Edson deCastro’s sister, Sally, takes a photo of the plaque in his honor outside the Ball Hall Room 214 lecture hall.
LOWELL – A UMass Lowell alumnus who helped transform the computing industry is now the namesake of a university lecture hall where today’s engineering students learn and innovate.
UMass Lowell has dedicated Ball Hall Room 214 to the late Edson deCastro ’60, ’78 (H), the technology pioneer who helped launch the minicomputer revolution.
At a recent ceremony, the university’s Francis College of Engineering celebrated a bequest from deCastro’s family, which funded both the naming of the recently renovated lecture hall and the creation of the Edson deCastro ’60, ’78 (H) Professorship within the college.
DeCastro earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1960 at Lowell Technological Institute, a predecessor institution of UMass Lowell. He then went on to co-found Data General Corporation in 1968 and introduced the Nova computer, one of the first 16-bit minicomputers. The company grew into a Fortune 500 firm and became a major force in the evolution of computing. He died in 2024, eight days shy of his 86th birthday.
“We are grateful to Edson’s family for helping extend his legacy to future generations,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen. “At just 29 years old, he started a company that drove innovation in computing and business. The foundation for that success began here. Thanks to the generosity of his family, we can now provide a space like this for students to learn and be inspired.”
Members of deCastro’s family, including his children, grandchildren and siblings, attended the ceremony, underscoring the lasting personal impact of his legacy.
“It’s inspiring and sentimental,” said his daughter, Susan deCastro. “To think about my dad being in that room, and now it’s been renovated to inspire new students — it’s special.”
His sister, Sally, recalled his early determination and the opportunity that shaped his path.
“He chose Lowell Tech over MIT because he could get a full scholarship,” she said. “That opportunity made a difference.”
For his grandson, Andrew Rosenfeld, the ribbon-cutting represented both a tribute and a continuation of that legacy.
“I knew him for a good part of my life, and I’ve heard so many stories about him and his accomplishments,” Rosenfeld said. “This feels like a culmination of that — and hopefully it inspires future generations too.”
Susan deCastro, daughter of electrical engineering alum Edson deCastro ’60, ’78 (H), cuts the ribbon on the Ball Hall Room 214 lecture hall that has been named in his honor. (Photos by Edward Brennen for UMass Lowell)
