In Memoriam: Dr. Stephen Mecca
Dr. Stephen J. Mecca ’64 & ’66G, professor of physics who spent half a century teaching and serving at Providence College, died Aug. 28, 2018. Dr. Mecca began teaching at PC as an assistant professor in 1969 following his graduation from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Ph.D. in nuclear physics. He advanced to full professor in 1979. In his laboratory, Dr. Mecca encouraged students from all academic disciplines to join him in solving problems through systems development. Inspired by his granddaughter’s visit to Ghana, he helped to found the Global Sustainable Aid Project, which focused on education, health, and sanitation projects in that country.
Beginning in 2010, he brought PC students to Ghana each summer for community-based service internships. A micro-flush toilet he developed with help from his students has been installed in more than 20 countries. Dr. Mecca also developed a solar-powered tablet loaded with a searchable database for use by health-care workers and students in areas without internet access. Through his efforts, more than 250,000 textbooks and many computers were donated to schools in Ghana.
