The Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering Remembers Dr. Satya Atluri
With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of Dr. Satya N. Atluri on August 4th, 2023. From December 2015 until May 2023, he served as the Presidential Chair and University Distinguished Professor at Texas Tech University. Prior to this, he had an illustrious career at esteemed institutions such as Georgia Tech, UCLA, and UC Irvine. Dr. Satya Atluri was widely acclaimed for his contributions as an engineer, educator, researcher, and scientist, with expertise spanning aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, and computational sciences. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1996. Dr. Atluri's remarkable academic career was adorned with numerous accolades, including the AIAA Structural Dynamics Medal (1988), AIAA Pendray Aerospace Literature Medal (1998), AIAA Crichlow Trust Prize (also known as the $100,000 Global Aerospace Prize) in 2015, Padma Bhushan conferred by the President of India (2013), Eringen Medal (1995), Nadai Medal (2012), Outstanding Achievement Award from the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (1995), Excellence in Aviation Award from the FAA (1998), and The Hilbert Medal (2003).
Dr. Atluri's influence extended far beyond awards and recognition. He passionately guided and mentored a diverse spectrum of individuals, including around 600 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, visiting scholars, and professors from various universities worldwide. He obtained a total of $60 million in research funding throughout his career, spanning various government agencies and industries. His impact also resided in his prolific literary contributions, which encompassed the authorship and editing of 65 research monographs and the creation of over 800 archival research papers.
Our sincere condolences go out to his family and to his many friends and colleagues.