Draft:George J. Weng

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George J. Weng
File:GWPhoto.jpg
Weng in 2012
CitizenshipUnited States
Alma materNational Taiwan University (B.S. 1967) Yale University (Ph.D. 1974)
InstitutionRutgers University (Distinguished Professor)
HonorsWilliam Prager Medal (2013)

Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1991)

Fellow, American Academy of Mechanics (1997)
ExpertiseMicromechanics, Composite materials, Nanocomposites, Solid mechanics
EditorialEditor, Acta Mechanica (1985–2020) Editor-in-Chief, ASME Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology (1992–1997)
Doctoral AdvisorAris Phillips (Aristoteles Philippidis)

George J. Weng is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University. His expertise is in the field of solid mechanics. He made contributions to micromechanics, composite materials, multifunctional materials, and nanocomposites. His works carried a distinct connection between the micro-scale processes and the macro-scale phenomena of solids.

Early life and education[edit]

Weng was born in Taiwan. He went to National Taiwan University to study Mechanical Engineering, received a B.S. in 1967. In 1974, he received his Ph.D. from Yale University in Engineering and Applied Science under the supervision of Prof. Aris Phillips (Aristoteles Philippidis), with a dissertation titled "The Investigation of Yield Surface by Dislocation Mechanics".

Career[edit]

He joined Rutgers University as an Assistant Professor in 1977, was promoted to an Associate Professor in 1980, a Full Professor in 1984, and a Distinguished Professor in 1992. Prior to that, he was awarded a Dutch Government Fellowship as a Research Fellow at Delft University of Technology (1973–1974). He also worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at UCLA (1975–1976) and a Research Engineer at General Motors Research Laboratories (1976–1977).

His research career started with the study of dislocation mechanics and crystal plasticity.[1] Subsequently it evolved into micromechanics of composites to study elastic properties of reinforced solids.[2][3] He then moved into plasticity of dual-phase metals[4]and stress-induced phase transition in ductile materials[5]and in shape-memory alloys.[6] He continued into domain switch[7] and phase-field simulations of ferroelectric crystals,[8] and grain-size effects of nanocrystalline materials.[9] His subsequent study was on the multi-field electro-magnetic coupling of multiferroic composites,[10] and their direct and converse effects.[11] In later years, he became interested in electrical properties of nanocomposites, for which he developed a percolation theory for carbon nanotube and graphene based polymer nanocomposites,[12] and demonstrated that, while filler agglomeration tended to have adverse effects on the conductivity, it could lower the percolation threshold and increase the conductivity under certain dispersion state.[13] He also conceived a Maxwell-Wagner-Sillars mechanism [14] to explain the interface effects on the electrical conductivity and permittivity under AC field.[15] Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations,[16] thermal conductivity,[17] electromagnetic interference shielding,[18] and pressure sensing,[19] were also highlighted.

In addition to his journal publications, he has also published two major book chapters, one on mechanical properties of nanocrystalline materials (Jenny Stanford Publishing) in 2011 and the other on phase field approach and micromechanics of ferroelectric crystals (Pan Stanford Publishing) in 2013. He has also edited two books: Micromechanics and Inhomogeneity[20] and Micromechanics and Nanomechanics of Composite Solids.[21]

In recognition of his "outstanding research contributions in theoretical solid mechanics," Weng was awarded the William Prager Medal in 2013 by the Society of Engineering Science. A 3-day, 55-paper symposium on Micromechanics, Composites, and Multifunctional Materials, was also held in his honor during the Joint SES 50th Annual Technical Meeting and ASME Applied Mechanics Summer Conference at Brown University (SES 2013).

His professional activities included Editor of Acta Mechanica (1985–2020), Editor-in-Chief of ASME Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology (1992–1997), Chairman of ASME Materials Division (1993–1994), and an international appointee to the University of Hong Kong Visiting Research Professor Scheme (2010–2013).

Honors and awards[edit]

William Prager Medal, Society of Engineering Science (2013)[1]

Fellow, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1991)[2]

Fellow, American Academy of Mechanics (1997)[3]

Personal life[edit]

Weng is married to Jackie Li. They have three daughters, Shawn Weng, Cidney Weng and Zoe Weng. He also has a son, Bruce Weng, and daughter, Joyce Weng, from an earlier marriage. He enjoys his pastime in golf, opera, and walking.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Prager Medal".
  2. ^ "Fellows".
  3. ^ "Fellows | American Academy of Mechanics".