Fallsnewspress.com - PAUL CHI-KING LAM

PAUL CHI-KING LAM

University of Akron engineering professor

Paul Chi-King Lam, Ph.D., 62, died May 24, 2009 after fighting a courageous battle with Kidney disease. Dr. Lam was born in Nanking, China and had resided in Cuyahoga Falls the past 34 years, moving here from West Lafayette, Ind.

Dr. Lam was a true scholar and valued all aspects of the educational enterprise including research, teaching and service. His academic journey began at Purdue University, where he received a bachelor's degree in engineering science in 1969. His graduate education next took him to the University of Illinois where he obtained a master's degree in theoretical and applied Mechanics in 1970. After Illinois, he attended The University of Akron, where he received the Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 1978.

After brief sojourns into the corporate world at Pratt Whitney, Babcock & Wilcox, and General Motors, Dr. Lam began his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Akron in 1980. He served at the University of Akron for 29 years. Most recently, he served with distinction as associate dean, undergraduate studies and diversity programs, and as a full professor of mechanical engineering.

As a faculty member and Dean, Dr. Lam worked with many students and he truly loved watching students grow into active professionals. Dr. Lam was an adviser for ASME and participated in more than 57 Ph.D. or Master's level committees.

Some of the technical societies in which he was a member include American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), American Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), National Association of Minority Engineer Program Administrators (NAMEPA), and National Advancement Council of Minorities in Engineering (NACME). Honor society memberships included Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Eta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Tau, Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma Pi Sigma. He served on committees for many of these organizations, including the Ohio Space Grant Consortium K-12 Education and Pipeline Committee, and also reviewed for journals and federal agencies.

His accomplishments included a patent and more than 120 journal, conference, or book publications. He received more than 50 grants or donations of funds as a source of support for his research and his minority programs. His areas of research interest and publication included structural dynamics, rehabilitation and adaptive devices for cerebral palsy patients, finite element analysis of structures, fatigue and fracture evaluation of material behavior, minority engineering education, pre-college math/science/technology programs, and retention models of engineering education.

Preceded in death by his son, Jason and father, Dr. Shue-Lock Lam, he is survived by his wife, Marie; sons, Daniel and Andrew; mother, Margaret Lam of San Diego; brothers, Peter (Katherine) Lam of San Diego, and Michael (Amy) Lam of Los Angeles; sisters, Stella (David) So of Louisville, Ky. and Anna (Kevin) Lee of San Diego, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was conducted at The Martin Center in Akron, Pastor David Scavuzzo officiating. Final resting place is at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park. In lieu of other remembrances, memorials may be made to The University of Akron Foundation for the Paul Lam Scholarship c/o Deanna R. Dunn Director, Engineering Cooperative Education Program Akron 44325-3902.

Clifford-Shoemaker Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.