Arthur G. Hansen
| Arthur Gene Hansen | |
|---|---|
| Born |
February 28, 1925 Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin |
| Died | July 5, 2010 Fort Myers, Florida |
| Residence | Zionsville, Indiana |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields |
Mathematics, Engineering |
| Institutions |
Georgia Tech, Purdue University, Texas A&M University System, Hudson Institute |
| Alma mater |
Case Institute of Technology, Purdue University |
| Doctoral advisor | Gustav Kuerti |
Arthur Gene "Art" Hansen (February 28, 1925 – July 5, 2010) was a philanthropist and former chancellor of several American universities.
Hansen joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and was sent to Purdue University as part of the Navy's V-12 program. He earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1946 and returned to Purdue for his master's degree in mathematics in 1948. During this time, he also was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
For the next ten years, Hansen worked as an aeronautical research scientist at NASA's Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory, while teaching mathematics at John Carroll University and Baldwin–Wallace College. Hansen received his doctorate in mathematics from Case Institute of Technology in 1958. Hansen also holds several honorary degrees.
In 1959, Hansen joined the faculty of the University of Michigan, where he taught and wrote two textbooks about fluid mechanics, despite never having taken a formal class on the subject. He later rose to chairman of the university's mechanical engineering department.
At Georgia Tech, Hansen served as dean of engineering and, from 1969 to 1971, president of the Institute. New facilities for chemistry, civil engineering, physics, and student activities were built during his presidency.
He accepted the position of president at Purdue University from 1971 to 1982, the first Purdue alumnus to do so. Following the late-1960s wave of student unrest, Hansen worked to improve the students' confidence in the university administration. He often hosted open events at his house near the campus, and in 1975 a state law added a student member to the board of trustees. Hansen responded to inflation and state budget cuts by implementing several long-term private fundraising initiatives. These included a newspaper for alumni and parents of students, a phonathon, and a President's Council of donors with which to discuss university matters. These measures helped fund the construction of new buildings for agriculture, athletics, engineering, life sciences, nursing, psychology, and technology.
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