Professors remain inseparable since childhood

Fifty years ago, professors Henry Yeh and Hsien-Yang Yeh grew up in the same house in Taiwan. Now, half a century and 7,000 miles later, little distance has been put between them still.

Henry Yeh is an electrical engineering professor in the College of Engineering at Cal State Long Beach while Hsien-Yang Yeh is a mechanical engineering professor. The brothers have been teaching together since 1983, and their offices sit one floor apart.

“I just make a phone call, and he comes down or I go up,” Henry Yeh said. “I like it. He’s my buddy.”

Hsien-Yang Yeh was born during a Chinese civil war in 1947. His father was a military engineer who fought against the communist faction. When his side lost, he took his wife and Hsien-Yang Yeh to Taiwan, welcoming Henry Yeh into the family nine years later.

The Yeh brothers said their age gap eliminated the possibility of any sibling rivalry or fighting growing up.

“He gave orders, I just followed,” Henry Yeh said.

The Yeh brothers attended the same university in Taiwan as undergraduates, and they both came to America for their graduate degrees. Once here, they said they thought it would be best to stay.

“There were more opportunities for research and application of that research,” Henry Yeh said.

Hsien-Yang Yeh went to work at Hughes Aircraft doing stress-analysis tests of materials used in planes. Meanwhile, Henry Yeh began teaching at CSULB full-time. After a few years as a part-time instructor, Hsien-Yang Yeh became a full-time professor as well.

But teaching is only half their story.

Hsien-Yang Yeh recently finished research on carbon nano tubes, which he described as “pure scientific research to develop stronger materials.”

Henry Yeh, on the other hand, helped to design the Cassini spacecraft, which is currently floating near Neptune.
“I’m busy,” Henry Yeh said.

Not so busy, though, that he can’t find time to be the head coach of CSULB’s kung fu club, a martial art he’s been practicing for 20 years. And while Henry Yeh teaches students the various techniques of kung fu, Hsien-Yang Yeh does tai chi, a meditative exercise that he says applies to engineering.

“It helps solve the tough problems in the research world,” Hsien-Yang Yeh said. “Tai chi is a perfect example of bio mechanics.”

At 55, Henry Yeh said he plans to continue teaching for at least another ten years. Hsien-Yang Yeh is on the early faculty retirement program and can only teach part-time for another two and a half years. He said he’ll miss teaching, but he’ll find ways to pass the time.

“I’ll enjoy playing with my granddaughter and grandson . . . and still do some research,” he said.