Posted on 04/17/2007 7:03:09 AM PDT by meg88
Israeli professor murdered as he saved students at Vriginia Tech shootings Source: Jerusalem Post
As Jews worldwide honored on Monday the memory of those who were murdered in the Holocaust, a 75-year-old survivor sacrificed his life to save his students in Monday’s shooting at Virginia Tech college that left 32 dead and over two dozen wounded.
Professor Liviu Librescu, 76, threw himself in front of the shooter, who had attempted to enter his classroom. The Israeli mechanics and engineering lecturer was shot to death, "but all the students lived - because of him," Virginia Tech student Asael Arad - also an Israeli - told Army Radio.
Several of Librescu’s other students sent e-mails to his wife, Marlena, telling of how he blocked the gunman’s way and saved their lives, said the son, Joe.
"My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Joe Librescu said in a telephone interview from his home outside of Tel Aviv. "Students started opening windows and jumping out."
Liviu Librescu, was respected in his field, his son said.
"His work was his life in a sense," said Joe. "That was a good place for him to practice his research."
The couple immigrated to Israel from Romania in 1978 and then moved to Virginia in 1986 for his sabbatical, but had stayed since then, Joe told Army Radio.
This man is a hero. No greater deed can be done than to sacrifice your life for the lives of others. I’m sure he is in Heaven. God Bless him.
Can’t help but admire such a selfless act of courage.
Also can’t help but think (and this in no way is meant to diminish this man’s sacrifice) how things might have been different had this courageous man been armed.
good thing they had gun control laws there... or else the intruder would have shot them with a gun...
waitaminnit...
Would be a lot nicer if the PROFOUNDLY USELESS talking heads would look for THESE stories instead of serially ‘interviewing’ blame-finders; the world would be a better place.
I knew there would be stories like this. I hope there are more.
Imagine surviving the holocaust and now this.... prayers for this man and his family.
Interests:
Foundation and applications of the modern theory of shells incorporating non-classical effects and composed of advanced composite materials; Foundation of the theory and applications of sandwich type structures; Aeroelastic stability of flight vehicle structures;. Nonlinear aeroelasticity of structures in supersonic and hypersonic flow fields; Aeroelastic and structural tailoring; Dynamic response and instability of elastic and viscoelastic laminated composite structures subjected to deterministic and random loading systems; Mechanical and thermal postbuckling of flat and curved shear-deformable elastic panels; Static, dynamic and aeroelastic feedback control of adaptive structures; Unsteady aerodynamics and magnetoaerodynamics of supersonic flows with applications; Optimization problems of aeroelastic structural systems; Theory of composite thin-walled beams and its application in aeronautical and mechanical constructions; Response and behavior of structures to underwater and in-air explosions; Multifunctional and Functionally Graded material structures.
Education:
Ph.D., Institute of Fluid Mechanics, Academy of Science of Romania, 1969
M. A. Sc., Polytechnic Institute, Faculty of Aeronautical Engineering, Bucharest, 1953
B.S., Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest, Romania, Aeronautical Engineer, 1952
Honors and Awards:
2007 Invited Key Note Lecture at the 17th International Congress on Thermal Stresses, June 4-7, 2007, Taipei, Taiwan, “Joule Heating and its Implications on Crack Detection/Arrest in Electrically Conductive Circular Cylindrical Shellsâ€.( Z. Qin, L. Librescu and D. Hasanyan)
2006 Awarded a diploma by the 17th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technology for the paper “Robust Aeroelastic Control of Composite Aircraft Wings in Incompressible Flow†by Yoon, G. C., Na, S. S., Librescu, L., and Baek, S. C., Taiwan, ICAST 2006, October 13-17.
2005 Appointed Chair of the International Organizing Committee of the 6th International Congress on Thermal Stresses ‘05 May 26-29, 2005, Vienna, Austria
2005 Invited Plenary Lecture at the 6th International Congress of Thermal Stresses ‘05 May 26-29, 2005, Vienna, Austria “Thin-Walled Beams Used in Turbomachinery and Space Applications Made-Up of Functionally Graded Materials and Operating in a High Temperature Environment: Vibration and Instability” by L. Librescu, S-Y Oh and O. Song
2005 Selected as a member of the Board of Experts of the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Scientific Research
2005 Awarded a diploma by the International Congress on Thermal Stresses, Vienna, Austria, May-June, 2005, ``In recognition for the achievements in the field of Thermal Stresses, for organizing the Fifth International Congress of Thermal Stresses, and for the contributions to the Journal of Thermal Stresses, as an author and as a member of the Editorial Board.’’
2005 Awarded a diploma by the ASME, 20th Biennal Conference on Mechanical Vibration and Noise, Long Beach, CA, September 24-28, 2005 expressing the deep appreciation for the valuable services in advancing the engineering profession.’’
2005 Frank J. Maher Award for Excellence in Engineering Education
2004 Plenary Key Note Lecture to the Third European Conference on Structural Control July 12-15. 2004, Vienna, Austria “Advances in the Linear/nonlinear Control of Aeroelastic Structural Systems†by L. Librescu and P. Marzocca
2003 Member of the Executive Committee of the International Congress of Thermal Stresses, (1999-2003) and re-appointed for (2003-2007)
2003 General Chair of the 5th International Congress of Thermal Stresses and Related Topics, June 8-11, 2003, Blacksburg, VA
2000 Recipient of the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest, Romania
2000 Elected member of the Academy of Sciences of the Shipbuilding of Ukraine
1999 Recipient of The 1999 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research, College of Engineering VPI&SU
1999 Elected Foreign Fellow of the Academy of Engineering of Armenia
1998 Invited Plenary Lecture at the Session dedicated to the great Italian Scientist Professor Placido Cicala, Torino, June 25, 1998, Italia “Aeroelastic Tailoring of Advanced Aircraft Wings Carrying External Storesâ€, with Dr. F. H. Gern
1988 Plenary Key Note Lecture to the Second International Conference on Composite Science and Technology, June 9-11, 1998 Durban, South Africa†Recent Developments in the Modelling and Behavior of Advanced Sandwich Constructionsâ€
1972 Laureate of the prize “Traian Vuia†of the Romanian Academy of Science
Professional Service:
Listing in Who’s Who
Who’s Who in America
Who’s Who in Engineering
Who’s Who in the World
Who’s Who in Science and Engineering
A true hero. A brave man.
Hard to comprehend the waste.
----------------------------------------------
Pancakes for breakfast?
"He who saves one life, saves the world entire"
L
Amen! I'm awed by his Bravery and Kindness and Love for others.
The Lord that made Heaven and Earth bless him out of Zion. (Ps.134:3)
May his name be blessed.
The very definition of HERO......
I have a feeling his wife could be recieving a Presidential Medal of Freedom in the future
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.