Friends of Robert Stupka remember him as a passionate student of science whose best friend was his younger brother.

A memorial service and breakfast, held Thursday morning in the Atrium Room of the Molecular Biology Building, gave Stupka’s friends and professors a chance to reflect on his life, which came to a tragic end Nov. 30, the day after he was struck by a bus while crossing Pammel Drive.

Robert Thornburg, professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, who oversaw the biochemistry lab where Stupka conducted research, said Stupka was wise beyond his 21 years.

“He had a larger perspective than most his age,” Thornburg said. “His best friend was his little brother; he understood what was important.”

Thornburg said he had asked Stupka to work in the laboratory for the last three years.

“I recognized he had quite a bit of talent,” he said. “There aren’t many undergraduates who can handle the kind of complexity he could.”

Alan Myers, chairman of the department of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, said Stupka’s involvement in the biochemistry program made him a unique student.

“Rob organized breakfasts between students in the program and faculty almost as soon as he got into the major,” Myers said. “There will be a biochemistry symposium in March with three speakers giving seminars. Rob was pretty much running that.”

Adam Krupicka, graduate student in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, who helped organize the symposium, said it will be named in Stupka’s honor.

“We decided to call it the Stupka Symposium after Rob,” Krupicka said.

He said Stupka took pride in his involvement with the biochemistry program.

“He knew how important it was to have a tight-knit department,” he said. “There was no stopping him.”

Joel Schmidt, graduate student in biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, who had known Stupka for several years, said he knew Stupka would have made an excellent scientist.

“I miss him; I miss him a lot,” he said. “I miss him for his almost freakishly positive attitude and leadership. I miss him even more for what he was going to be.”