The Grainger College of Engineering

Lester Clyde Lichty

Lester Clyde Lichty
Lester Clyde Lichty
To Lester Clyde Lichty, distinguished teacher, author, and consultant; an eminent authority in the field of thermodynamics and internal combustion engineering.

Robert Higgins Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Emeritus, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut

  • MS, Mechanical Engineering, 1916

The tenure of Professor Lichty at Yale extended from 1923 until his retirement in 1960, during which time he occupied the oldest endowed chair in engineering in the United States. He has had a profound influence upon generations of mechanical engineers; not only his own students but also the many more tutored by his widely adopted books on thermodynamics and internal combustion engines. His section on internal combustion engines in Marks Mechanical Engineers' Handbook has stood as the standard reference to this day through four editions. He has published many technical papers in his field.

As might be expected of a celebrated authority, Professor Lichty has been avidly sought as an industrial consultant. This has led to an active career as a consultant since his retirement from teaching.

Current as of 1971.