Mourners gathered at UC Santa Cruz by the hundreds on June 29 to share their grief over the death of Chancellor Denice Denton and to recall her many contributions.

The 46-year-old electrical engineer had died the week before in a fall from a 43-story apartment building in San Francisco. Media reports called it “an apparent suicide,” but few details were forthcoming and quoted sources were at a loss to explain why she may have taken her own life.

“Her tragic passing…is a tremendous loss for the entire University of California family,” said UC President Robert Dynes in a statement. She was widely seen as a pioneer in academic science and engineering, and the system’s first openly gay chancellor.

Chancellor Henry Yang ordered UCSB’s flag to half-staff for a week in honor of Denton, who had been appointed UCSC chancellor in February 2005 after serving as dean of engineering at the University of Washington.

Sharing some personal recollections in his statement, Yang said, “Denice was a role model and strong advocate for women in science and the value of diversity. It was an honor to know her and work with her, especially as a fellow UC chancellor.”