Yehia El-Sayed

Professor Yehia M. El-Sayed Resident of Fremont Was born in Alexandria Egypt on September 13, 1928. He received his Bachelors Degree from Alexandria University, and his Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Manchester University in England. His academic career took him across the world. He taught and conducted research at Assiut University (Egypt), Kansas State University, Dartmouth College, Glasgow University (Scotland), Tripoli University (Libya) and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His legacy persists in the thousands of students whose careers and intellectual development he has influenced. He was a recognized international authority in desalination, thermodynamics and thermoeconomics. Over the course of a highly productive career, he authored two books, over 40 scientific papers and was awarded a United States patent for his design "Radial Inflow Compressor for Large Volumetric Flows." A Life Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, he was a two time recipient of their prestigious Edward F. Obert Award for his scientific contributions, in addition to a Best Paper Award from the International Desalination Association. In 1989 he started his own consulting firm, Advanced Energy Systems, providing energy analysis to clients across the globe. In addition to being a successful scientist, who wrote and published until the end, he was first and foremost a devoted husband, father and grandfather. Despite the professional demands on his time, he preferred whenever possible to work at home at the dining room table, so as to be near his family. In his free time he loved swimming, bowling, and spending peaceful afternoons with his loved ones. He infused his family with his contagious humor, passion for the sciences, and hunger for adventure and travel. He is survived by his wife of 52 years Amina El-Kholi, daughter Maha El-Sayed, son Yasser El-Sayed, son-in-law William Fisher and grandchildren Tamara and Ramsey Fisher. On September 17, 2010, after a long battle with cancer, he passed peacefully at his home in Fremont, California surrounded by his family.