Millennium Magazine_2ndEd

A Marquis Who's Who Magazine 419 G rowing up on a farm, Dr. T. Leslie Youd developed an early appreciation for the many applications of civil engineering. Ranging from irrigation systems to roads and buildings, the field seemed like a perfect fit for an ambitious young individual looking to make a lasting impact on the world. Dr. Youd seized the opportunity, receiving a Bachelor of Science from Brigham Young University followed by a PhD at Iowa State University three years later. Shortly thereafter, he became a research civil engineer with the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California, maintaining this position from 1967 to 1984. During this time, Dr. Youd was involved in several important technological developments, including techniques for mapping earthquake-induced liquefaction hazard and techniques for estimating earthquake-induced laterial spread displacements. He was also credited as the inventor of a system for coupling accelerometers into borehole casings. Over the years, Dr. Youd has completed 20 post-earthquake investigations throughout the world. He learned a great deal from this work, which he credits with propelling him forward in his career. Notably, he instrumented a site in California’s Imperial Valley in 1982 to monitor liquefaction that occurs during earthquakes, which he was fortunate to witness five years later. Dr. Youd has always taken pride in sharing his findings with others, which led him to begin working as a professor at Brigham Young University in 1984. He maintained this post for nearly two decades until retiring from academia in 2003, though he continues to be recognized as a professor emeritus with the university. In 1996, he was responsible for organizing a workshop with the aim of updating procedures for engineers to detect when another liquefaction will occur, as well as obtain the opinion of 20 other experts. This collaborative effort resulted in a publication that has been widely used since its initial release in 2001. Named Utah Engineering Educator of the Year in 1995, Dr. Youd is a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and honorary member of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. T. LESLIE YOUD, PHD, NAE PROFESSOR EMERITUS Brigham Young University Orem, UT