Newsletter Archives; Fall 1997

Albert Kobayashi was born on December 9, 1924, in Chicago, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Tokyo in 1947, then worked for three years as a Tool Engineer with Konishiroku Photo Industry, Tokyo, Japan.

In 1952 he earned his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington, then returned to Chicago to accept a position as a Design Engineer at the Illinois Tool Works. He became a Research Engineer at the Armour Research Foundation, Illinois Institute of Technology, in 1955, while concurrently working towards a doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering. His Ph.D. was conferred by the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1958.

He began his teaching career at the University of Washington with his appointment as Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering on August 16, 1958. In 1961 he was promoted to Associate Professor, and in 1965 he was promoted to the rank of Professor. He originated and taught many courses during his distinguished teaching career, including courses in applied elasticity, applied plasticity, applied viscoelasticity, fracture mechanics and advanced dynamics.

Among Professor Kobayashi's many notable achievements, the greatest may be the living legacy of graduate students he has advised. Over 53 master's and 28 doctoral students have graduated under his guidance. In retirement, he continues to supervise one master's and four doctoral candidates. These former and current graduate students, along with his colleagues and friends, have honored him by establishing the Albert S. Kobayashi Endowed Fund to support graduate education and scholarship in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Professor Kobayashi began research in fracture mechanics in association with colleagues at The Boeing Company, and this pursuit has dominated his professional career. His interests also include the fields of structural mechanics, dynamic fracture, biomechanics, ceramics and concrete fracture. He is an internationally recognized researcher in engineering, and fracture mechanics in particular. He has written over 430 publications covering the fields of experimental stress analysis, finite element analysis, biomechanics and fracture mechanics. He received the prestigious General Electric Senior Research Award from the American Society for Engineering Education in June 1995.

Professor Kobayashi is a Member of the National Academy of Engineers and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and also the Society for Experimental Stress Analysis. He is an Honorary Life Member and Past President of the Society for Experimental Mechanics. He served as General Chair of the 12th U.S. National Congress of Applied Mechanics, held in Seattle from June 26 through July 1, 1994.

Over the course of his career he has received many honors and awards, including the Society for Experimental Mechanics William M. Murray Lecture Medal and the first Japan Society of Mechanical Engineering Mechanics and Mechanics Division Award. Just prior to his retirement, he was decorated with The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, by Emperor Akihito of Japan. This award was given in recognition of his international contributions to the field of solid mechanics and in recognition of his contributions to the Japanese scientific community.

A symposium honoring Professor Kobayashi was organized in conjunction with the 1997 SEM Spring Conference and Exhibit held in Bellevue, Washington, in June 1997. In August, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University Student Club, a Japanese-American UW Alumni Club. His colleagues in the Department honored him by a unanimous vote to appoint him Professor Emeritus upon his retirement.