University of Washington faculty member, Frederick Burt Farquharson (1895-1970), was a civil engineer and professor most noted for his studies of the Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse and development of the second Tacoma Narrows bridge.
Farquharson, who was born in Boston, Massachusetts, studied at the University of Washington, earning an undergraduate degree in 1923. He then spent two years working for Boeing Airplane Company, after which he returned to the University of Washington to earn a Masters degree and begin teaching. Farquharson taught in the Department of Civil Engineering until his retirement in 1963, directing the Engineering Experiment Station from 1945 to 1963. His professional interests included various aspects of airplane design, aerodynamics, and the use of wind tunnels for bridge design testing. Farquharson was involved with the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society for Engineering Education. He also was politically active during the 1930s, working with organizations such as the League for Industrial Democracy. His wife, Mary, also was active in anti-war and civil liberties movements, and served in the Washington State Senate.
From the description of Frederick Burt Farquharson papers, 1923-1961. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 123952784
