Esteemed Professor, bridge engineer, and author Dr. Charles Birnstiel passed away on March 11th at the age of 94.
Charles was born on December 6, 1929, in Manhattan, NY, to German immigrants Karl and Margarete Birnstiel. After attending public grade schools in East Harlem, Charles studied at Brooklyn Technical High School, and then at New York University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, A Master of Science in Civil Engineering, and a Doctorate Degree in Structural Engineering.
Following his graduation, Charles devoted himself to teaching and structural mechanics research as a professor at both New York University and Polytechnic University. After 20 years in academia, he transitioned into private practice, leading a multidisciplinary engineering firm specializing in the design, inspection, and testing of moveable bridge machinery. He continued to teach during this time, holding adjunct positions at Colombia University, Cooper Union, Manhattan College, and Pratt Institute. After another 23 years, in 1997, Charles joined Hardesty & Hanover as principal associate, where he practiced until his retirement in 2014.
He remained active in retirement, continuing to apply his expertise as a consultant and author. In 2017, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for Bridge Engineering by the NY Bridge Conference and the Bridge Engineering Association.
Charles maintained a lifelong pride in his German heritage, contributing to the German Society of Pennsylvania, helping to establish the German Institute at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and with his sister Margaret, funding the Birnstiel-Heckel scholarship there as well.
Dr Birnstiel was active on technical committees of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He was chairman of the ASCE Standards Committee responsible for the ASCE/SEI 19-10 Structural Applications of Steel Cables for Buildings Standard. He was an emeritus member of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Committee 15 – Bridges and participated for many years in updating the AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering – a recommended practice. He was a licensed professional engineer in 13 states and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE) and of ASCE.
During his long and illustrious career Charles was an indispensable part of the New York City bridge community whose legacy lives on in generations of engineers. Charles is survived by his sister, Margaret Birnstiel, cousins Nell and Susan (Bob), Sharon and Gretl, George (Bianca) and Gisela (Klaus).
Dr. Birnstiel helped establish the Wartburg College German Institute.
All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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