Obituary of Kenneth Kuan-Yun Kuo

Kenneth Kuan-Yun Kuo, 76, of State College, Pennsylvania passed away on July 31, 2016 surrounded by family. Ken was born in Kunming, China on December 17, 1939. He graduated from the National Taiwan University with a B.S. in 1961 and continued on to receive a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley in 1964 and a Ph.D. in Aerospace and Mechanical Sciences from Princeton University in 1971. Ken retired as Distinguished Professor Emeritus after serving as Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory for 39 years at The Pennsylvania State University. Ken was an internationally recognized authority on chemical propulsion and propellant combustion. He greatly impacted his field through the founding of the High Pressure Combustion Laboratory at Penn State, leadership on more than 100 scientific research projects, and authorship of several widely used textbooks and hundreds of technical articles. Ken received numerous awards throughout his career from various professional societies as well as from U.S. government agencies. Some of the most notable include the 2014 Ballistics Science Fellow of the International Ballistics Society, the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from Joint Army Navy NASA Air Force (JANNAF), and the 2011 Wyld Propulsion Award from The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Ken collaborated with colleagues around the world and advised and mentored more than 140 graduate students. He considered these relationships to be the most personally fulfilling part of his work and many of these have turned into enduring friendships. Upon retirement, Ken and his wife, Olivia, committed to continue to support advancements in the engineering program in perpetuity by endowing two Early Career Professorships in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Penn State because he was passionate about the need to promote the success of young and promising faculty members in the area of combustion and propulsion. In his personal life, Ken loved traveling and was fortunate enough to have visited 6 continents in his lifetime while instilling a love of travel and exploration in his children. Ken also relished in good food, especially ice cream, both at home and wherever his travels took him. His other interests included singing, playing a friendly game of poker with friends, listening to classical music and opera, attending concerts and performances, and ballroom dancing with Olivia. Ken had an inquisitive mind and a lifelong passion for learning, which was a part of everything he did. Ken was extremely devoted to and loved by his family and friends. He maintained many close family ties and friendships spanning childhood to more recent times and from across the world to those in State College. He often treated friends like his own family. Many have fond memories of his smile, laughter, kindness, and thoughtfulness. Ken will always be remembered as a devoted husband, loving dad and grandfather, loyal friend, supportive mentor, and as a good man who was always there for others. He will be greatly missed by friends and family around the world. Ken is survived by his wife of fifty-one years Olivia Kuo, two daughters, Phyllis Hinkle and her husband Mark of Cary, NC and Angela Kuo and her husband Bill Ling of San Francisco, CA, and two grandchildren Elsa and Tate Ling. Ken is also survived by his sister, Katherine Lu and her husband Y.C. of Columbus, Ohio. A private inurnment service occurred at Chuang Yen Monastery in Carmel, NY. In honor of Ken's love of music and the support and care he received from Mount Nittany health system over the years, memorial contributions may be made in his name and be directed to either the Center for Performing Arts at Penn State, 102 Eisenhower Auditorium, University Park, PA 16802, or the Mount Nittany Health Foundation, 1800 E. Park Avenue, State College, PA 16801 (online at give.mountnittany.org). The Mount Nittany Health donations will be directed to the Cardiology Department. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.