Engineers / Stephen A. Mahin

Stephen A. Mahin was a professor of structural engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley.  Professor Mahin was a world-renowned expert in earthquake engineering with wide-ranging teaching, research, and professional practice contributions in the characterization of earthquake strong ground motion; numerical modeling, computer simulation, and innovative structural testing methods for severe loading environments; inception and development of earthquake-protective systems; behavior and design of structural steel, reinforced concrete, and timber construction with applications in buildings, bridges, power plants, and offshore structures; and performance-based earthquake engineering.

Dr. Mahin’s research focused on improving the understanding of seismic behavior of systems by integrating high performance numerical and experimental simulation methods. He pioneered the development of hybrid simulation theories and methods that integrated large-scale physical tests with computer simulations, thereby enabling study of complete structural systems under realistic loading.

Professor Mahin recognized the value of seismic isolation and protective systems, and he conceived and developed these technologies with the goal of reducing cost and enhancing seismic performance. He was active in adapting supplemental viscous damping, added mass damping, and seismic isolation systems to the needs of actual building projects.

• ASCE Walter Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize (1983)
• ASCE Normal Medal (1987)
• UC Berkeley Chair - Structural Engineering, Mechanics, and Materials (SEMM) Program (1990-1993)
• CUREe President (1994-1997)
• FEMA SAC Steel Project - Project Management Committee Chair (1994-2000)
• AISC Special Educator Achievement Award (2001)
• FHWA James Cooper Best Paper Award (2007)
• SEAONC Director (2009-2011)
• PEER Director (2009-2015)
• SEAONC Honorary Member (2011)
• ASCE/OTC Hall of Fame (2012)
• AISC Lifetime Achievement Award (2013)
• NHERI SimCenter Principal Investigator and Director (2016-2018)
• SEAONC Helmut Krawinkler Award (2017)
• EERI-Northern California Chapter Individual Awardee (2017)
• UC Berkeley Byron L. and Elvira E. Nishkian Professor Emeritus (2017)

• Vitelmo Bertero
• Jack Moehle
• William Holmes
• Reinhard Ludke
• James O. Malley
• Kelly Cobeen
• Grace Kang

• University of California, Berkeley
• Structural Engineers Association of Northern California
• Consortium of Universities for Research in Earthquake Engineering
• NHERI Simulation Center
• Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center

• Steve Mahin Dedication Page
• Steve Mahin Memorial Post
• Steve Mahin Obituary - PEER