Yuan-Cheng Fung

Yuan - Cheng Fung Bertram, called Bert, ( born September 15, 1919 in Changzhou) is an American engineer scientist who pioneered the biomechanics in the USA.

Fung graduated from the Nanjing University (graduate 1943) and in 1948 with Ernest Sechler at Caltech doctorate ( Elastostatic and Aeroelastic problems Relating to thin wings of high speed airplanes ), where he initially focused on aircraft mechanics. He was a professor at the University of California, San Diego.

He set up a law named after him material for biological tissues and specific material laws for a variety of human tissues and organs and their components.

In 1976 he received the Von Karman Medal, the 1977 Otto Laporte Award, 1991, the Timoshenko Medal, 2000, the National Medal of Science and the 2007 Russ Prize. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering ( 1979), the National Academy of Sciences ( 1993), the Institute of Medicine, Academia Sinica and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ( 1994).

He was one of the founders of the Journal of Biomechanics. In 1972 he founded the Biomechanics Symposium of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is four honorary doctorates (including Drexel University, Hong Kong). He has several honorary professorships in China.

He has been married since 1949 and has two children.

Writings

• First course in continuum mechanics, Prentice- Hall, 1969, 3rd edition 1994
• Foundations of solid mechanics, Prentice- Hall 1965
• Introduction to the theory of aeroelasticity, Wiley 1955, Dover reprint 1969, 2008
• Selected works on biomechanics and aeroelasticity, 2 volumes, World Scientific 1997
• Biomechanics: mechanical properties of living tissues, 2nd Edition, Springer Verlag 1993
• Biodynamics: circulation, Springer Verlag 1984
• Publisher: Introduction to Bioengineering, World Scientific 2001
• With Pin Tong: Classical and computational solid mechanics, World Scientific 2001