Yeram Sarkis Touloukian (December 28, 1920 – June 12, 1981) was an American

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

mechanical engineering Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines and mechanism (engineering), mechanisms that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and engineering mathematics, mathematics principl ...

and director of the Thermophysical Properties Research Center (now known as CINDAS) at

Purdue University Purdue University is a Public university#United States, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, United States, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded ...

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, Indiana. He was world-renowned for his work in

thermophysics Thermophysics is the application of thermodynamics to geophysics and to planetary science more broadly. It may also be used to refer to the field of thermodynamic and transport properties. Remote sensing Earth thermophysics is a branch of geophy ...

and his name has become synonymous with the field of thermophysical properties.Cezairliyan, Ared. "In Memoriam: Professor Yeram S. Touloukian, 1920-1981." ''

International Journal of Thermophysics The ''International Journal of Thermophysics'' is a bimonthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. It was established in 1980. The editor-in-chief is currently Marc J. Assael (Professor of Thermophysical P ...

'' Vol. 2 No. 3 (1981): p.201-203. Print.

Early life

Touloukian was born December 28, 1920, of Armenian parents in

Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With a population over , it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in th ...

. He received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from

Robert College The American Robert College of Istanbul ( or ), often abbreviated as Robert or RC, is a Selective school, highly selective, Independent school, independent, mixed-sex education, co-educational, Education in Turkey#Private schools, private Second ...

in 1939. Following the completion of his degree, Touloukian went to the United States to pursue his graduate studies. He received his master's degree from the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a Private university, private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of moder ...

in 1941 and his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from

in 1946.Ho, C.Y. ''Thermophysics and Electronics Newsletter'' Vol. 10 No. 3 (May/June 1981) While attending MIT in 1942, Touloukian was chairman of The M.I.T. East and West Association; an association that was organized to encourage mutual understanding between students from the East and the West. Touloukian married Hersil Istanbullu on August 8, 1948, in

London, England London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

after a long distance courtship.

Career at Purdue University

After completing his Ph.D., Touloukian became an instructor at

. He was appointed to the position of Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering in 1948, Associate Professor in 1953, and Full Professor in 1957. He became Distinguished Alcoa Professor of Engineering in 1967, and in 1970 was honored once again to the Chair of Distinguished Atkins Professor of Engineering. Touloukian taught numerous graduate courses at Purdue University in thermodynamics and in heat and mass transfer. During his teaching career, he developed many new courses in physical thermodynamics and was the first to introduce a course in an engineering curricula in the area of "Thermodynamics of Irreversible Processes" in 1953. He was the major professor of a total of 65 Ph.D. and M.S. students and directed the original research for their Ph.D. dissertations and M.S. theses. Besides his teaching and research career, Touloukian served as a consultant to a number of government agencies and industrial organizations. He was also appointed to numerous scientific and technical committees and boards of scientific and technical societies and government panels. These included: *

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– National Research Council Advisory Board of the Office of Critical Tables (1958-1969) *

ASME The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...

Standing Committee on Thermophysical Properties (member 1947–1970, chairman 1948–1951, 1956–1959) *Editorial Advisory Board, "International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer." (starting 1960) *Editorial Advisory Board, International Journal, "High Temperatures/High Pressures." (starting 1968) *Editorial Advisory Board, "Heat Transfer-Soviet Research" (starting 1969) *Editorial Advisory Board, "Heat Transfer-Japanese Research" (starting 1972) *Editorial Board, "

" (starting 1980) *

ASTM ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and Materials, is a standards organization that develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical international standards for a wide range of materials, products, systems and s ...

Joint Research Committee on Effect of Temperature on the Properties of Metals (1960-1968) *

Special Committee on Numerical Data (1963-1968) *Gordon Research Conference on Numerical Data of Science and Technology, Chairman (1966) *Engineering Joint Council "Panel on Information Centers Managers" (1964-1965) *

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"Technical Committee on Thermophysics" (1964-1968) *American Society of Information Sciences, Councilor and Member of Board of Directors (1965-1967) *ASM "Metals Information Committee" (1965-1968) *Applied Mechanics Reviews, Associate Editor (1966) *

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"Scientific and Technical Communication Committee (SATCOM) (1967-1969) *International CODATA/ICSU Task Group on Thermophysical Properties, Chairman (1972-1978) *Editorial Board,

American Institute of Physics The American Institute of Physics (AIP) promotes science and the profession of physics, publishes physics journals, and produces publications for scientific and engineering societies. The AIP is made up of various member societies. Its corpora ...

"50th Anniversary (1981) Physics Handbook."

Thermophysical Properties Research Center (TPRC)

Touloukian singlehandedly conceived and established the Thermophysical Properties Research Center (TPRC) at

in 1957. Under Touloukian's technical and administrative leadership, TPRC quickly attained national and international recognition as a unique institution; the first of its kind. The TPRC was the world center for organizing and disseminating data on the thermophysical properties of materials. In the late 1950s the US Bureau of Standards brought together all that was then known about thermophysical properties of various materials. Information had multiplied since that time and Touloukian and others worked in whatever space was available in the School of Mechanical Engineering to bring the information up to date. The project was handled in three stages: 1. Retrieving of data on the thermophysical properties of about 10,000 different materials. 2. Reconciliation of theory and fact and filling in the gaps by means of research. 3. Assembling and publishing the information. After reaching a publishing agreement with McGraw-Hill and increasing support from the Space Agency,

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and

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, the project had grown to the point where it was too big for its operation in Mechanical Engineering. In 1962, the Trustees approved the construction of a new facility in McClure Park for the TPRC.Purdue University Libraries e-Archives
/ref>

Expansion and restructuring

*The

established the

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(DoD) Thermophysical Properties Information Center (TPIC) at the TPRC in 1960. *The

selected TPRC in 1964 as one of the first three external centers to become a component of the National Standard Reference Data System (NSRDS). *The

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established the Underground Excavation and Rock Properties Information Center (UERPIC) at TPRC in 1972. *The

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moved the Electronic Properties Information Center (EPIC) from

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to merge with TPRC's TPIC in 1973, which resulted in the DoD Thermophysical and Electronic Properties Information Analysis Center (TEPIAC) of TPRC. Due to the enlargement and scope of its operation by the addition of UERPIC, EPIC, and TEPIAC, the TPRC was restructured in 1974 to become the Center for Information and Numerical Data Analysis and Synthesis (CINDAS), which comprises all four of the centers.

International and domestic collaboration

*Served as a Visiting Lecturer on Thermodynamics of Irreversible Processes at

Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 26,800 undergraduate students, over 6,100 post-graduate students, and a tota ...

. *Served as an External Examiner of the

University of Rajasthan The University of Rajasthan, informally known as Rajasthan University (RU, ISO: Rājasthān Viśvavidyālaya), is a public state university located in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. It was founded in 1947 by an Act of the State Legislative Assembl ...

, India. *Visited institutions of higher learning and research centers in

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and the

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for the specific purpose of making detailed studies of theoretical and experimental work underway in these countries in the field of physical thermodynamics and transport phenomena. (1959) *Provided general direction for research at the

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being conducted for

as part of a US Government contract research project. (1964-1965) *Attended the IAEA conference on Thermodynamics in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

to discuss data collection at

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. Official USAEC delegate. (1965) * Provided general direction for the establishment of a European Information Branch of the TPRC at the Institut Belge des Hautes Pressions in

. (1966) *Visited the University Karlsruhe in

Karlsruhe, Germany Karlsruhe ( ; ; ; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Kallsruh'') is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, third-largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, after its capital Stuttgart a ...

. *Presented a paper at the first eve
international CODATA conference
in

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. (1966) *Invited guest of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences for a lecture tour through the U.S.S.R. (1967)

Patents and publications

Patents

*U.S. Paten
2,548,081
''Flash Evaporator'', issued April 10, 1951.

Publications

Touloukian authored or co-authored 35 research papers, 15 technical reports, and 8 research bulletins. He also authored or coauthored 18 volumes of reference books with a total of 20,132 pages and was the editor or coeditor of 57 volumes of reference books with a total of 41,655 pages. He was also a reviewer, discussor and abstractor of over 150 scientific and technical publications. Touloukian, Y. S., and Purdue University. ''Thermophysical Properties of Matter: The TPRC Data Series; a Comprehensive Compilation of Data.'' Ed. Y. S. Touloukian. New York: IFI/Plenum, 1970. . *Volume 1: Thermal Conductivity, Metallic Elements and Alloys *Volume 2: Thermal Conductivity, Nonmetallic Solids *Volume 3: Thermal Conductivity, Nonmetallic Liquids and Gases *Volume 4: Specific Heat, Metallic Elements and Alloys *Volume 5: Specific Heat, Nonmetallic Solids *Volume 6: Specific Heat, Nonmetallic Liquids and Gases *Volume 7: Thermal Radiative Properties, Metallic Elements and Alloys *Volume 8: Thermal Radiative Properties, Nonmetallic Solids *Volume 9: Thermal Radiative Properties, Coatings *Volume 10: Thermal Diffusivity *Volume 11: Viscosity *Volume 12: Thermal Expansion, Metallic Elements and Alloys *Volume 13: Thermal Expansion, Nonmetallic Solids

Yeram S. Touloukian Award

The Yeram S. Touloukian Award was established in 1988 by the ASME Heat Transfer Division K-7 Committee on Thermophysical Properties and became an ASME Society Award in 1997. It is bestowed triennially at the Symposium on Thermophysical Properties to recognize outstanding technical contributions in the field of thermophysical properties. An individual who is internationally recognized for major contributions in the thermophysical properties field is eligible to receive this award. Fields recognized by the award include, but are not limited to, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, physics, and chemistry. Funding to support the award was provided by Purdue University to honor the contributions of Yeram Touloukian.American Society of Mechanical Engineers
/ref>

Recipients

Honors and awards

*The Gold Medal Award of the Associazione Termotecnica Italiana (1968) *The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Heat Transfer Memorial Award (1974) *The International Thermal Conductivity Conference Award (1977) *The Award of the International Thermophysics Congress (1981 - posthumously)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Touloukian, Yeram S. 1920 births 1981 deaths American people of Armenian descent Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni Engineers from Istanbul Purdue University College of Engineering alumni Purdue University faculty Robert College alumni Turkish emigrants to the United States