Man-Chung Tang

Chairman of the Board, T.Y. Lin International

Why? Why Not? What If?
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Friday, March 16th, 2007
4:10 P.M.

Sinclair Laboratory Auditorium

Overview:

According to Dr. Man-Chung Tang, Chairman of the Board of T.Y. Lin International and honorary professor of Tsinghua, Tongji, Southeast, and other major universities, today’s civilization is the accumulation of past innovations. As engineers, we must be innovative so tomorrow’s world will be better

In this presentation, Dr. Tang explores the basis of innovation, starting s with the questions “Why?” and “Why not?” The question “Why?” gives us the opportunity to challenge the status quo. The question “Why not?” gives us the opportunity to introduce new ideas or overcome restrictions. The question “What if?” keeps us humble and conservative.

Dr. Tang received a doctorate of engineering degree from Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany, and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. A structural engineer whose work includes bridges, buildings and other types of structures, it is said that “the sun never sets on his bridges.”

Dr. Man-Chung Tang: Dr. Man-Chung Tang is Chairman of the Board of T.Y. Lin International, a consulting engineering firm with headquarters in San Francisco. He is an honorary professor of Tsinghua, Tongji, Southeast, and other universities.

He received a Doctorate in Engineering degree from Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany in 1965. He has also been conferred honorary degrees of Dr. of Engineering and Dr. of Literature. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and an honorary member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Dr. Tang is a structural engineer. His work includes bridges, buildings and other types of structures. He has been involved with the design, design review and/or construction engineering of over 100 major bridges in various parts of the world. According to some, "the sun never sets on his bridges."

Why? Why Not? What If?

According to Dr. Tang, today's civilization is the accumulation of past innovations. As engineers, he says, we must be innovative so tomorrow's world will be better.

Innovation starts with the questions "Why?" and "Why not?" The question "Why?" gives us the opportunity to challenge the status quo. The question "Why not?" gives us the opportunity to introduce new ideas or overcome restrictions. The question "What if?" keeps us humble and conservative. Dr. Tang will present these ideas from the viewpoint of a bridge engineer.

The Fazlur R. Khan Distinguished Lecture Series has been initiated and organized by Dan M. Frangopol, the first holder of Lehigh's Fazlur Rahman Khan Endowed Chair of Structural Engineering and Architecture.