Technology Venture Investors. He served as a director of over thirty companies and held leadership positons on Stanford Board of Trustees (Chairman 2004-2008), Rice University, and the Carnegie Institution for Science.
McMurtry met his wife, Deedee, while at Rice University and they were active philanthropists with an emphasis on education and the arts. The McMurtry family was instrumental in establishing the Art District on Stanford campus and provided the lead gift for what would become the 96,000 square foot McMurtry building. McMurtry’s donation to the OSA Foundation helped establish the Siegman International School on Lasers, a weeklong program that exposes students to in-depth learning of lasers and their applications. The program features internationally recognized academic and industry leaders in the field. Since its inception, more than 400 graduate students have benefitted from the program.
McMurtry is survived by his wife of 62 years, Gwen, their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. OSA and the scientific community mourns the loss of Burt McMurtry.
