In Memoriam - Michael Casper Lewis

Michael Casper Lewis, our dear friend and colleague, died tragically at the age of 52 while commuting to work on his bicycle on March 26th, 2025. Mike was a beloved part of the UC Davis family, first as a student in Computer Science, then as an employee for over 25 years. His contributions over that time are immeasurable, but he will always be remembered for his kindness, his humor, and his positive energy.

Having spent some time in industry after his studies, Mike returned to UC Davis to work for a few years at Information and Education Technology.  However, he soon found his calling in research computing, spending over two decades as the lead systems administrator and architect at the Genome Center, with the last few serving as the lead architect at the campus wide High Performance Computing Core. A widely respected campus expert on high performance computing, he was directly responsible for providing the infrastructure for hundreds of millions of dollars of cutting edge research.

Mike's work often required him to not only wear multiple hats, but to do the workload of multiple people. At a top tier research university, there are many more demands than thanks. Mike could have left for higher paying jobs at any point, but he stayed because he believed in what he was doing and was often heard saying he enjoyed “helping scientists do science.”

Not only did Mike enable countless researchers to explore their own scientific questions, he also embodied the very nature of what drives science and education – curiosity.  Those who knew Mike personally were impressed by his love of learning and positive attitude. He could talk for hours on a huge number of topics and listen for even more. Among his many talents and interests, he was an Eagle Scout who loved the outdoors, enjoyed photography, and was a gifted musician who wrote, recorded, and performed music with friends.

Despite his talents, Mike was humble in nature, and would readily share his knowledge with others. His generosity and kindness were apparent, and he never had a harsh word for anyone, except maybe himself. Mike had an incredible sense of humor and quick wit, and could find a joke for seemingly any situation. He could create a positive environment anywhere he went, and made countless friends along the way.

Mike was an avid bike commuter, who rode his bike from Woodland to Davis and back in all weather from the sweltering heat of summer to the flooded roads of winter. On the first day of classes, he used to join the new students navigating campus for the first time by riding his 6 foot high unicycle around the traffic circles. Grinning in the midst of chaos is a good way to remember our dear friend.

A celebration of life for Mike will be held on Monday, May 5, from 4:30pm-7:30pm at Putah Creek Lodge.  For event details and to RSVP, please visit the event page.