Ben T. Yen, 88, professor emeritus in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, passed away on September 15, 2020, having led a prolific research career focused on structure and bridge evaluation and repair.
Yen joined the engineering faculty in the mid-1960s after completing master’s and doctoral degrees at Lehigh. He continued his service as a mentor following his retirement in 2001, endowing the Yen Family Fellowship, which has supported numerous graduate students pursuing advanced research.
“All of us who knew Ben were fortunate to experience his infectious smile, his inviting and ever-helpful personality, his true intellect, and his love for his family and his students,” said Shamim Pakzad, associate professor and interim CEE department chair in a message to faculty and staff. “His distinguished career at Lehigh, his generosity toward this institution, and his pride in our Structural Engineering research and education will be remembered by his colleagues and students.”
Over the years, Yen was widely published, lectured internationally, and consulted for private companies and public entities. His research helped lay the groundwork for Lehigh’s ATLSS Infrastructure Monitoring Program.
In 2015, the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers honored Yen with its inaugural lifetime achievement award. He is fondly remembered by many for the popular tours of bridges he led throughout Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton.
An obituary, including arrangement details, has been posted by his family, and further remembrances from the Lehigh community will be included in an upcoming edition of the Lehigh Bulletin.
