UCF Assistant Professor Bill Safranek of the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences died Monday evening in a car accident, according to an e-mail sent out to students by the Interim Director of the Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences.
“We at the UCF College of Medicine are devastated by the news of Bill Safranek’s death,” said Dr. Deborah German, vice president for medical affairs and dean of the medical school. “Bill was an outstanding educator who was passionate about sharing his love of science with undergraduate students. At any one time, he was touching the lives of hundreds of young people. His work ethic, kindness and commitment were infectious and a model for us all.”
Safranek, Ph.D., was an assistant professor of microbiology at the UCF College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. Considered an educational “workhorse” for his teaching load, Dr. Safranek was the winner of multiple teaching awards. He began teaching at UCF as an adjunct professor in 1995 before being named as a fulltime instructor in 2005. He was promoted to assistant professor in 2007.
Safranek was in an accident near State Road 520 and State Road 524 in Cocoa when he was driving home. The crash remains under investigation.
His classes have been cancelled for the next two days. Faculty members at the Burnett school will be taking over those courses, said Dr. Richard Peppler, acting director of the school.
Grief counseling for the passing of Professor Safranek is available in HPA2 room 345, cards and memories to be sent out to his family can be placed outside of his office, HPA2 118.
