Raymond David Mindlin (
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, 17 September 1906 – 22 November 1987) was an American
mechanical engineer
Mechanical may refer to:
Machine
* Machine (mechanical), a system of mechanisms that shape the actuator input to achieve a specific application of output forces and movement
* Mechanical calculator, a device used to perform the basic operations of ...
, Professor of Applied Science at Columbia University, and recipient of the 1946
Presidential Medal for Merit and many other awards and honours.
[IEEE UFFC]
In Memoriam: Raymond D. Mindlin
" at ''ieee-uffc.org'', 2014. Accessed 2017-07-19. He is known as
mechanician
A mechanician is an engineer or a scientist working in the field of mechanics, or in a related or sub-field: engineering or computational mechanics, applied mechanics, geomechanics, biomechanics, and mechanics of materials. Names other than mechan ...
, who made seminal contributions to many branches of
applied mechanics
Applied mechanics is the branch of science concerned with the motion of any substance that can be experienced or perceived by humans without the help of instruments. In short, when mechanics concepts surpass being theoretical and are applied and e ...
,
applied physics
Applied physics is the application of physics to solve scientific or engineering problems. It is usually considered to be a bridge or a connection between physics and engineering.
"Applied" is distinguished from "pure" by a subtle combination ...
, and
engineering sciences.
Biography
Education
In 1924 he enrolled at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, where he received a B.A. in 1928, followed by a B.S. in 1931, and in 1932 by a C.E. and the Illig medal for "proficiency in scholarship." During his graduate study, Mindlin attended a series of summer courses organized by
Stephen Timoshenko
Stepan Prokofyevich Timoshenko (russian: Степан Прокофьевич Тимошенко, p=sʲtʲɪˈpan prɐˈkofʲjɪvʲɪtɕ tʲɪmɐˈʂɛnkə; uk, Степан Прокопович Тимошенко, Stepan Prokopovych Tymoshenko; ...
in 1933, '34, and '35, and there is no doubt that the experience 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 ...
served to confirm him in his choice of his life's work.
Career
For his doctoral research Mindlin set himself a fundamental problem in theoretical
elasticity: determining the stresses in an elastic half-space subjected to a sub-surface point load. The results, nowadays referred to as "Mindlin's problem", represent a generalization of the two classical 19th century solutions respectively associated with the names of
Kelvin
The kelvin, symbol K, is the primary unit of temperature in the International System of Units (SI), used alongside its prefixed forms and the degree Celsius. It is named after the Belfast-born and University of Glasgow-based engineer and phys ...
and
Boussinesq, and have become the basis for analytical formulations widely employed in
geotechnical engineering
Geotechnical engineering is the branch of civil engineering concerned with the engineering behavior of earth materials. It uses the principles of soil mechanics and rock mechanics for the solution of its respective engineering problems. It als ...
. His paper was published in ''Physics'' (now the
Journal of Applied Physics
The ''Journal of Applied Physics'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal with a focus on the physics of modern technology. The journal was originally established in 1931 under the name of ''Physics'', and was published by the American Physical So ...
) in 1936, the year Mindlin received his Ph.D. degree.
Mindlin remained an assistant for another two years, at which point he was elevated to instructor in
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, sewage ...
, and only in 1940 did he receive promotion to assistant professor.
In 1942 Mindlin was co-opted by the
Applied Physics Laboratory
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (Applied Physics Laboratory, or APL) is a not-for-profit University Affiliated Research Center, university-affiliated research center (UARC) in Howard County, Maryland. It is affiliated w ...
in
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 censu ...
, an institution engaged in naval ordnance work, where he contributed in the development of the
proximity fuze
A proximity fuze (or fuse) is a Fuze (munitions), fuze that detonates an Explosive material, explosive device automatically when the distance to the target becomes smaller than a predetermined value. Proximity fuzes are designed for targets such ...
. For his part in its success, he was presented with the
Presidential Medal for Merit.
He came back to Columbia in 1945 as an associate professor, and two years later attained the rank of professor. In 1967 he was appointed
James Kip Finch Professor of Applied Science until his retirement in 1975. The Department of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics established the Mindlin Lecture to honor his pioneering contributions to the field of applied mechanics.
Mindlin died on November 22, 1987, in
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university Dartmouth College, the U.S. Army Corps of Eng ...
.
Awards and honors
;Early awarded
* Naval Ordnance Development Award (1945)
*
Presidential Medal for Merit (1946)
* Fellow,
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, and ...
(1958)
* Research Prize (1958) of the
ASCE
;In the 1960s
* Great Teacher Award (1960) from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
*
von Karman Medal
The Theodore von Karman Medal in Engineering Mechanics is awarded annually to an individual in recognition of his distinguished achievement in engineering mechanics, applicable to any branch of civil engineering. This award was established and end ...
of the
ASCE (1961)
*W. M. Murray Lecture and Award,
SESA (now SEM) (1962)
*
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
,
ASME
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...
(1962)
* Fellow,
Acoustical Society of America
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is an international scientific society founded in 1929 dedicated to generating, disseminating and promoting the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications. The Society is primarily a voluntary orga ...
(1963)
*
Timoshenko Medal The Timoshenko Medal is an award given annually by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to an individual
"in recognition of distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics."
The Timoshenko Medal, widely regarded as th ...
(1964) of the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...
(ASME)
* Member,
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 ...
(1966)
* C. B. Sawyer Award of the Army Electronics Command (1967)
*
SEM/SESA Founder Award (1969)
* Honorary Member,
ASME
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...
(1969)
;In the 1970s
* Egleston Medal (1971) from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
*
Trent-Crede Award of the
Acoustical Society of America
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) is an international scientific society founded in 1929 dedicated to generating, disseminating and promoting the knowledge of acoustics and its practical applications. The Society is primarily a voluntary orga ...
(1971)
* Member,
National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a United States nonprofit, non-governmental organization. NAS is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the Nati ...
(1973)
*
Frocht Award of the
SESA (1974)
* Honorary D.Sc. degree from
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
(1975)
* The
ASME Medal
The ASME Medal, created in 1920, is the highest award bestowed by the ASME (founded as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Board of Governors for "eminently distinguished engineering achievement". The award has been presented every year ...
(1976)
*
National Medal of Science
The National Medal of Science is an honor bestowed by the President of the United States to individuals in science and engineering who have made important contributions to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of behavioral and social scienc ...
, (1979)
;In the 1980s
*
Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
,
Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) (1986)
*Honorary Member,
SEM (1986)
Work
Contributions to research
''The Collected Papers of Raymond D. Mindlin'' (2 vols, Springer-Verlag, 1989) collected 129 papers authored or co-authored by Mindlin. The major contributions of Mindlin were summarized in 8 papers by his students and friends in a book dedicated to his retirement,
R.D. Mindlin and Applied Mechanics (Pergamon, 1974). These include:
*
Photoelasticity
Photoelasticity describes changes in the optical properties of a material under mechanical deformation. It is a property of all dielectric media and is often used to experimentally determine the stress distribution in a material, where it gives ...
and experimental mechanics
* Classical three-dimensional
elasticity (e.g., Mindlin's problem)
* Generalized elastic continua (Strain-gradient and couple-stress theory)
* Frictional contact and granular media
* Waves and vibrations in isotropic and anisotropic plates (Mindlin's Plate Theory)
* Wave propagation in rods and cylinders
* Theory of electro-elasticity and piezoelectric crystal resonators
* Crystal lattice theories
Service
Mindlin served with devotion the profession which he made his life's work, through his research, his teaching, his advisory capacity to numerous government agencies, and his activities in various scientific and technical societies. Among the latter, mention is warranted of the following positions he held at various times:
* In the
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing ...
(ASME), chairman,
Applied Mechanics Division The Applied Mechanics Division (AMD) is a division in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The AMD was founded in 1927, with Stephen Timoshenko being the first chair. The current AMD membership is over 5000, out of about 90,000 mem ...
; member, Publications Committee, Engineering Societies Monographs Committee, Advisory Board of Applied Mechanics Reviews.
* In the
American Society of Civil Engineers
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
(ASCE), chairman, Committee on Applied Mechanics of the Structural Engineering Division (precursor of the Engineering Mechanics Division).
**ASCE established the Raymond D. Mindlin Medal in his honor in 2008.
* In the
Society for Experimental Stress Analysis (SESA) (now the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM)), co-founder and president (1956-1947); member, executive committee. He is considered one of the four founding members of the society along with
Miklós Hetényi,
Charles Lipson Charles H. Lipson (born February 1, 1948) is an American political scientist who is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Chicago. His areas of specialization include international relations, international political economy ...
, and
William M. Murray.
* In the
American Institute of Physics
The American Institute of Physics (AIP) promotes science and the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies. Its corpora ...
, associate editor,
Journal of Mathematical Physics.
Also, he was member of: the U.S. National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics; the General Assembly of the
International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
The International Union for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM) is an affiliation of about 500 mechanicians in about 50 countries, and involving about 20 associated organizations, including the International Council for Science (ICSU). The p ...
(IUTAM); the
American Physical Society
The American Physical Society (APS) is a not-for-profit membership organization of professionals in physics and related disciplines, comprising nearly fifty divisions, sections, and other units. Its mission is the advancement and diffusion of k ...
.
References
Further reading
* H. Deresiewicz, M.P. Bieniek, F.L. DiMaggio (eds.), ''The Collected Papers of Raymond D. Mindlin'', Springer-Verlag, 1989.
* George Herrmann (ed.), ''R.D. Mindlin and Applied Mechanics,'' Pergamon Press, 1974.
* R. D. Mindlin.
An Introduction to the Mathematical Theory of Vibrations of Elastic Plates" in: Jiashi Yang (ed.) ''World Scientific,'' 2007
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mindlin, Raymond
1906 births
1987 deaths
American mechanical engineers
Jewish engineers
Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science faculty
Columbia College (New York) alumni
Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni
Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
Members of the United States National Academy of Sciences
National Medal of Science laureates
Fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Fellows of the Acoustical Society of America
ASME Medal recipients
20th-century American engineers
Fellows of the Society for Experimental Mechanics