Ülo Lepik


Ülo Lepik was an Estonian mathematician and mechanics researcher. He spent his academic career at the University of Tartu, where he became professor of theoretical mechanics and later professor emeritus, and he was elected a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences in 1993.

Early life and education

Lepik graduated from the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium in 1940 and began studies at the University of Tartu. His studies were interrupted twice during World War II.
He graduated in 1948 with a degree in physics.
He defended his Candidate of Sciences thesis in 1952, completed doctoral studies associated with Moscow State University, and earned the Soviet Doctor of Sciences degree; he received the title of professor in 1960.

Academic career

Lepik joined the University of Tartu in 1947 and remained there throughout his career, progressing from junior positions to professor.
He led the university's theoretical mechanics unit from 1959 to 1990 and became professor emeritus in 1996.
He was elected a member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences in 1993.

Research

Lepik worked in mechanics and optimisation, including problems in the stability and dynamics of elastic–plastic structural elements and approaches to optimal design.
In later life he applied chaos theory and wavelet methods—particularly Haar wavelets—to the solution of differential and integral equations, and co-authored a monograph published by Springer in 2014.
According to contemporary biographical notes and obituaries, he supervised 13 doctoral and candidate theses and published around 200 scientific articles and three monographs, in addition to university-level textbooks.

Selected works

  • Lepik, Ü.; Roots, Lembit. Teoreetiline mehaanika. Valgus, 1971.
  • Lepik, Ü. Kaos ja kord. Tartu University Press, 1997..
  • Lepik, Ü.; Engelbrecht, Jüri. Kaoseraamat. Teaduste Akadeemia Kirjastus, 1999..
  • Lepik, Ü.; Hein, Helle. Haar Wavelets: With Applications. Springer, 2014.

Honours