The Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing is saddened by the passing of Mechanical Engineering Distinguished Professor Emeritus Wally Peters on May 25, 2026. He was 79 years old.
Over the course of his career at USC, Peters was known for his dedication to students and his passion for teaching. He received the university’s Michael J. Mungo Undergraduate Teaching Award in 1997 and the Amoco Teaching Award in 2002. His research explored complex systems, sustainable design and industrial ecology.
But for many students, his greatest impact came outside the classroom. As faculty advisor for the college’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, he encouraged building professional connections and taking advantage of opportunities that would prepare them for professional careers. Former students often describe him as a mentor who was generous with his time, advice and encouragement.
A native of Alabama, Peters earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Auburn University before completing his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics at Virginia Tech. Following a year as a visiting professor at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials in Germany and two years as an assistant professor at Virginia Tech, he joined the University of South Carolina faculty in 1980.
That lifelong passion inspired alumni Rounette Nader and Charles Siegling III, both mechanical engineering graduates in 1992, to lead an effort among former students, colleagues and faculty to establish the Dr. Wally Peters Scholarship Endowment Fund. Today, the scholarship continues Peters’ legacy of supporting future mechanical engineers. Recipients are known as “Wally’s Scholars.”
Peters’ connection to USC was also personal as his daughter, Rachel Peters Card, earned her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the university.
Donations may be made to the Dr. Wally Peters Scholarship Endowment Fund.