Mahendra Singh, the Preston Wade Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics at Virginia Tech, USA, was recently honoured with Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT- Roorkee for his international reputation in earthquake engineering, random vibrations, composite structures, performance-based seismic design, and health monitoring of civil infrastructure elements such as buildings and bridge structures.
Mahendra Singh’s work has appeared in more than 250 publications, including international journals, conference and workshop proceedings, and technical reports. More than 12 international companies have adopted some of his research findings. Singh has made over 50 invited and keynote presentations in countries around the globe including USA, India, China, Japan, Italy, Greece, Brazil, Taiwan, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
IIT-Roorkee, formerly University of Roorkee and Thomason College of Civil Engineering, is the first engineering college of India, established more than 160 years ago in 1847. Singh is a two-time graduate of the Roorkee institute, receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s in civil and in structural engineering in 1962 and 1966, respectively. He earned his doctorate in civil engineering from University of Illinois, USA, in 1972.
During his career, Singh’s research has been supported by National Science Foundation, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and Army Corps of Engineers.
A member of the Virginia Tech engineering faculty since 1977, Singh has also served as director of the Programme of Architectural and Mechanical Systems for the NSF; director of NSF’s Programme of Structural Systems and Hazard Mitigation of Structures; visiting lecturer at the University of Chicago; visiting scientist for Lawrence Livermore Laboratory; and a senior scientist and supervisor for Sergeant and Lundy of Chicago.
Prof. Mahendra Singh has received several national awards, including the 1998 Markwardt Wood Engineering Award for the best journal paper from the Forest Product Society, the 1996 George G. Marra Award from the Society of Wood Science and Technology, and the 1992 Robert J. McGratten Literature Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Pressure Vessels and Piping Division.
