Fred Lange passed away on Friday

Frederick F. Lange, Professor of Materials, of the University of California at Santa Barbara, passed away suddenly on Friday, in Tucson, after watching his daughter defend her PhD.

Fred was an internationally renowned innovator in the field of the mechanical behavior of ceramics.  Although not a mechanician by training, his deep and sustained interest in cracking and toughening of ceramics led him to interact with the community of mechanics.  His creative experiments have inspired theoretical analyses, as well as practical innovations. Here is a profile of his work. 

He liked people, and traveled a lot.  His friends would receive a letter during the holiday season each year, describing his new adventures in research, his wood work, his family, and his many trips together with his dear wife.  His lectures were exceptionally entertaining and memorable, filled with perceptive remarks from the experience of a long career of a brilliant mind.

He will be dearly remembered by his students, friends, and colleagues.