Doctor of Science
College of Science and Engineering, May 20, 2023
Zdeněk P. Bažant completed his doctorate at the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, and has had a distinguished tenure at Northwestern University. During his 60-year career, he became a giant in the broad field of Applied Mechanics, and specifically in the disciplines of structural engineering, damage and fracture mechanics, and material science. Notably, Bazant is renowned across the world for his contributions toward furthering the understanding of structural mechanics and structural failure. Other aspects of Bazant’s work have led to many breakthroughs
in various subjects, including damage and fracture, creep, shrinkage, computational modeling, and moisture transport. Additionally, Bazant’s citations reflect the profound and lasting impact of his work: 740 publications in refereed journals, about 30,000 citations, and an h-index of 91 according to the Web of Science, ranking him as one of the most prolific researchers in engineering. He has received numerous medals from professional societies, honorary doctorates
from universities all over the world, and membership in all major academies, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Sciences, each of which indicates his prominent standing in the professional community. Bazant also has strong and enduring relationships with several faculty in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering at the University of Minnesota. This connection is evident in view of the multiple seminars given by Professor Bažant over the years, his extended stay in the Department as the MTS Visiting Professor in December 2014, and his continued collaborations with University colleagues on continued research. As one letter writer wrote: his unique scholarly signature, his deep understanding of physics, math, and sciences, and his endless curiosity paired with rigor challenge us all to rise to the occasion and make this world through science-enabled engineering (hopefully) a better place.”
Biographies are as-of time of award presentation