John Argyris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Argyris
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Johann Hadji Argyris
19 August 1913 Volos, Greece
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| Died | 2 April 2004 (aged 90) Stuttgart, Germany
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| Known for | Finite element method |
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Johann Hadji Argyris (born August 19, 1913 – died April 2, 2004) was a brilliant Greek scientist. He was a pioneer in using computers for science and engineering. He is known as one of the creators of the finite element method (FEM). This method helps engineers solve complex problems. He was also a professor at the University of Stuttgart in Germany.
His Early Life and Studies
Johann Argyris was born in Volos, Greece. His family later moved to Athens, where he went to a classical high school. He studied civil engineering for four years at the National Technical University of Athens. Then, he continued his studies at the Technical University Munich in Germany. He earned his engineering diploma in 1936. Later, he completed his doctorate degree in 1942 at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. This was after he had to leave Nazi Germany.
What He Did
Johann Argyris started his career at the Gollnow company. There, he worked on tall radio transmitter masts. In 1943, he joined a research team in England. From 1949, he taught aeronautical engineering at Imperial College London. In 1955, he became a professor there. In 1959, Argyris became a professor at the Technical University of Stuttgart (now the University of Stuttgart). He also directed the Institute of Structural Mechanics and Dynamics in Aerospace Engineering. He helped create the Aeronautical and Astronautical Campus at the University of Stuttgart. This campus became a main place for using digital computers and electronics. Argyris played a huge role in developing the Finite element method. He worked on this method with other scientists like Ray William Clough and Olgierd Zienkiewicz.
Awards and Special Recognition
Johann Argyris received many awards for his important work. In 1971, he was given the Silver Medal by the Royal Aeronautical Society. He was also chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in March 1986. This is a very high honor for scientists. His nomination for this honor highlighted his amazing contributions. It mentioned how he pioneered computer mechanics in Europe in the 1950s. He introduced the first ideas for finite elements. This work started a huge growth in computational mechanics. He published over 300 papers. His work covered many areas, from building structures to how fluids move and even how planets move. The computer system called ASKA, which he helped develop, became a model for many other systems used in industries. He received many other awards, including the Theodore von Karman Medal.
His Personal Story
When World War II began, Johann Argyris was in Berlin. He faced a dangerous situation and had to escape. He bravely made his way to Switzerland. He even swam across a river during a difficult time. In Switzerland, he went to ETH Zurich to finish his doctorate degree. Argyris passed away in Stuttgart, Germany. He is buried in Sweden. His uncle, Constantin Carathéodory, was a famous Greek mathematician.
