Advisor to Italy on stabilizing the ‘leaning’ Tower of Pisa
Gerald A. “Jerry” Leonards earned a master's degree and a PhD in chemical engineering in 1948 and 1952, respectively. As a faculty member in Purdue's College of Engineering from 1952 to 1991, he gained recognition as a towering figure in geotechnical engineering. Throughout his career, Leonards' insight and expertise were sought for earthwork and foundation projects worldwide. He was the only "non-European" invited by the Italian government to sit on an official commission tasked with investigating methods to stabilize the "leaning" Tower of Pisa. His seminal book, Foundation Engineering, became a globally recognized reference in the field. In 1980, Leonards was invited by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) to deliver its prestigious Terzaghi Lecture. His contributions were further recognized with his induction into the National Academy of Engineering in 1988, and receipt of ASCE's Karl Terzaghi Award in 1989 and Norman Medal in 1965. Leonards was so beloved and respected that long after he died in 1997 at 75, his 100th birthday was celebrated on April 29, 2021, at an event hosted by the Purdue Geotechnical Society.