Song-Kai Yan

Dr. Song-Kai Yan, 69, lost his battle with Cancer peacefully on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at his home surrounded by his family. He was a resident of Baton Rouge, LA and native of Singapore. He is survived by his wife, Zhiling Wang of Baton Rouge; Daughter, Eryn Yan-Hamby and husband Brandon of Memphis, TN ; 3 sisters, Yan Kai Ru and Yan Zi Chu of P.R. China and Ester Lee of Melbourne, Australia; 2 brothers, Yan Yu Kai and Chan Nai Xieng of P.R. China; and one granddaughter Foster Yan-Hamby. He is preceded in death by his parents Yan Gen Shan and Chew Shiok Ann; and daughter Jing Yan. Dr. Yan earned degrees of a Bachelor’s of Science from the Hydraulic Structure Design & Construction Department of Beijing College of Hydraulic Engineering in 1964, a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Colorado State University in 1983, and his Ph. D degree from Louisiana State University in Civil Engineering in 1989. His dissertation title was “Spatial and Temporal Variations of Salt Water Intrusion and Land Subsidence in the Gonzales-New Orleans Aquifer, New Orleans Area, Louisiana”, a topic of immense interest and lasting significance to the state of Louisiana. Among his numerous professional accomplishments and appointments, Dr. Yan became a licensed Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering in Louisiana in 1992. He became a Professional Hydrologist/Hydrogeologist (P.H.) in 2006. He is a Diplomat of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineering. He is a Past President of the Louisiana Section of the American Water Resources Association and a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He has served as an Associate Editor of the journal Ground Water. Dr. Yan has published 27 refereed technical papers and more than 50 engineering reports. He has translated five books and numerous technical papers. Since his arrival to LSU in 1986, Dr. Yan has remained devoted to LSU and to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He has served as a CEE adjunct faculty member for many years, teaching courses such as Water Distribution and Wastewater Collection and Hydrology. He was recently inducted into LSU’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering - Hall of Distinction for 2011. Dr. Yan was an avid sportsman and enjoyed playing badminton, swimming, and running. For the past 8 years Dr. Yan participated and won numerous medals in the Greater Baton Rouge Senior Olympics & Louisiana Senior Olympic Games. He enjoyed traveling the country, spending time with his granddaughter, meeting up with friends at the LSU Recreation Center for friendly matches of badminton, and socially interacting with his close friends and colleagues. The family would especially like to thank the Knochenmus and Adrian families for their loving support and mentorship since Dr. Yan arrived in the US. The family would also like to thank friends and colleagues for their kindness, support, and love throughout his life and illness. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday April 2, 2011 at Greenoaks Funeral Home. Please visit www.greenoaksfunerals.com.