Remembering Professor Michael P. Païdoussis
On Friday, August 28, colleagues, former students, and friends gathered at McGill University to honour the life, intellect, and enduring legacy of Professor Michael P. Païdoussis.
Prof. Païdoussis, my MSc supervisor, was one of the founding architects of modern fluid-structure interactions. He was an erudite scholar who travelled the world, but above all, a true gentleman of immense human qualities. As a mentor and journal editor, his meticulous attention to detail was legendary; many of us remember drafts returned generously covered in red ink, each mark a testament to the high standards and intellectual rigour he instilled in everyone he supervised.
He transmitted an infectious passion for curiosity-driven research. Whether uncovering the nonlinear dynamics of pipes conveying fluid, the flutter of flags, rods and shells, or the complex dynamics of cylinder arrays in cross-flow, his work laid the theoretical and experimental foundations upon which our community continues to build.
The memorial event was a moving occasion to reconnect with long-time colleagues and former professors, to reflect on his foundational treatises, and to show my own students the lineage of scientific inquiry they now inherit.
A heartfelt thank you to the organising committee:
- Mojtaba Kheiri, Ph.D., P.Eng. for leading the initiative;
- Njuki Mureithi, Yahya Modarres-Sadeghi, Ruxandra Botez, David Sumner and Mary Fiorilli for bringing this community together;
- Larry Lessard, Rosaire Mongrain, Rabi Baliga, Mary Fiorilli, for their heartfelt testimonies;
- Kostas Karazis and Darya Mirhosseini for demonstrating through their presentation the impact of Prof Païdoussis’s research and career;
- Luc Mongeau and the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University for hosting us.
Most importantly, our deepest gratitude goes to his loving wife, Vrissiis, who joined us to share cherished memories of a remarkable life.
His legacy lives on through every equation derived, every student mentored, and every flutter problem solved across the global FSI community.