Stephen Timoshenko

Stephen Timoshenko — path-breaking professor of applied mechanics

Stephen Timoshenko (1878-1972) was a renowned expert, teacher and writer widely regarded as “the father of applied mechanics” in the U.S. So great was his influence that his active years in the field became known as “the Timoshenko era.”

Timoshenko came to Stanford in 1936 and stayed for the next two decades. He authored 13 popular textbooks; the best known of these, “Strength of Materials,” was first published in Russia in 1911. His “Engineering Mechanics” text was translated into over 10 languages.

Many of Timoshenko’s personal research and theoretical contributions became classical subject matter in engineering courses long after his death. In 1957, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers established the Timoshenko Medal in his honor.