September 8, 2006 Vol. 77, no. 4F

PEG SKORPINSKI PHOTO

Professor Minute with CEE professor Filip Filippou

Roy W. Carlson Distinguished CEE professor Filip C. Filippou received his Dipl. Ing. from the Technische Universität in München, Germany, in 1978 and his Ph.D. in CE from Berkeley in 1983. He joined the Berkeley faculty in 1983. Filippou’s research interests include nonlinear analysis of structures and reinforced and prestressed concrete.

What first inspired you to go into engineering?

The architecture books in my father’s library. The structures that impressed me most were designed by Pier Luigi Nervi and Felix Candela and were often shell-like structures with beautiful forms. My early love for physics, and in particular, mechanics directed me to engineering as opposed to architecture.

What has been the most memorable career moment?

Arriving in Berkeley for graduate studies and the following four and a half years in the Division of Structural Engineering and Structural Mechanics of the Department of Civil Engineering have defined my path.

If you had a few extra hours, what would you do?

I would play tennis, swim in the Mediterranean and read Italian literature … so many things for a few extra hours.

What should engineering students make sure they do at Berkeley before they graduate?

On the engineering side, they should make sure to spend a half hour talking to each of their professors about research, professions, life. And they should make sure to attend a couple of non-engineering seminars a semester. There is so much more to education than the major.

What are you currently reading?

A novel by Nobel prize-winning author Heinrich Boell called Gruppenbild with Dame, or in loose translation, “Group photo with lady.” It is a fascinating account of German life before, during and after the second world war.

What is one thing you would like to learn how to do?

I would love to learn to play the piano. I feel so incomplete not being able to read a sheet of music, but one of these days I hope to embark on the project.

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