William Tiller

With great sadness, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering notes that William Tiller, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Emeritus, and world-renowned specialist in the solidification of various materials, died February 7, 2022. He was 92.

Professor Tiller was best known for his theoretical and experimental research into the physics of solidification for many materials, including water, metals, semiconductors, oxides, and polymers. He investigated the relationships between the crystallization process and the resulting material structures and their physical properties. He exploited this knowledge to generate new processes for applications ranging from ingot casting and material purification to single crystal growth that was critical to the then-nascent semiconductor industry, among other technical problems of his time.

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and students.

You can view Professor Tiller's full obituary in the Stanford Report here.