Keane retirement wraps 20+ years of teaching

2/5/2019 Stef Anderson

Written by Stef Anderson

Richard Keane
Richard Keane
Dr. Richard Keane taught his last classes this past semester before retiring after more than two decades with the university.

A native of Australia, Keane completed his undergraduate studies in mathematics at the School of Mathematical Sciences at Flinders University in Adelaide, and continued studying there to earn his master’s in mathematics. Keane taught mathematics for eight years at James Cook University in Townsville, and during his last three years there earned a B.E. in civil engineering. He spent the next two years at a consulting firm before moving to the U.S.

Keane began his time at Illinois as a graduate student in the former department of Theoretical and Applied Mathematics (TAM). In his graduate studies, he undertook both experimental work and theoretical modeling of fluid mechanics with Professor Ronald Adrian, a world leader in fluid mechanics who later became acting head of the department.

After earning his PhD in TAM in 1993, he was hired as a postdoctoral research associate and a visiting lecturer, continuing to teach courses in the field of fluid mechanics. He spent 24 years in TAM and eventually MechSE when the departments merged in 2006. He taught a wide range of courses, including both elementary and intermediate fluid mechanics, introductory statics and dynamics, strength of materials, design, and many more.

Keane was also the coordinator for the fluid mechanics laboratory in Talbot Laboratory, and he contributed to the current laboratory manual required for TAM 335, Introductory Fluid Mechanics.

For many years, he advised and supported students in the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM). Keane also does charity work with the local organization Empty Tomb, and he has volunteered nearly every Saturday for the last 20 years with Habitat for Humanity.

Professor Emeritus James Phillips worked with Keane for many years and holds him in high regard. “I personally enjoyed my interaction with Dr. Keane throughout all his time here, starting when he was a student and into his years as an instructor and lecturer in MechSE.”


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This story was published February 5, 2019.