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C. W. Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 1, 1926 |
| Died | July 30, 2012 (aged 86) |
| Alma mater | Virginia Tech (MS) Virginia Tech (BS) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mechanics photoelasticity fracture mechanics |
| Institutions | Virginia Tech |
Charles William Smith (January 1, 1926 — July 30, 2012) was an American engineer and professor.[1][2]
Smith earned a BS in Civil Engineering in 1947 and an MS in Applied Mechanics in1950 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.[3]
Smith became a full-time instructor in 1948 while working on his master's degree. He was promoted to assistant professor in 1950 upon completing his degree. At the time Virginia Tech was strictly a teaching institution and Smith pushed for a stronger role of performing research. Following a seminar from George Rankine Irwin, Smith became interested in fracture mechanics and applying photoelasticity.[4] He was one of the investigators on the 1969 Department of Defense Themis grant that served as the genesis of Virginia Tech's international leadership in composite and advanced materials.[5] He retired in 1992 and became an Alumni Distinguished Professor Emeritus.[3] Smith was named an Honorary Member of the Society for Experimental Mechanics in 2002, a position held until his death in 2012.[6]