William Rees Sears

Background

Sears, William Rees was born on March 1, 1913 in Minneapolis. Son of William Everett and Gertrude (Rees) Sears.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering, University Minnesota, 1934. Doctor of Philosophy, aeronautics, California Institute of Technology, 1938. Doctor of Science (honorary), University Arizona, 1987.

Career

Assistant professor, California Institute Technology, 1939-1941; chief aerodynamics, Northrop Aircraft, Inc., 1941-1946; director, Graduate School Aero. Engineering, Cornell Univercity, Ithaca, New York, 1946-1963; director, Center Applied Mathematics, 1963-1967; J.L. Given professor engineering, Center Applied Mathematics, 1962-1974; professor aerospace and mechanic engineering, U. Arizona, Tucson, 1974-1988; professor emeritus, U. Arizona, Tucson, since 1988. F. W. Lanchester lecturer Royal Aero.

Society, 1973, Gardner lecturer Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1987, Guggenheim lecturer International Congress Aero. Sciences, 1988; consultant aerodynamics.

Achievements

• William Rees Sears has been listed as a noteworthy Engineering educator by Marquis Who's Who.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Stories from a Twentieth-Century Life

    (One of the leading aeronautical engineers of our time has...)

  • The airplane and its components, (Galcit aeronautical series)

    (Hardback book (no dust jacket) titled THE AIRPLANE AND IT...)

  • The Airplane and Its Components

    (An introduction to the field of aeronautical engineering.)

  • Stories from a Twentieth-Century Life by William R. Sears (1994-05-01)

Membership

Fellow American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (honorary, G. Edward Pendray award 1975, S.A. Reed aeronautics award 1981, Von Karman lecturer 1968, Daniel Guggenheim medal 1996), American Academy Arts and Sciences. Member National Academy of Engineering, National Academy Engineering Mexico (foreign), American Physical Society (Fluid Dynamics prize 1992), NAS (award in aero engineering 1995), Sigma Xi.

Connections

Married Mabel Jeannette Rhodes, March 20, 1936. Children— David William, Susan Carol.

Father:

William Everett Sears

Mother:

Gertrude (Rees) Sears

Spouse:

Mabel Jeannette Rhodes

child:

David William Sears

child:

Susan Carol Sears