Chia-Shun Yih (; July 25, 1918 – April 25, 1997) was the Stephen P. Timoshenko Distinguished University

Professor Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

. He made many significant contributions to

fluid mechanics Fluid mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the mechanics of fluids ( liquids, gases, and plasmas) and the forces on them. It has applications in a wide range of disciplines, including mechanical, aerospace, civil, chemical and ...

. Yih was also a seal artist.

Biography

Yih was born on July 25, 1918, in Guiyang, Guizhou province of China. Yih received his junior middle school education in

Zhenjiang Zhenjiang, alternately romanized as Chinkiang, is a prefecture-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. It lies on the southern bank of the Yangtze River near its intersection with the Grand Canal. It is opposite Yangzhou (to its north) and ...

, and entered

Suzhou High School Suzhou High School, officially the Suzhou High School of Jiangsu Province (), is a Chinese public high school of one-millennium rich history, located in Suzhou, Jiangsu. In AD 1035, the Northern Song politician and writer Fan Zhongyan founded the ...

in 1934 in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. In 1937, Yih entered the

National Central University National Central University (NCU, ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ''Kwet-li̍p Chung-yong Thài-ho̍k'', Wade–Giles: ''Kuo2 Li4 Chung Yang Ta4 Hsüeh2'' or ''中大'', ''Chung-ta'') is a public research university with long-standing traditions based in Taiw ...

and studied

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewa ...

. Yih graduated in 1941 then did research at a hydrodynamics laboratory in Guanxian (or Guan County; 灌县; current Dujiangyan) of

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...

province. Yih also worked in a bridge construction company in Guizhou. Later, Yih taught at

Guizhou University Guizhou University (; Pinyin: Guìzhōu Dàxué), known as Guida (贵大 Guì Dà), is a provincial research university located in suburban Guiyang, capital of Guizhou, China. Founded in 1902, it is the flagship institution of higher learning ...

. In 1945, Yih went to study at the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

in the United States, where he obtained his PhD in 1948. Yih served as a professor of the

for most of his academic career. Yih is also well known for his high language talent, which appeared already when he was just a high school student. In his first classes in high school, he could talk fluently with his American English teacher. Yih mastered German soon after he joined the college, and was able to communicate smoothly with the local German missionaries in Chongqing. Later Yih again learned French, and lectured mechanics in French at the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

and the

University of Grenoble The Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA, French: meaning "''Grenoble Alps University''") is a public research university in Grenoble, France. Founded in 1339, it is the third largest university in France with about 60,000 students and over 3,000 resea ...

. He died on April 25, 1997, of heart failure, in his sleep, while in an airplane over Japan.

Honors and awards

* Theodore von Kármán Medal, 1981 *

Fluid Dynamics Prize The Fluid Dynamics Prize is a prize that has been awarded annually by the American Physical Society (APS) since 1979. The recipient is chosen for "outstanding achievement in fluid dynamics research". The prize is currently valued at . In 2004, the ...

, from the American Physical Society, 1985 * Otto Laporte Award, 1989 Yih was a member of the

National Academy of Engineering The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of ...

(elected 1980), and an academician of the Academia Sinica (elected 1970), and a fellow of the American Physical Society (elected 1959).

Books

*C.-S. Yih, ''Fluid Mechanics: A Concise Introduction to Theory'', West River Press, Ann Arbor (1979). *C.-S. Yih, ''Stratified Flows'', 2nd ed., Academic Press (1980). *C.-S. Yih, ''Fluid Mechanics'', West River Press, Ann Arbor (1988). *C.-S. Yih (Ed.), ''Advances in Applied Mechanics'', Academic Press (1982).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yih, Chia-Shun Fluid dynamicists 1918 births 1997 deaths Chinese emigrants to the United States People from Guiyang 20th-century American engineers Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering University of Iowa alumni National Central University alumni Nanjing University alumni University of Michigan faculty Members of Academia Sinica Artists from Guizhou Educators from Guizhou Chinese seal artists Physicists from Guizhou Fellows of the American Physical Society