Isaac Elishakoff

Isaac Elishakoff
Born	(1944-02-09) 9 February 1944 (age 81) Kutaisi, Georgia
Alma mater	Moscow Power Engineering Institute, Moscow, Russia
Known for	Stability; Vibration; Random Vibration; Reliability; Functionally graded material structures; Nanotechnology; Uncertainty modeling
Awards	The Blaise Pascal Medal in Engineering from European Academy of Sciences(2021); ASME Worcester Reed Warner Medal (2016), PACA (FAU President's Award for Career Achievement, 2023), U.S., Batsheva de Rothschild Prize(1973), Israel .
Scientific career
Fields	Theoretical and applied mechanics
Institutions	Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Delft University of Technology, University of Notre Dame, Naval Postgraduate School, Florida Atlantic University
Doctoral advisor	Academician Vladimir V. Bolotin

Isaac Elishakoff is an Israeli-American engineer who is Distinguished Research Professor in the Ocean and Mechanical Engineering Department in the Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida. ^[1] He is a recognized figure in the area of theoretical and applied mechanics. He has made seminal contributions in the areas of random vibrations, structural reliability, solid mechanics of composite materials, semi-inverse problems of vibrations and stability, functionally graded material structures, optimization and anti-optimization of structures under uncertainty, and carbon nanotubes.

He has over 620 journal papers, ^[2] and has authored, co-authored, edited, or co-edited 34 books. ^{[3] [4]}

Career

Elishakoff was the Frank M. Freimann Visiting Chair Professor, ^{[5] [6]} at the University of Notre Dame, United States in 1985/86 and Henry J. Massman Jr. Visiting Chair Professor, ^[7] at the same university in 1986/87.

He became a Fellow of American Academy of Mechanics, ^[8] in 1991 ("For outstanding achievements and pioneering contributions in random vibrations”.) and was Visiting Professor, Sapienza University of Rome, ^[9] Rome, Italy in 2005, 2010, 2017.

He is a Foreign Member of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences ^[10] (“For seminal contributions to the theoretical and applied mechanics”) since 2010, a Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts ^[11] since 2011 and a Fellow, ASME ^[12] since 2011.

Writing

In 2019, Elishakoff described differential equations of love in order to promote love of differential equations by undergraduate students. ^[13] In 2021, he wrote a response to a joke about the quadratic formula by Stephen Colbert in I Am America (And So Can You!) . ^{[14] [15]} As of November 1, 2025, these papers have been downloaded 19,540 times. ^{[16] [17]}

With J. N. Reddy, Elishakoff has written on solving quadratic equations without resorting to quadratic formula. He also writes educational papers ^{[18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26]}

Elishakoff is interested in the history of science. He has published several articles ^{[27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35]} about Stephen P. Timoshenko (1878-1972), author of numerous textbooks in applied mechanics.

Awards and honors

Elishakoff received the Worcester Reed Warner Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 2016.; ^[36] established in 1930.

In 2021, Elishakoff received the Blaise Pascal Medal in Engineering from the European Academy of Sciences, ^[37] “to recognize an outstanding and demonstrated personal contribution to science and technology and the promotion of excellence in research and education.” He was simultaneously elected as a Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 2025, he was awarded the ASCE Masanobu Shinozuka Medal for "seminal contributions to random vibrations, reliability, and nonlinear buckling simulation of shells". ^[38]

In 2021, Professors Noel Challamel (University of South Brittany, France), Julius Kaplunov (University of Keele, United Kingdom) and Izuru Takewaki (Kyoto University, Japan) edited three books titled, Modern Trends in Structural and Solid Mechanics, in honor of Elishakoff. ^{[39] [40] [41]}

Selected publications

Books

• I. Elishakoff, Probabilistic Methods in the Theory of Structures, Wiley‑Interscience, New York, 1983, II + pp. 489; ISBN   978-981-3149-84-7.
• Yakov Ben‑Haim and I. Elishakoff, Convex Models of Uncertainty in Applied Mechanics, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1990, XVII + pp. 221; ISBN   978-0444816245.
• Gabriel Cederbaum, I. Elishakoff, Jacob Aboudi and Liviu Librescu, Random Vibration and Reliability of Composite Structures, Technomic, Lancaster, 1992, XIII + pp. 191; ISBN   9780877628651.
• I. Elishakoff, Yukweng Lin and Liping Zhu, Probabilistic and Convex Modeling of Acoustically Excited Structures, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1994, VIII + pp. 296; ISBN   9781483290355.
• Elishakoff, Yiwei Li and James H. Starnes, Jr., Non‑Classical Problems in the Theory of Elastic Stability, Cambridge University Press, 2001, XVI +pp. 336; ISBN   0-521-78210-4.
• Elishakoff and Yongjian Ren, Large Variation Finite Element Method for Stochastic Problems, Oxford University Press, 2003, IX + pp. 260; ISBN   0-19-852631-8.
• I. Elishakoff, Safety Factors and Reliability: Friends or Foes?, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 2004, X + pp. 295; ISBN   1-4020-1779-0.
• I. Elishakoff, Eigenvalues of Inhomogeneous Structures: Unusual Closed-Form Solutions of Semi-Inverse Problems, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2005, XIV + pp. 729; ISBN   0-8493-2892-6.
• I. Elishakoff and Makoto Ohsaki, Optimization and Anti-Optimization of Structures under Uncertainty, Imperial College Press, London, 2010, XV+ pp. 402; ISBN   978-1-84816-477-2.
• I. Elishakoff, Resolution of Twentieth Century Conundrum in Elastic Stability, World Scientific/Imperial College Press, Singapore, 2014; pp. 333, ISBN   978-981-4583-53-4.
• I. Elishakoff, D. Pentaras and C. Gentilini, Mechanics of Functionally Graded Material Structures, World Scientific/Imperial College Press, Singapore; pp. 323, ISBN   978-981-4656-58-0, 2015.
• I. Elishakoff, Solution Manual to Accompany Probabilistic Methods in the Theory of Structures: Problems with Complete, Worked Through Solutions, World Scientific, Singapore, ISBN   978-981-3201-10-1, 2018.
• I. Elishakoff, Handbook on Timoshenko-Ehrenfest Beam and Uflyand-Mindlin Plate Theories, World Scientific, Singapore, ISBN   978-981-3236-51-6, 2019.
• I. Elishakoff, Dramatic Effect of Cross-Correlations in Random Vibrations of Discrete Systems, Beams, Plates, and Shells , Springer, Nature, Switzerland, ISBN 978---3-030-40394-2, 2020.
• V. Raizer and I. Elishakoff, Philosophies of Structural Safety and Reliability, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, Hb: 978-1-032-20930-1, 2022.
• Elishakoff I., Multifaceted Uncertainty Quantification, Berlin, Boston, De Gruyter, ISBN 978-311-135-42-17, 2024 .
• Elishakoff I., S.P. Timoshenko in Perspective, Singapore: World Scientific, 2026.
• Elishakoff I., Follower Forces in Engineering and Science: Fact or Fantasy?, Singapore: World Scientific, 2026.

Edited volumes

• I. Elishakoff and Richard H. Lyon, (editors), Random Vibration‑Status and Recent Developments, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1986, XX + pp. 565; ISBN   9780444426659.
• I. Elishakoff and Horst Irretier, (editors), Refined Dynamical Theories of Beams, Plates and Shels and their Applications, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1987, XII + pp. 436; ISBN   9783540175735.
• I. Elishakoff, Johann Arbocz, Charles D. Babcock, Jr. and Avinoam Libai, (editors), Buckling of Structures‑Theory and Experiment, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1988, XX + pp. 449; ISBN   978-0444704740.
• T. Ariaratnam, Gerhart Schuëller, and I. Elishakoff, (editors), Stochastic Structural Dynamics‑Progress in Theory and Applications, Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, London, 1988, XX + pp. 375; ISBN   978-1851662111.
• Chuh Mei, Howard F. Wolfe and I. Elishakoff, (editors), Vibration and Behavior of Composite Structures, ASME Press, New York, 1989, V + pp. 73; ISBN   978-0791803974.
• Fabio Casciati, I. Elishakoff, and J. Brian Roberts, (editors), Nonlinear Structural Systems under Random Conditions, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, 1990, pp. 386; ISBN   9780444888037.
• Ahmed K. Noor, I. Elishakoff and Greg Hulbert, (editors), Symbolic Computations and Their Impact on Mechanics, ASME Press, New York, 1990, XV + pp. 376; ISBN   978-0791805985.
• I. Elishakoff (editor), Whys and Hows in Uncertainty Modeling, Springer, Vienna, 1999, VII + pp. 393, ISBN   3-211-83155-X.
• Alexander P. Seyranian and I. Elishakoff (editors), Modern Problems of Structural Stability, Springer, Vienna, 2002, III + pp. 394, ISBN   3-211-83697-7.
• I. Elishakoff (editor), Mechanical Vibration: Where Do We Stand, Springer, Vienna, 2007, IV + pp. 488, ISBN   3-211-68586-3.
• I. Elishakoff and C. Soize (editors), Non-Deterministic Mechanics, Springer, Vienna, 2012, II+ pp. 356, ISBN   978-3-7091-1305-9.

References

1. "Professor Isaac Elishakoff in FAU".
2. "Publication Timeline".
3. "Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics".
4. "Member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Sound and Vibration".
5. "Visiting Freimann professor of University of Notre Dame 1985" (PDF).
6. "Visiting Freimann professor of University of Notre Dame 1986" (PDF).
7. "Visiting Massman professor of University of Notre Dame 1986" (PDF).
8. "Member of American Academy of Mechanics" (PDF).
9. "Seminar of Prof. Elishakoff in the Sapienza University of Rome". 2 May 2017.
10. "Foreign Member of Georgian National Academy of Sciences". Archived from the original on 28 October 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
11. "Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts". Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
12. "Fellow of ASME" (PDF).
13. Elishakoff, I., Differential Equations of Love and Love of Differential Equations, Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Vol. 9(2), pp. 226-46, 2019.
14. Elishakoff I, Response to Stephen Colbert: Spicing up the Exposition of Differential Equations via Engaging with Relevant History of Algebra”, Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Vol. 11(1), 323-345, 2021.
15. "In Response to Stephen Colbert, FAU Professor Says 'Spice it Up'".
16. Elishakoff, Isaac (2021). "Response to Stephen Colbert: Spicing up the Exposition of Differential Equations via Engaging with Relevant History of Algebra". Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. 11: 323–345. doi: 10.5642/jhummath.202101.16 . S2CID   234140477.
17. Elishakoff, Isaac (2019). "Differential Equations of Love and Love of Differential Equations". Journal of Humanistic Mathematics. 9 (2): 226–246. doi: 10.5642/jhummath.201902.15 . S2CID   199533993.
18. Elishakoff, Isaac; JN, Reddy (2021). "Quadratic equations without quadratic formula". For the Learning of Mathematics. 41 (2): 39–41.
19. Neuringer, Joseph; Isaac, Elishakoff (1998). "Interesting instructional problems in column buckling for strength of materials and mechanics of solids courses". International Journal of Engineering Education. 14: 204–216.
20. Elishakoff, Isaac (2000). "Applications of the Biename and Tchebycheff inequalities for the structural reliability and engineering planning and design courses". Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education. 28 (3): 187–194.
21. Elishakoff, Isaac (2004). "Material that ought to find its place in future strength of materials textbooks". International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education. 20 (5): 886–890.
22. Elishakoff, Isaac; Gentilini, Cristina; Santoro, Roberta (2006). "Some conventional and unconventional educational column stability problems". International Journal of Structural Stability and Dynamics. 6 (1): 139–151. doi:10.1142/S0219455406001861.
23. Elishakoff, Isaac (2010). "An interesting material that appears to fit possibly all future mechanical vibration textbooks". Vietnam Journal of Mechanics. 30 (4): 253–258.
24. Elishakoff, Isaac; Ratanpara, Abhishek (2022). "Projects-Based Instruction of Intermediate Strength of Materials Course: Preparing Students for Future Workforce". Technische Mechanik - European Journal of Engineering Mechanics. 42 (1): 53–65.
25. Elishakoff, Isaac; Eisenberger, Moshe; Mercer, Alexander (2024). "Interesting Engineering Optimization Project Assignments in the Strength of Materials or Machine Design Courses". Optimization and Engineering. 25: 1559–1570. doi:10.1007/s11081-023-09854-4.
26. Elishakoff, Isaac (2024). ""IKEA Effect" and project- based instruction in Intermediate Strength of Materials course". International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, in Press. doi:10.1177/03064190241254033.
27. Elishakoff, I., Julius Kaplunov and Evgeniya Nolde, “Celebrating the centenary of Timoshenko’s study of effects of shear deformation and rotary inertia”, Applied Mechanics Reviews, Vol. 67(6), article 060802, 2015.
28. Elishakoff, I. “J.P. Den Hartog about S.P. Timoshenko: fifty years later”, Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, Vol. 24(5),1340-1348, 2019.
29. Elishakoff, I., “Stepan Prokofievich Timoshenko and America”, ZAMM: Zeitschrift für angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik, Vol. 99(3), 2019.
30. Elishakoff I., “Who developed the so-called Timoshenko beam theory?”, Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, Vol. 25(1), 97-116, 2020.
31. Elishakoff, I., Julius Kaplunov, Elizabeth Kaplunov, “Galerkin’s method was not developed by Ritz, contrary to the Timoshenko’s statement”, in Nonlinear Dynamics of Discrete and Continuous Systems (A. Abramyan, I. Andrianov and V. Gaiko, eds.), pp. 63-82, Springer, Berlin, 2020.
32. Elishakoff, I.,” Stephen Timoshenko’s life during last five years in the Russian Empire: From the letters of his son Gregory”, Mechanics Research Communications, Vol.115, article 103691, 2021.
33. Elishakoff I., and Konstantin Volokh, "Centenary of two pioneering theories in mechanics", Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, Vol. 26(12), 1896-1904, 2021.
34. Elishakoff I., "Letters of S.P. Timoshenko to V. I. Vernadsky recently discovered at the Columbia University’s library, with analysis of his attitudes”, Mathematics and Mechanics of Solids, Vol. 27(6), 943-975, 2021.
35. Elishakoff, Isaac (2022). "Did S.P. Timoshenko and P. Ehrenfest overestimate the importance of the fourth-order time derivative in their theory of beams?". Journal of Vibration and Acoustics. 144 (6). doi:10.1115/1.4055975.
36. "Worcester Reed Warner medal recipients" . Retrieved 3 October 2017.
37. "FAU Engineering Professor Receives Prestigious 'Blaise Pascal Medal'".
38. "Masanobu Shinozuka Medal". www.asce.org. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
39. "Modern Trends in Structural and Solid Mechanics 1 - ISTE".
40. "Modern Trends in Structural and Solid Mechanics 2 - ISTE".
41. "Modern Trends in Structural and Solid Mechanics 3 - ISTE".