Alexander C. Scordelis was a distinguished structural engineer, researcher and teacher. At the time of his death in 2007, he was the Nishkian Professor of Structural Engineering, Emeritus, in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at U.C. Berkeley. He was born in San Francisco, California, in September 1923.
Following decorated service in the US Army during World War II, Professor Scordelis received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from U.C. Berkeley in 1948, followed by his Master of Science degree from MIT in 1949. He returned to Berkeley that year and commenced his 41-year career on the faculty of the Department of Civil Engineering.
Professor Scordelis was a consummate teacher. He taught undergraduate and graduate courses in the analysis and design of structures, and his class notes on structural analysis, that were accompanied by ingenious examination problems with elegant solutions, became a favorite reference of students and instructors worldwide. He was known for his Socratic teaching style, engaging students in the subject matter by calling on them to answer questions, thus developing an attitude of critical thinking about the behavior of structures. Many of his students went on to notable careers in academia and
professional practice.
Professor Scordelis became recognized around the world as a foremost authority on the analysis of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures and was asked to serve as consultant for several noteworthy projects. Among these were the first concrete offshore platform in the Norwegian Sea and several spectacular reinforced and prestressed
concrete shell roofs. He served on the governor-appointed Board of Inquiry into the Loma Prieta Earthquake, chaired the Golden Gate Bridge Seismic Advisory Panel, and was a member of the Advisory Panel for the new eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Professor Scordelis’ research accomplishments in structural engineering, and his recognized international stature as a consulting engineer, led to his election to the National Academy of Engineering in 1978 with the citation “For pioneering the development and application of advanced structural analysis to the design of record-breaking and unique structural systems.” He also received the ASCE Ernest E. Howard Award and Leon S. Moisseiff Award (three times) along with Excellence in Engineering Education Award from the American Society of Engineering Education. Upon retirement, he received the Berkeley Citation and the Berkeley Engineering Alumni Society Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award.