BIOGRAPHY

Henry T. Yang joined UC Santa Barbara as chancellor and professor of mechanical engineering in 1994. He teaches an undergraduate engineering course every year, and is currently guiding four Ph.D. students with support from National Science Foundation grants. He was formerly the Neil A. Armstrong Distinguished Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University, where he also served as the dean of engineering for ten years, and as director of the Computer Integrated Design, Manufacturing, and Automation Center.

Dr. Yang has authored or co-authored more than 170 articles for scientific journals, served as P.I. or co-P.I. for 32 sponsored research grants, guided 52 Ph.D. theses, and received 13 outstanding undergraduate teaching awards, including an honorary distinguished teaching award from UCSB’s Academic Senate. His book Finite Element Structural Analysis, published by Prentice-Hall, has been adopted by many universities and has also been published in Japanese and Chinese editions.

He has served on scientific advisory boards for various government agencies. He is currently a member of the National Academy of Engineering’s Aerospace Engineering Peer Committee, the Kavli Foundation Board, and the Millennium Technology Prize Selection Committee, and is chairman of the board for the Thirty Meter Telescope project. In 2009 he was appointed to the President’s Committee for the National Medal of Science.
Dr. Yang has received a number of recognitions for his research, teaching, and public service, including the Benjamin Garver Lamme gold medal from the American Society of Engineering Education and five honorary doctorates. In 2008, he was awarded the AIAA Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Award. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of AIAA, ASEE, and ASME.