Former trustee, alumnus Chang-Lin Tien dies at age 67

Chang-Lin Tien, a former Princeton University trustee and former chancellor of the University of California-Berkeley, died Oct. 29 at age 67.

Tien, who received a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Princeton in 1959, served as a University trustee from 1991 to 1995.

"My first impression of him was his energy, a very focused energy," said Princeton President Emeritus Harold T. Shapiro, who was president during Tien's service as a trustee. "What stands out about him is the extraordinary energy and enthusiasm he always put behind an idea. He wasn't the kind of person who simply demanded something. He had ideas. He wanted to work with you. He would give away more ideas in an afternoon than most people had in a career."

Tien was appointed chancellor of Berkeley in 1990 and served in that post until 1997. He is credited with providing critical leadership that maintained Berkeley's top-level status in teaching and research at a time of severe budget cutbacks in the University of California System.

In 2000, Tien received Princeton's James Madison Medal, given each year to an alumnus or alumna of the Graduate School who has had a distinguished career, advanced the cause of education or achieved an outstanding record of public service.

As a scientist, Tien made extensive contributions in understanding thermal radiation and insulation and microscale thermal phenomena.

An article with more information about Tien and his accomplishments is on the Berkeley Web site .

Contact: Lauren Robinson-Brown (609) 258-3601