Armenians
THEIR GROUNDBREAKING CONTRIBUTIONS REFLECT A LEGACY OF INNOVATION THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS
Mihran Agbabian
Engineer, Educator
Bio
Mihran Agbabian (born 1923 in Cyprus) is an award-winning structural
engineer and distinguished educator.
With a master’s from Caltech and a PhD from University of California, Berkeley, Agbabian co-founded the engineering firm Agbabian Jacobsen Associates in 1963. While practicing as a structural engineer, he served as president of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, chairman of the American Society of Civil Engineers Task Committee on Design of Structures to Resist Nuclear Weapon Effects, advisor to the National Science Foundation, and chairman of the Earthquake Hazard Mitigation Advisory Committee.
In 1984, Agbabian joined the USC faculty, and eventually was named Fred Champion professor of engineering and chair of the Department of Engineering.
In 1991, he co-founded the American University of Armenia, which earned accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Agbabian is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor (in 1995 and 2001) and the California Institute of Technology Distinguished Alumnus Award.