Joseph B. Franzini, Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, served on the faculty at Stanford University from 1950 to 1986, where he taught fluid mechanics and water resources engineering. Since retirement from Stanford, he has been active as an engineering consultant. He is co-author of the widely used textbooks, Water Resources Engineering and Fluid Mechanics With Engineering Applications. The water resources book, which is used throughout the world, is recognized as one of the most authoritative technical publications in its field.

For over 30 years, Dr. Franzini served as a special consultant to George S. Nolte and Associates, a civil engineering firm in San Jose. Franzini has worked on many water projects in the Silicon Valley and has served as a consultant to many government agencies and private organizations, both in this country and abroad. His experience in professional practice added considerably to the scope of his teaching, as he could bring real-world problems and their solutions into the classroom. In his teaching, he always stressed practicality and professionalism. He encouraged his students to participate actively in professional societies, to pursue registration as professional engineers, and to employ the highest ethical standards.

Franzini received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the California Institute of Technology and his Ph.D. from Stanford University. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a member of the American Geophysical Union, the American Society for Engineering Education, and the American Institute of Hydrology. Dr. Franzini, an outstanding scholar and engineer, is a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of California and has served as President of the San Jose Branch of the San Francisco Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.