Dr. Mark Matthew Sterling, PhD, age 41, of Stratford, the beloved husband of Gulnaz (Ongalbayeva) Sterling, passed away on Friday, December 31, 2021 in his home. Born in Bridgeport to Gregory and Susan (Masikiewicz) Sterling and raised in Stratford, Mark spent the past seven years as an Assistant Professor and Associate Department Chair of Computer Science   at   Nazarbayev   University   in   Nur-Sultan,   Kazakhstan. He is a graduate of both the University of Rochester, where he received his PhD, Master of Science, and Bachelor of Science, all in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Bunnell High School.  Mark was a polymath, with interests ranging from complex mathematics to philosophy to music, specifically for which he found an outlet in playing the guitar.  He was a dedicated and well-read academic whose commitment to his students was reciprocated by their respect for him.  His contributions to his field included research on biomedical and audio signal processing, mobile health, and big data analytics, which resulted in articles published in several professional journals and speaking engagements at Computer Science and Engineering conferences. A kind, quiet, and gentle soul, he found his true happiness in his love for his family.  In addition to his parents, he is survived by his beloved wife Gulnaz, daughter Tomiris, and brother David and his wife Heather, a niece Ellery, a nephew Walker, as well as several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Private services will be held in the Adzima Funeral Home, 50 Paradise Green Place, Stratford.