Howard I. Epstein, a beloved University of Connecticut civil engineering professor since 1976 who also made major contributions to the state as a practitioner, and remained active in ASCE as recently as last fall, has died. He was 84.
“Epstein embraced the scholar-practitioner model. He was enthusiastic about his experience in the field and encouraged others to collaborate in research that moved the profession forward,” said friend Chad T. Morrison, an ASCE fellow and Massachusetts structural engineer.
For five decades, Epstein, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, taught fundamentals such as mechanics of materials that went beyond building skills to help students understand the importance of what they were learning. As students progressed, he remained involved with senior design classes and challenges. He especially valued his connections with graduate researchers. When one such student was killed in a car accident, Epstein completed his thesis and had it published.
A discovery Epstein made in investigating a building failure in the 1970s led to changes in official guidance for steel-beam construction. After Hartford’s civic center collapsed in the Blizzard of 1978, Epstein was appointed by the mayor to join an investigation. There, in the massive pile of twisted steel, he spotted an angle with an L-shaped rupture pattern. Up until then, block shear was known only as a limit state for coped beams. This failed connection confirmed that block shear is a limit state that should be considered for tensile member connections as well. The findings were published shortly after and were eventually included in the AISC Steel Construction Manual.
While with Torello Engineers, Epstein restored a historic smokestack at Backus Hospital in Norwich. The design included a custom steel exoskeleton to support the brick masonry without concealing its historic character.
A surprising sidelight to those who didn’t know him was Epstein’s love of acting on stage. For more than 40 years, he appeared in theaters throughout Connecticut. Naturally, his roles included Professor Hill in The Music Man and Coach in Footloose.
Epstein was active within ASCE, presenting most recently at the SEI Connecticut Chapter Structural Engineering Seminar in 2025.
“Howard shared decades of professional insight with clarity, depth, and humility. His final presentation last November reflected not only technical rigor, but also the perspective and wisdom of an engineer deeply committed to advancing the structural engineering profession,” said chapter board member Sangyul Cho. He was a reviewer for ASCE’s Journal of Structural Engineering and Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering, and served on the Society’s Committee on Continuing Professional Development and Subcommittee on Supply and Demand for Civil Engineers.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Epstein found inspiration at Brooklyn Technical High School and earned a bachelor’s degree at Cooper Union, then a doctorate at Northwestern University. His career began with brief stints at the Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Minnesota prior to making his home in Connecticut.
Epstein received awards from Cooper Union, Connecticut Engineers in Private Practice, the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers, and Associated General Contractors of Connecticut.
