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Long after students left his classroom, students and colleagues continue to call him “Dr. T.”

Now, as Dr. Dhandapani Thirumurthi prepares to celebrate his 90th birthday at the end of August, it’s that simple nickname that resonates most with those who knew him. For Ron Gilkie (BSc’60, BEng’62, MEng’64), it speaks volumes about the kind of person he was; thoughtful, kind and genuinely committed to the people around him.

“When you can feel comfortable enough to call your professor by a nickname, that says a lot about the relationship between the professor and the student,” says Gilkie, a former Civil Engineering professor who worked alongside Thirumurthi for many years.

The two joined the Faculty of Engineering in 1967, then known as the Nova Scotia Technical College (NSTC). Gilkie says it was a period of rapid growth, with new faculty members arriving, graduate programs expanding, and research becoming an increasingly important part of the school’s future

It was also a time when collaboration extended beyond the classroom and lab. Coffee breaks and lunches brought professors from both engineering and architecture together, creating opportunities for new ideas and strong friendships. Gilkie says it was the kind of environment where Thirumurthi thrived, was able to share his Indian culture, and easily connected with those around him.

The Early Years

Friendly. Committed. Collaborative.

Research Impact

While many remember Thirumurthi for the impact he had on the people around him, his contributions to environmental engineering were equally as significant.

Over the course of his career, he built an international reputation for his research in water supply, wastewater treatment and water quality. His work explored practical, cost-effective approaches to wastewater treatment, helping advance the design and operation of systems used by communities around the world.

He began his academic career with a PhD from the University of Texas in 1965. There his work focused on water pollution control and wastewater management, among other areas. A summer course in chemical engineering at Clemson University would help shape the direction of his research, eventually leading to work closely associated to his name.

Within NTSC, Thirumurthi was also part of a growing group of researchers who helped build the institution’s expertise in water resources research. Their early work laid the foundation for what would become the Centre for Water Resources Studies, now one of the Faculty of Engineering’s signature research centres.

His research contributions to wastewater lagoon design were captured in textbooks and in fact relied upon in my first wastewater class,” remembers Dr. Graham Gagnon, Dalhousie University’s Associate Vice-President Research and Director of Dalhousie’s Centre for Water Resource Studies.

“Dr. T, along with Dr. Waller, created the Centre for Water Resources Studies; their team was dedicated to addressing water challenges faced across Nova Scotia,” he continues. “From wastewater collection to household septic tanks and beyond, the Centre contributed to design standards and practices that were called upon by Nova Scotia communities but practised globally.”

A Career Well Respected

Despite his many academic accomplishments, Gilkie says Thirumurthi was never one to seek the spotlight. It was one of the qualities he admired most about his colleague. From their first days at Engineering together in 1967, to the day they both retired in 1994, that never changed.

"He wasn't always pushing himself into the forefront, but if he was asked to do something, he would happily take it on," he says.

For Gilkie, that's exactly why so many people remember Dr.T so fondly. And while he says the two haven’t worked together since their retirement, Gilkie still remembers a colleague who was as respected for his character as he was for his research.

As friends, former students and colleagues celebrate his 90th birthday, many will no doubt think back to a professor who never sought recognition but earned it anyway.