Ferdinand P. Beer

Ferdinand Pierre Beer (August 8, 1915 – April 30, 2003) was a French mechanical engineer and university professor. He spent most of his career as a member of the faculty at Lehigh University, where he served as the chairman of the mechanics and mechanical engineering departments. His most significant contribution was the co-authorship of several textbooks in the field of mechanics, which have been widely cited and utilized in engineering education.

Biography Early life Beer was born in Binic, France in 1915. He received a Masters of Science degree from the Sorbonne and conducted post-graduate work at Brown University. From the University of Geneva in Switzerland, he earned a mathematics license in 1935 and a Doctor of Science degree in 1937.

Career at Lehigh University In 1947, he arrived at Lehigh University, where he taught for 37 years. It was partly in his honor that the ASEE named the Ferdinand P. Beer and E. Russell Johnston Jr. Outstanding New Educator Awards.

Published works F.P. Beer, E.R. Johnston Jr., J.T. DeWolf, Mechanics of Materials, New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981. F.P. Beer, E.R. Johnston Jr., et al., Vector Mechanics for Engineers, New York: McGraw-Hill. F.P. Beer, E.R. Johnston Jr., et al., Mechanics for Engineers: Statics and Dynamics, New York: McGraw-Hill.