Stuart Savage

We mourn the passing in Montreal on November 26, 2024, of Stuart Blackton Savage, Professor Emeritus at McGill University, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Member of the National Academy of Engineering, and Life Member of Clare Hall at Cambridge University.

He passed peacefully with his devoted family at his side. Predeceased by his parents Edwin and Hazel, and his sister Patricia, he is survived by his wife, Barbara; sister Anne Elizabeth; daughter Ainsley (Trevor Gillingwater); son Todd (Maria Nikoloudakis); and grandchildren Jasmine, Tyler, and Ava Savage, and Virgil Gillingwater.

Stuart chose to attend McGill University, where he earned an honours degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1960. He was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to do graduate studies at the California Institute of Technology where he completed a MSc and an Aeronautical Engineer’s degree. Returning to McGill, he earned his PhD and joined the faculty.

Stuart’s passion for his work and his dedication to his students and colleagues will be remembered by all who knew him. He had a profound impact on the field of engineering, leaving a legacy of scientific excellence. Over the years he published numerous papers. He was honored by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) for being among the world’s top 100 most highly cited researchers in the category of engineering. Many of the students he mentored have gone on to make their own significant scientific contributions.

While doing his PhD at McGill, Stuart met Barbara Gatehouse, who was working as a research assistant in the engineering department. They married in 1968 in London, England. Returning to McGill, they settled in Montreal West where they lived until recently. Some of the most memorable years together as a family were during Stuart’s three sabbatical leaves—in London and Cambridge, England; and Zurich, Switzerland.

In his spare time, Stuart enjoyed reading; cooking; fishing; taking photographs; playing squash; and fine dining. He loved to travel; his favorite city was Venice. Stuart was devoted to his four grandchildren. Nothing brought him more joy than their visits.

While his health over the past decade deteriorated and his pain increased, he never complained to visitors. Smiles and a joyful attitude were what he showed on every visit.

Stuart was overjoyed when the Stuart B Savage Award was announced in his honour by Mechanics Research Communications in June 2024: ''The award honors Dr. Stuart B. Savage for numerous seminal contributions and advances in theoretical modeling, computational and experimental studies of flowing granular systems, ice floes, fluid mechanics and aerodynamics over the duration of a long and distinguished career as Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at McGill University.''

This international award will be given out biennially in New York to a senior scientist who has made paradigm-shifting contributions to the fields of mechanics and physics of granular materials and discrete particle systems, with the first winner being announced in 2025.

The family is grateful for the exceptional care given to Stuart by the nursing staff and doctors at CHSLD Vigi Reine-Élizabeth, especially the emotional support for his family during his last hours.

A celebration of his life will be held on Tuesday, December 17th from 5 to 8 pm at the McGill Faculty Club, 3450 McTavish Street Montreal, Quebec H3A 0E5.