Theodore von Kármán

Theodore von Kármán (1881–1963) was a Hungarian-American mathematician, aerospace engineer and physicist who made foundational contributions to aerodynamics and supersonic flight. He led Caltech's Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory, helped establish the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and advised U.S. government and industry on aerospace development.

Quotes by Theodore von Kármán

Quotes: 1

Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been. — Theodore von Kármán

Science Observes; Engineering Invents the Possible

To connect explanation to creation, education and practice are converging. The CDIO Initiative (Conceive–Design–Implement–Operate, 2004) and NASA’s Systems Engineering Handbook (2007) emphasize lifecycle thinking, integration, and verification. Interdisciplinary studios blend science, design, and policy so graduates can move ideas from paper to planet. In closing, the scientist’s fidelity to what is and the engineer’s commitment to what could be are mutually enabling. Our most humane futures will emerge when these mindsets travel together—from discovery, to design, to stewardship. [...]

Created on: 10/4/2025