Amde Meskel Wolde-Tinsae was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on April 9, 1947 to his father Boku Wodere and mother Aleme Wakeni. He grew up in the Merkato neighborhood of Addis Ababa, and attended Prince Wesson Seged Elementary School and Prince Mekonen Secondary School. He was top of his class every year, and skipped two grades early in his school years.
Amde moved to the United States in 1966 after winning a scholarship to attend Johns Hopkins University. Arriving in the midst of the civil rights movement, he was one of a handful of Black students that integrated his all-white program at Johns Hopkins for the first time that year. During his college years, he befriended students from all over the world, explored the country, joined a fraternity, and bought himself the iconic '64 mustang. He graduated with a B.E.S. in Engineering Mechanics in 1970. Amde drove across the country to Oakland, California, where he lived while attending the University of California, Berkeley. He received his Master's in structural engineering from UC Berkeley in 1972. He later attended the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he received his PhD in 1976. His early career included appointments at McMaster University and lowa State University before joining the University of Maryland in 1983.
Professor Amde dedicated over four decades to the advancement of structural engineering through groundbreaking research and the strengthening of civil infrastructure. He authored over 30 major reference works, 60 refereed journal articles, and 130 conference proceedings. He lent his expertise to a wide array of local, state, and federal organizations, providing critical guidance to the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the Federal Highway Administration. He delivered invited lectures, courses, and keynote addresses across six of the seven continents.
Dr. Amde served the University of Maryland as a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for 38 years. He was the first Black professor and later the first Black chair of his department He taught and mentored generations of students, many of whom have gone on to design some of the most complex structures around the world. Professor Amde was a gracious colleague and a generous mentor. He listened carefully, spoke with purpose, and led with quiet dignity. His office was a place of encouragement and clarity, where students found guidance and colleagues found wisdom.
Throughout his life, Professor Amde served Ethiopia and the Ethiopian community with extraordinary generosity. He provided education, mentorship, and scholarship opportunities for Ethiopian students. He established an academic exchange program between the University of Maryland and Addis Ababa University, arranging for professors from Ethiopian universities to spend time abroad and bring knowledge back to train the next generation. His dedication to advancing the scientific and professional standing of his peers led him to become a Co-Founder and Director of the Ethiopian Scientific Society in North America, as well as a Founding Member of the Ethiopian American Foundation. For fourteen years, he served as the President of the Ethiopian Community Center in Maryland, offering social services, educational opportunities, career assistance, and cultural programs to Ethiopian immigrants and families.
Amde was a problem-solver, a builder, and a practical man. He was known to interject random science facts into everyday conversation.
He was a man of few words but loved to laugh and made friends easily. He was an adventurous traveler-he walked the Sahara Desert, hiked the Camino de Santiago, and on his final expedition, saw the polar ice caps up close. Amde was a lifelong student of history and a lover of music, everything from Ethiopian jazz to blues and soul to rock and roll. He made extraordinary effort to create memories with his family, flying across the country and around the world to spend time with his children, siblings, cousins, nieces and nephews over the years.
Amde was devoted to his children until the very end. He was a steady, calming presence, and a fierce protector. He was meticulously watchful of his family's wellbeing, and put everyone's comfort before his own. He remained curious in his parenting, endlessly learning and growing as a father, continuing to get to know his children with each passing year.
Dr. Amde passed away unexpectedly on February 25, 2026 while traveling in Vietnam to celebrate his son's wedding engagement. He is survived by four of his children and five siblings. He will be dearly missed.
