Annual Report Year 2009 - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Annual Report Year 2009 - Civil and Environmental Engineering
Annual Report Year 2009 - Civil and Environmental Engineering
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the Charles E. Via, Jr.<br />
Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>2009</strong> Via <strong>Report</strong> • No. 23<br />
Patton Hall<br />
William Knocke<br />
Samuel Easterling<br />
The <strong>Year</strong> of Transition
TABLE OF CONTENTS<br />
Department Head’s Message..............................................................................................................1<br />
Research News<br />
Disaster Management: A Complex World Brings New Vulnerabilities.........................................2<br />
Infrastructure Development: Implementation Is A Catalyst For Growth And Progress.............4<br />
Nanotechnology Impact: Are Nanomaterials A Risk To <strong>Environmental</strong> Health........................6<br />
Transportation Modeling: Systems Analysis Is Crucial to Future Safety And Planning............8<br />
New Faculty.......................................................................................................................................10<br />
Faculty Honors And Achievements.................................................................................................11<br />
Faculty News.....................................................................................................................................12<br />
Student News....................................................................................................................................15<br />
Alumni News.....................................................................................................................................18<br />
Program Areas<br />
Complete CEE Faculty Listing......................................................................................................19<br />
Vecellio Construction <strong>and</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Management................................................................20<br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>and</strong> Water Resources <strong>Engineering</strong>.....................................................................23<br />
Geotechnical <strong>Engineering</strong>.............................................................................................................30<br />
Structural <strong>and</strong> Materials <strong>Engineering</strong>...........................................................................................33<br />
Transportation Infrastructure <strong>and</strong> Systems <strong>Engineering</strong>...........................................................37<br />
Via Scholars.......................................................................................................................................41<br />
Via Alumni — Where Are They Now..............................................................................................57<br />
Donors................................................................................................................................................64
DEPARTMENT HEAD’S MESSAGE<br />
Changing times<br />
Future filled with challenges <strong>and</strong> opportunities<br />
Fifteen <strong>Year</strong>s<br />
A lot has changed within the Via Department<br />
of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
during this time.<br />
The past 15 years have seen over 3500<br />
degrees conferred to undergraduate <strong>and</strong><br />
graduate civil engineers. Over 50 percent of<br />
the current faculty <strong>and</strong> over 60 percent of the<br />
current staff in CEE were hired.<br />
External funded research has seen a fivefold<br />
increase; <strong>and</strong> our national reputation<br />
as measured by the U.S. News <strong>and</strong> World<br />
<strong>Report</strong> rankings have reached collective alltime<br />
highs with a <strong>2009</strong> undergraduate ranking<br />
of 10th, a graduate CEE ranking of 7th<br />
<strong>and</strong> a graduate environmental ranking of 9th.<br />
The English Geotechnical Laboratory, the<br />
Baker <strong>Environmental</strong> Hydraulics Laboratory<br />
<strong>and</strong> a major addition to the Thomas M. Murray<br />
Structural <strong>Engineering</strong> Laboratory were<br />
completed through private fund raising from<br />
many alumni <strong>and</strong> friends of the department.<br />
These are but a few of the many accomplishments<br />
<strong>and</strong> changes that have occurred<br />
in the past 15 years.<br />
Up until August 9th of this year, there has<br />
been one constant in the presence of all<br />
the change represented in the tremendous<br />
growth <strong>and</strong> progress. That constant has<br />
been the leadership of Bill Knocke as head<br />
of the Via Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Professor Knocke will be the first one to<br />
tell you that the success is a direct result<br />
of the hard work <strong>and</strong> dedication shown by<br />
our faculty, staff <strong>and</strong> students, as well as<br />
the loyal support of our alumni <strong>and</strong> friends.<br />
However, it is my firm belief that the department<br />
has reached the position that we have<br />
because of the exceptional leadership <strong>and</strong><br />
unyielding commitment that Bill Knocke<br />
has shown to our department, college <strong>and</strong><br />
university. No one exemplifies the university<br />
motto Ut Prosim – That I May Serve any<br />
more than Professor Knocke.<br />
You can read more about Bill’s service<br />
<strong>and</strong> plans for the future as he returns to a<br />
role of full time teaching <strong>and</strong> research on<br />
page 13.<br />
Bill, on behalf of the faculty, staff, students,<br />
alumni <strong>and</strong> friends of the Via Department<br />
of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
let me simply say thank you <strong>and</strong> we are<br />
deeply indebted to your service.<br />
Now To The Future<br />
When I wrote this message, I was beginning<br />
my second day on the job as the department<br />
head. First, let me offer a collective<br />
thank you for the overwhelming support that<br />
I’ve received from all parts of the Virginia<br />
Tech family – alumni <strong>and</strong> friends of the department,<br />
faculty, staff <strong>and</strong> students. I cannot<br />
imagine that anyone entering this position<br />
could have had a stronger show of support –<br />
as I say it has been overwhelming.<br />
Certainly the future is filled with both challenges<br />
<strong>and</strong> opportunities. The financial situation<br />
in which we find ourselves in the midst<br />
of is certainly a challenge. Levels of state<br />
support continue to fall <strong>and</strong> higher education<br />
is carrying a significant portion of the budget<br />
reductions.<br />
I tend to be an optimist, <strong>and</strong> so I say to<br />
you that as bad as things are, I believe that<br />
Virginia is in better shape than many other<br />
states <strong>and</strong> that Virginia Tech is better positioned<br />
to cope than most universities.<br />
Regardless of how well prepared we may<br />
be, the economic downturn has <strong>and</strong> is affecting<br />
our program. We, like many others,<br />
will get through it <strong>and</strong> make every effort to<br />
maintain the high quality program that you<br />
<strong>and</strong> we have come to expect.<br />
Opportunities exist on many fronts <strong>and</strong> I<br />
am excited about what they offer. This fall<br />
semester we once again welcomed an academically<br />
talented <strong>and</strong> excited group of students<br />
to campus. The opportunity to interact<br />
with high caliber undergraduate <strong>and</strong> graduate<br />
students is what fundamentally drives the<br />
faculty <strong>and</strong> staff.<br />
I also continue to be thrilled with the opportunity<br />
to work with so many enthusiastic<br />
<strong>and</strong> dedicated alumni. The strong support of<br />
our alumni is not only inspiring but is a big<br />
part of the success of the department.<br />
The engagement <strong>and</strong> generosity of our<br />
alumni <strong>and</strong> friends enable us to fund scholarships,<br />
build laboratories such as those I<br />
mentioned earlier, support student field trips,<br />
recruit <strong>and</strong> recognize faculty through named<br />
professorships <strong>and</strong> in many other ways.<br />
While this support helps us in critical ways<br />
during the tough<br />
economy, what it<br />
is really doing is<br />
taking your department<br />
to great<br />
places. One of<br />
the aspects of<br />
my new job that<br />
I’m looking forward<br />
to the most<br />
is continuing to<br />
meet <strong>and</strong> work<br />
with more of<br />
our alumni <strong>and</strong><br />
EASTERLING friends.<br />
The last opportunity<br />
that I’ll mention is on the funded<br />
research front, an area in which our faculty<br />
continues to have great success. This success<br />
tends to feed on itself <strong>and</strong> attract additional<br />
research <strong>and</strong> visibility for our program.<br />
One measure of the success is the annual<br />
ranking by the National Science Foundation.<br />
The most recent NSF rankings, which were<br />
based on FY 2007 expenditures, show CEE<br />
as the leading department in the College of<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>. This is a great accomplishment<br />
<strong>and</strong> directly attributable to efforts of our faculty<br />
<strong>and</strong> supporting staff.<br />
Although he has not yet joined us, we<br />
are looking forward to welcoming Dr. Adrian<br />
Rodriguez-Marek to Blacksburg as a member<br />
of our faculty beginning in August 2010.<br />
Dr. Rodriguez-Marek will be a member of our<br />
geotechnical program area <strong>and</strong> joins us from<br />
Washington State University. Adrian brings<br />
great strength to an already strong group<br />
of faculty, with his research largely focused<br />
in the geotechnical earthquake engineering<br />
area.<br />
In closing, let me reiterate my appreciation<br />
for the opportunity to serve as the head of<br />
such a great department. I’m excited about<br />
what lies ahead!<br />
With kind regards,<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 1
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
James R.<br />
Martin<br />
Disaster management<br />
A complex world brings new vulnerabilities<br />
W<br />
hen dealing with a disaster,<br />
at least one expert believes<br />
the governing bodies should<br />
resemble a starfish, <strong>and</strong> not a spider.<br />
And his intriguing theories about why are<br />
gaining momentum across the U.S. <strong>and</strong><br />
around the world.<br />
James R. Martin, director of Virginia<br />
Tech’s Institute for Disaster Risk Management,<br />
is basing some of his novel<br />
approach to mitigating disaster to the<br />
book, “The Starfish <strong>and</strong> the Spider,” by Ori<br />
Brafman <strong>and</strong> Rod Beckstrom. Released in<br />
July of 2008, it explores “the phenomenal<br />
<strong>and</strong> unstoppable new power of the starfish<br />
organizations” in the business world.<br />
“A disaster is no time to exchange a<br />
business card,” Martin said, quoting these<br />
words that he first heard from a colleague,<br />
Brian Tishuk, executive director of ChicagoFirst.<br />
Martin continues to echo Tishuk’s<br />
words, <strong>and</strong> uses them as an excellent<br />
reason to propose this shared leadership<br />
concept to change the way the public <strong>and</strong><br />
private sector now look at disasters.<br />
Starfish have the ability to grow a new<br />
arm if one is cut off, <strong>and</strong> even more intriguing,<br />
the detached arm can develop<br />
into an entirely new body. By contrast, cut<br />
off the head of a spider, <strong>and</strong> death is immediate.<br />
Martin said these opposite biological<br />
events can be analogous to the various<br />
crises resulting from a disaster. If one responding<br />
agency is immobilized, the rest<br />
should continue to function seamlessly as<br />
in the case of the starfish.<br />
As the business world enters into more<br />
organizational charts that look like starfish,<br />
instead of the more traditional topdown<br />
communities, stories of successes<br />
abound. Authors Brafman <strong>and</strong> Beckstrom<br />
cite Craig’s List’s crippling of the newspaper<br />
classified ad industry, Napster’s<br />
success in the global music world, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
community-based Wikipedia over the traditional<br />
Encyclopedia Britannica.<br />
Martin, a professor of geotechnical<br />
engineering who specializes in the study<br />
of the construction of infrastructure such<br />
as roads <strong>and</strong> buildings for increased resilience<br />
to natural <strong>and</strong> human-induced or<br />
terrorist activities, is a strong proponent of<br />
community-based leadership to minimize<br />
disasters.<br />
“The private sector sets up a balancing<br />
act between efficiency <strong>and</strong> public vulnerability,”<br />
Martin explained. As an example,<br />
he spoke of the phone company that<br />
wants to make its profit. Yet, past disasters<br />
prove that more switches are needed<br />
to h<strong>and</strong>le the overload on communications<br />
networks that arrives with an unexpected<br />
event. If the company elects to trim efficiency<br />
to increase its profit, this decision<br />
“may make the public more vulnerable<br />
during the disaster,” Martin said.<br />
“Disasters are multidisciplinary,” Martin<br />
said. “Our highly inter-connective complex<br />
world brings new vulnerabilities. We now<br />
depend on high tech solutions <strong>and</strong> efficient<br />
infrastructures … Our center is looking<br />
at disasters in a holistic way. Hurricane<br />
Katrina had engineering, political, social,<br />
economic <strong>and</strong> environmental issues.”<br />
In a disaster, the government must<br />
coordinate efforts but the private sec-<br />
Continued on next page<br />
2 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
tor must perform much of the work. As<br />
with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,<br />
construction utility, banking, <strong>and</strong> other institutions<br />
needed to interact, <strong>and</strong> it is well<br />
documented that many things did not run<br />
smoothly.<br />
So, “to develop resilient solutions for the<br />
problems of the 21st Century, where solutions<br />
come from many different people,<br />
in conjunction with policy makers, we<br />
need the leadership networks of starfish.<br />
Instead of one strong head, we need the<br />
transportation, water, power, <strong>and</strong> other<br />
industries to share the leadership,” Martin<br />
said.<br />
Martin pointed to the creation of the All<br />
Hazards Consortium (AHC), a 501c3 nonprofit<br />
dedicated to re-engineering the way<br />
state governments are collaborating with<br />
industry, as the “first starfish” organized<br />
to h<strong>and</strong>le disasters. AHC is comprised of<br />
eight Mid-Atlantic states plus the District<br />
of Columbia. According to its website, it<br />
visualizes the government as the owner<br />
of the problem, with the private sector<br />
owning most of the assets, technologies<br />
<strong>and</strong> solutions. The universities provide the<br />
research <strong>and</strong> education to address the<br />
problem <strong>and</strong> the non-profit organizations<br />
provide access to information <strong>and</strong> people<br />
who are focused on a particular aspect of<br />
the problem.<br />
Thus, AHC is attempting to bring together<br />
all of the stakeholders in a powerful<br />
environment of collaboration to solve the<br />
tough problems that require resources<br />
from every sector. http://www.ahcusa.org/<br />
whols.htm<br />
“AHC is working together in an unprecedented<br />
way,” Martin said. “The county<br />
government is on a level playing field with<br />
the head of the Federal Emergency Management<br />
Agency (FEMA).”<br />
DRM at Virginia Tech has now partnered<br />
with AHC <strong>and</strong> is using this model<br />
in an attempt to persuade the federal<br />
government that there should be 10 such<br />
regions in the country.<br />
And in an effort to enhance this model,<br />
Martin is investigating the use of computer<br />
simulations to model the various responses<br />
during a disaster. “With our simulations<br />
we can see the impacts. The key is no<br />
one is in control. The small company has<br />
as much influence as the big company,”<br />
he explained.<br />
“This modeling component of the nation’s<br />
infrastructure is new,” said Martin<br />
who has worked on the building of numerous<br />
structures in areas where the probability<br />
of earthquakes is high.<br />
To produce the model, he is working<br />
with researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics<br />
Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech.<br />
“Once we develop the system, a city manager<br />
could turn on the program <strong>and</strong> work<br />
through the sophisticated tools to manage<br />
his particular environment. The product<br />
will be a universal tool,” Martin said. In<br />
addition to VBI, he is partnering with Virginia<br />
Tech’s Institute for Policy <strong>and</strong> Governance,<br />
the Center for Power Electronics<br />
Systems, <strong>and</strong> Space@VT, as well as the<br />
Brookings Institute of Washington, D.C.<br />
“We are creating a foundation, <strong>and</strong> hoping<br />
to do something truly revolutionary. It’s<br />
a leap <strong>and</strong> definitely outside my comfort<br />
zone,” Martin said.<br />
But the time seems right. As the Obama<br />
administration is focusing so much of its<br />
efforts on the rebuilding <strong>and</strong> repair of the<br />
nation’s infrastructure, Martin was asked<br />
by the American Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers<br />
(ASCE) to introduce the concept of “New<br />
21st Century Disaster Vulnerability Challenges”<br />
at it recent statewide meeting<br />
in Williamsburg, Va. ASCE then asked<br />
Martin to supply his ideas to the Obama<br />
transition team. And in October of <strong>2009</strong>,<br />
he developed a special session, “Infrastructure<br />
Investment <strong>and</strong> Sustainable<br />
Solutions” at ASCE’s 139th <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Civil</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Conference.<br />
“The synopsis of this session was the<br />
world is a smaller place, <strong>and</strong> the engineer’s<br />
role in designing infrastructure is<br />
evolving rapidly. Recent disasters, such<br />
as the levee failures during Hurricane<br />
Katrina, the Midwest flooding, the 2003<br />
Northeast Power Blackout, <strong>and</strong> the collapse<br />
of the I-35 W bridge in Minnesota,<br />
have exposed the far-reaching effects a<br />
local disaster can have on both a domestic<br />
<strong>and</strong> a global scale,” Martin said.<br />
A year prior to the ASCE meeting, DRM<br />
held a workshop at the National Regulatory<br />
Commission explaining its new paradigm<br />
for minimizing disasters. And Martin<br />
presented at the 2008 International Disaster<br />
Reduction Conference, held in Davos,<br />
Switzerl<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> sponsored by the United<br />
Nations. This presentation was done in<br />
partnership with Virginia Tech’s Institute<br />
for Policy <strong>and</strong> Governance (IPG). Results<br />
of this symposium will be featured in a<br />
special issue of the Journal for Emergency<br />
Management on “Multi-Organizational <strong>and</strong><br />
Networked Alliances.” Martin <strong>and</strong> Max<br />
Stephenson of IPG are the editors of this<br />
journal.<br />
Also, the Naval Post Graduate School<br />
Center for Homel<strong>and</strong> Defense <strong>and</strong><br />
Security published a special report on<br />
“Multi-Jurisdictional, Network Alliances<br />
<strong>and</strong> Emergency Preparedness” based in<br />
part on the work of DRM. FEMA <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Department of Homel<strong>and</strong> Security (DHS)<br />
sponsored the report, <strong>and</strong> in it, the DHS<br />
underscored the need for “building effective<br />
partnerships between all levels of the<br />
government, the private sector, international<br />
partners, <strong>and</strong> the general public.<br />
Research shows that multi-organizational<br />
partnerships can produce greater ability<br />
<strong>and</strong> timeliness in response <strong>and</strong> recovery,<br />
better communication <strong>and</strong> coordination,<br />
<strong>and</strong> reduce vulnerability <strong>and</strong> consequence.”<br />
Martin is working with AHC ChicagoFirst<br />
<strong>and</strong> several other partners to bring this<br />
model to each of the 10 FEMA regions in<br />
the U.S.<br />
DRM is working on a number of smaller<br />
projects, including: serving as a Disaster<br />
Recovery Center to a classified data provider<br />
for the Pentagon <strong>and</strong> other major<br />
clients; working on a l<strong>and</strong>slide risk study<br />
in Romania <strong>and</strong> conducting analyses for a<br />
risk study for a major Romanian dam that<br />
is threatened by l<strong>and</strong>slides; <strong>and</strong> conducting<br />
similar mitigation projects in Turkey,<br />
Italy <strong>and</strong> Switzerl<strong>and</strong>. DRM also provides<br />
training to major agencies such as FEMA,<br />
ASCE, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, <strong>and</strong><br />
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission<br />
about four times annually.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 3
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
Infrastructure development<br />
Implementation is a catalyst for growth <strong>and</strong> progress<br />
Michael J.<br />
Garvin<br />
Over the roughly last two decades,<br />
alternative approaches for delivering<br />
infrastructure projects such<br />
as public-private partnerships (PPP) have<br />
received significant attention in the United<br />
States, particularly in Virginia.<br />
In northern Virginia, the Dulles Greenway<br />
was one of the first U.S. highway<br />
projects to be delivered by a PPP franchise<br />
agreement. The extension of the<br />
existing Dulles Toll Road was intended<br />
to provide a more attractive commuter<br />
route <strong>and</strong> serve as a catalyst of property<br />
development. Planning started in 1987,<br />
<strong>and</strong> a private consortium named TRIP II<br />
secured the right to develop the extension<br />
as a toll road. After a schedule slip, the<br />
toll road opened in 1995 <strong>and</strong> was soon in<br />
financial distress. To make matters worse,<br />
the Virginia Department of Transportation<br />
(VDOT) started improving Route 7,<br />
a competing free road, marginalizing the<br />
government’s commitment to the Greenway<br />
project.<br />
Seven years ago, VDOT issued a request<br />
for the private sector to join with the<br />
state to develop proposals for improvements<br />
to Interstate 81, one of the top eight<br />
trucking routes in the U.S., <strong>and</strong> considered<br />
to be operating in a subst<strong>and</strong>ard,<br />
even dangerous condition. Several studies<br />
occurred but the extensive changes to the<br />
corridor envisioned never materialized.<br />
These are just two examples cited by<br />
Michael J. Garvin, associate director of<br />
Virginia Tech’s Myers-Lawson School of<br />
Construction who is tenured through the<br />
Via Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>. “Despite the recent economic<br />
turmoil, indicators suggest that the<br />
utilization of PPPs in the United States will<br />
not cease,” Garvin said. “The current conditions<br />
have made these arrangements<br />
more challenging to implement, but this<br />
is not necessarily a bad thing. The due<br />
diligence necessary with such projects is<br />
significant, so the economic situation is<br />
forcing decision-makers <strong>and</strong> analysts to<br />
sharpen their pencils.”<br />
Garvin recently co-authored a paper<br />
with Doran Bosso, a former Virginia Tech<br />
graduate student now with Skanska Infrastructure<br />
Development, titled, “Assessing<br />
Continued on next page<br />
4 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
the effectiveness of infrastructure publicprivate<br />
partnership programs <strong>and</strong> projects”<br />
that appeared in the October, 2008 issue<br />
of Public Works Management & Policy.<br />
They wrote about several other projects,<br />
including the Pocahontas Parkway,<br />
near the Commonwealth’s state capitol.<br />
Plans for this project started around 1980<br />
when state transportation officials wanted<br />
an extension of the east-west connection<br />
between I-95 <strong>and</strong> I-295 south of Richmond.<br />
Progress stalled when state funds<br />
did not materialize in the late 1980s.<br />
An agreement was reached between<br />
VDOT <strong>and</strong> the joint venture team of Flour<br />
Daniel <strong>and</strong> Morrison Knudsen, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
8.8-mile route began opening in stages<br />
in 2002 at a cost of $314 million. Once<br />
tolls were activated, consumer dem<strong>and</strong><br />
dropped, generating half of the expected<br />
revenue.<br />
So, in 2006, Transurban, an international<br />
toll road owner <strong>and</strong> operator with<br />
interests in Australia <strong>and</strong> North America,<br />
acquired its first transportation asset in<br />
the U.S., entering into an agreement with<br />
VDOT to effectively lease the parkway for<br />
99 years.<br />
“The public-private partnership movement<br />
is arguably the most significant<br />
worldwide trend in the public sector,”<br />
Garvin <strong>and</strong> Bosso wrote. In countries with<br />
emerging economies, financially challenged<br />
public administrations look toward<br />
the private sector to develop basic infrastructure.<br />
But in the U.S., activity is just<br />
beginning to pick up, they noted.<br />
With the examples they cite in their<br />
paper, they provide reasonable doubt that<br />
the expected benefits always occur. However,<br />
Garvin noted that with the proper<br />
“framework,” PPPs can succeed. The crux<br />
is the “notion that PPP strategies must<br />
balance the interests of society, state,<br />
industry, <strong>and</strong> the market for ultimate success.”<br />
Garvin cited three interplaying factors<br />
driving the progress of the market: the<br />
general reluctance of public agencies <strong>and</strong><br />
governments to raise taxes; the emergence<br />
of private sector participants who<br />
are capable of h<strong>and</strong>ling the risks <strong>and</strong> delivering<br />
the services of infrastructure projects;<br />
<strong>and</strong> the attractiveness of privately<br />
financed projects in terms of returns to<br />
investors.<br />
PPPs must have “clear <strong>and</strong> enforceable<br />
partnership conditions,” Garvin said,<br />
<strong>and</strong> he <strong>and</strong> Bosso proposed the following<br />
working definition for these arrangements:<br />
A PPP is a long-term contractual agreement<br />
between the public <strong>and</strong> private sectors<br />
where mutual benefits are sought <strong>and</strong><br />
where ultimately the private sector provides<br />
management <strong>and</strong> operating services<br />
“The<br />
publicprivate<br />
partnership<br />
movement<br />
is arguably<br />
the most<br />
significant<br />
worldwide<br />
trend in<br />
the public<br />
sector.”<br />
~ Michael Garvin,<br />
~ Doran Bosso<br />
<strong>and</strong>/or puts private finance at risk.<br />
Garvin argued the “significance of this<br />
definition” is it excludes both design-build<br />
<strong>and</strong> the transfer or sale of infrastructure<br />
assets or services to the private sector.<br />
“Design-build is a modest derivative of the<br />
design-bid-build project delivery system,<br />
which is the dominant <strong>and</strong> often m<strong>and</strong>ated<br />
delivery method for public works projects<br />
in the United States. This distinction is<br />
more than semantic as the transfer of an<br />
asset or a service qualifies as privatization.”<br />
In a March, <strong>2009</strong> report for the Federal<br />
Highway Administration (FHWA), the<br />
American Association of State Highway<br />
<strong>and</strong> Transportation Officials (AASHTO),<br />
<strong>and</strong> the National Cooperative Highway<br />
Research Program (NCHRP), Garvin<br />
served as one of nine authors <strong>and</strong> as<br />
the report facilitator. The publication was<br />
titled, “Public-Private Partnerships for<br />
Highway Infrastructure: Capitalizing on<br />
International Experience.”<br />
The three agencies commissioned the<br />
study through its International Technology<br />
Scanning Program aimed at evaluating<br />
innovative foreign technologies <strong>and</strong> practices.<br />
Since 1990, more than 75 international<br />
scans have been completed on<br />
topics ranging from bridge construction to<br />
intelligent transportation systems.<br />
As a result, the U.S. has implemented<br />
a number of improvements <strong>and</strong> incurred<br />
substantial savings in road program technologies<br />
<strong>and</strong> practices, according to the<br />
report.<br />
In its scan of P3s, Garvin <strong>and</strong> his colleagues<br />
– members of the FHWA, various<br />
state DOTs, <strong>and</strong> the National Council for<br />
Public-Private Partnerships – examined<br />
the practices of other countries that involve<br />
the private sector in the construction<br />
of various types of highway infrastructure.<br />
They documented the lessons learned<br />
<strong>and</strong> made implementation recommendations<br />
to improve U.S. policy <strong>and</strong> practice.<br />
Among their findings, Garvin said,<br />
“Highway PPP arrangements, particularly<br />
in the most mature markets, are not<br />
exclusively financial transactions. They<br />
are the selected project delivery strategy<br />
based on a value-for-money or feasibility<br />
analysis.”<br />
In agreement with Garvin’s earlier writings,<br />
this group also strongly suggested<br />
that public agencies should recognize that<br />
a PPP arrangement should be a contractual<br />
long-term partnership with the private<br />
sector. There should be a balance among<br />
the technical, commercial, <strong>and</strong> legal conditions<br />
to insure its success. And user fees<br />
are not necessarily a requirement.<br />
They also endorsed the idea of the U.S.<br />
establishing a comprehensive strategy for<br />
educating <strong>and</strong> training state <strong>and</strong> local officials.<br />
“PPPs are neither a panacea nor<br />
a fad,” Garvin said. “But they need to be<br />
one of the tools considered to address the<br />
nation’s infrastructure challenges.”<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 5
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
Peter Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Linsey Marr<br />
Nanotechnology impact<br />
Are nanomaterials a risk to environmental health<br />
As researchers around the world<br />
hasten to employ nanotechnology<br />
to improve production methods for<br />
various applications that range from manufacturing<br />
materials to creating new pharmaceutical<br />
drugs, a separate but equally<br />
compelling challenge exists.<br />
History has shown that previous industrial<br />
revolutions, such as those involving<br />
asbestos <strong>and</strong> chloroflurocarbons, have<br />
had some serious environmental impacts.<br />
Might nanotechnology also pose a risk<br />
Linsey Marr <strong>and</strong> Peter Vikesl<strong>and</strong>, two<br />
faculty members in the Via Department of<br />
<strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>, are<br />
among the ground-breaking investigators<br />
in this field. They are part of the national<br />
Center for the <strong>Environmental</strong> Implications<br />
of NanoTechnology (CEINT), funded by<br />
the National Science Foundation (NSF) in<br />
2008. Along with Michael Hochella, University<br />
Distinguished Professor of Geosciences,<br />
they represent Virginia Tech’s efforts in<br />
a nine-member consortium awarded $14<br />
million over five years, starting in 2008.<br />
Virginia Tech’s portion is $1.75 million.<br />
CEINT is dedicated to elucidating the<br />
relationship between a vast array of nanomaterials<br />
— from natural, to manufactured,<br />
to those produced incidentally by human<br />
activities — <strong>and</strong> their potential environmental<br />
exposure, biological effects, <strong>and</strong><br />
ecological consequences. It will focus on<br />
the fate <strong>and</strong> transport of natural <strong>and</strong> manufactured<br />
nanomaterials in ecosystems.<br />
Headquartered at Duke University,<br />
CEINT is a collaboration between Duke,<br />
Carnegie Mellon University, Howard<br />
University, <strong>and</strong> Virginia Tech as the core<br />
members, as well as investigators from<br />
the University of Kentucky <strong>and</strong> Stanford<br />
University. CEINT academic collaborations<br />
in the U.S. also include on-going activities<br />
coordinated with faculty at Clemson, North<br />
Carolina State, UCLA, <strong>and</strong> Purdue universities.<br />
At Virginia Tech, CEINT is part of the<br />
University’s Institute for Critical Technology<br />
<strong>and</strong> Applied Science (ICTAS).<br />
Scientists <strong>and</strong> engineers at the center<br />
have outlined plans to conduct research<br />
on the possible environmental health<br />
impacts of nanomaterials. The plans include<br />
new approaches, such as creating a<br />
predictive toxicology model based on cell<br />
assays <strong>and</strong> building ecosystems to track<br />
nanoparticles.<br />
Characterization of Airborne Particles<br />
In one of the novel ways Marr is conducting<br />
her tests, she <strong>and</strong> her colleagues<br />
are growing human lung cells <strong>and</strong> placing<br />
them in chambers that leave the lung cell<br />
surface exposed to air. This placement<br />
allows for direct contact of the cells with<br />
aerosolized particles at the air-liquid interface<br />
(ALI). One of Marr’s post-doctoral researchers,<br />
Amara Holder, <strong>and</strong> colleagues<br />
from Berkeley have previously exposed<br />
the cells to particles in diesel exhaust <strong>and</strong><br />
a methane flame. They compared the ALI<br />
exposure to conventional in vitro exposure,<br />
where particles are suspended in a liquid<br />
cell culture medium.<br />
“Our findings showed the ALI exposure<br />
inhalation route is a relevant in vitro approach<br />
<strong>and</strong> is more responsive than the<br />
conventional exposure to particle suspen-<br />
Continued on next page<br />
6 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
6 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
sions,” they concluded. Now, Marr <strong>and</strong> her<br />
colleagues are repeating the exposure<br />
with engineered nanoparticles. The researchers<br />
will enhance the deposition of<br />
smaller particles by generating an electric<br />
field <strong>and</strong> “relying on the electrophoretic<br />
force to drive charged particles to the cell<br />
surface.”<br />
“With this design, lung cells can be<br />
exposed to substantial numbers of aerosolized<br />
engineered nanoparticles, such as<br />
silver <strong>and</strong> metal oxides, as single particles<br />
rather than large conglomerates,” Marr<br />
explained. A challenge in tests of nanoparticles’<br />
toxicity has been that very small<br />
particles like to form aggregates, so testing<br />
interactions of the smallest particles with<br />
cells requires special approaches.<br />
Marr <strong>and</strong> one of her graduate students,<br />
Andrea Tiwari, have also selected the C 60<br />
fullerene as a model for carbonaceous<br />
nanomaterials because of its relative simplicity,<br />
evidence of toxicity <strong>and</strong> rich history<br />
in the scientific literature. The discovery of<br />
the C 60 compound in 1985 earned Harold<br />
Kroto, James R. Heath, <strong>and</strong> Richard Smalley<br />
the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. C 60<br />
fullerenes <strong>and</strong> variations on them are being<br />
used throughout the nanotechnology<br />
industry.<br />
“Airborne carbonaceous nanomaterials<br />
are likely to be found in production facilities<br />
<strong>and</strong> in ambient air <strong>and</strong> may exhibit<br />
toxic effects if inhaled,” Marr <strong>and</strong> Tiwari<br />
said. They further theorized that when exposed<br />
to the air, nanomaterials are likely to<br />
be chemically transformed after the exposure<br />
to oxidants in the atmosphere.<br />
In their preliminary studies, results indicate<br />
that “oxidation does impact solubility,<br />
as absorbance after resuspending in water<br />
is lower for fullerenes exposed to ozone.”<br />
The implication is that reactions in the atmosphere<br />
can transform nanoparticles <strong>and</strong><br />
make them more likely to dissolve in water<br />
once they deposit back to earth. There,<br />
they can travel farther <strong>and</strong> come in contact<br />
with more organisms than if they were<br />
stuck to soil.<br />
To collect airborne nanoparticles for<br />
analysis, Marr’s group designed a low-cost<br />
thermophoretic precipitator that uses ice<br />
water as a cooling source <strong>and</strong> a 10-W resistor<br />
as the heating source. They flowed<br />
synthetic aerosols through the precipitator<br />
<strong>and</strong> used a transmission electron microscope<br />
to inspect the particles.<br />
“Preliminary analysis confirmed that<br />
this precipitator was effective in collecting<br />
nanoparticles of a wide range of sizes <strong>and</strong><br />
will be effective in future studies of airborne<br />
nanoparticles,” Marr said.<br />
As her work in this field progresses,<br />
Marr was able to use her research in the<br />
characterization of airborne particle concentrations<br />
during the production of carbonaceous<br />
nanomaterials, such as fullerenes<br />
<strong>and</strong> carbon nanotubes, in a commercial<br />
nanotechnology facility.<br />
Based on the measurements of her<br />
study, done with Behnoush Yeganeh,<br />
Christy Kull <strong>and</strong> Mathew Hull, all graduate<br />
students, they concluded that engineering<br />
controls at the facility “appear to be effective<br />
in limiting exposure to nanomaterials,”<br />
<strong>and</strong> reported their findings in the American<br />
Chemical Society’s publication <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Science <strong>and</strong> Technology (Vol. 42,<br />
No. 12, 2008)<br />
However, they point to the limitations of<br />
this initial study that focused mainly on the<br />
physical characterization, <strong>and</strong> which did<br />
not differentiate between particles generated<br />
by nanomaterial soot production <strong>and</strong><br />
those from other sources.<br />
Effects of Carboxylic Acids<br />
on nC 60 Aggregate Formation<br />
“The increasing production <strong>and</strong> application<br />
of the C 60 fullerene due to its<br />
distinctive properties will inevitably lead to<br />
its release into the environment,” Marr’s<br />
colleague, Vikesl<strong>and</strong>, said. Already, the<br />
biomedical, optoelectronics, sensors <strong>and</strong><br />
cosmetics industries are among the users<br />
of the C fullerene.<br />
60<br />
“Little is currently known about the<br />
interaction of the C 60 fullerene with the<br />
constituents of natural waters, <strong>and</strong> thus it<br />
is hard to predict the fate of C 60 that is released<br />
into the natural environment,” Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
added. “The C 60 fullerene is virtually<br />
insoluble in water.”<br />
However, one of the components of<br />
natural water is natural organic matter<br />
(NOM). When the C 60 fullerene is released<br />
in water, it forms “highly stable dispersed<br />
colloidal C 60 aggregates or nC 60,” Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
explained. These aggregates can<br />
exhibit significant disparities in aggregate<br />
structure, size, morphology, <strong>and</strong> surface<br />
charge <strong>and</strong> behave very differently than<br />
the C 60 alone.<br />
The problem with NOM is its r<strong>and</strong>omness,<br />
resulting in diverse characteristics<br />
of the aggregates that form when they mix<br />
with the C 60.<br />
So, Vikesl<strong>and</strong> is looking at small molecular<br />
weight carboxylic acids such as acetic<br />
acid, tartaric acid, <strong>and</strong> citric acid, all widely<br />
detected constituents of natural water<br />
<strong>and</strong> biological fluids. He <strong>and</strong> his graduate<br />
student Xiaojun Chang have specifically<br />
looked at the formation of nC 60 in acetic<br />
acid (vinegar) solutions, subjected the aggregates<br />
to extended mixing, <strong>and</strong> found<br />
that the solution’s chemistry differs substantially<br />
from nC 60 mixed in water alone.<br />
“The citrate affects the formation of the<br />
nC 60 in two ways,” Vikesl<strong>and</strong> said. It alters<br />
the pH, a key factor in controlling the surface<br />
charge of nC 60 <strong>and</strong> it directly interacts<br />
with the C surface.<br />
60<br />
Vikesl<strong>and</strong> explained the significance<br />
of this result. When nC 60 is produced in<br />
the presence of the carboxylic acids, its<br />
aggregates differ significantly from those<br />
produced without the acids. In general,<br />
Vikesl<strong>and</strong> said, these aggregates have<br />
more negative surface charges <strong>and</strong> are<br />
more homogenous than those produced in<br />
water alone.<br />
“These results suggest that the ultimate<br />
fate of C 60 in aqueous environments is likely<br />
to be significantly affected by the quantities<br />
<strong>and</strong> types of carboxylic acids present<br />
in natural systems <strong>and</strong> by the solution pH,”<br />
Vikesl<strong>and</strong> added.<br />
Furthermore, because carboxylic acids<br />
are common in biological fluids, Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
is interested in how his findings relate to<br />
the mechanisms by which C 60 interact with<br />
cells in vivo.<br />
These acids may significantly affect any<br />
conclusions ultimately reached regarding<br />
the impact of the C 60 fullerene into the<br />
environment. His current work appears in<br />
an issue of <strong>Environmental</strong> Pollution 157<br />
(<strong>2009</strong>), pp. 1072-1080.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 7
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
Transportation modeling<br />
Systems analysis is crucial to future safety <strong>and</strong> planning<br />
Toni Trani<br />
Do you plan to catch a plane, a<br />
train, or a bus, or will you drive<br />
your own car on your next trip,<br />
whether it is business or pleasure<br />
The likelihood that you will decide<br />
commercial air is the optimal choice is<br />
not as insignificant as you might think.<br />
In fact, “we are building a schedule<br />
for the future. Dem<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> supply go<br />
h<strong>and</strong>-in-h<strong>and</strong>,” said Toni Trani of the Via<br />
Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> at Virginia Tech.<br />
For the past 12 years, Trani has<br />
played a lead role in the Federal Aviation<br />
Administration’s (FAA) Air Transportation<br />
Center of Excellence for Aviation Operations<br />
Research (NEXTOR).<br />
One of the many projects he has researched<br />
for the National Aeronautics<br />
<strong>and</strong> Space Administration <strong>and</strong> the FAA is<br />
a Transportation Systems Analysis Model<br />
(TSAM) to predict such choices.<br />
Such information is critical to air carriers<br />
as they plan schedules for the future,<br />
currently looking as far ahead as the<br />
year 2040.<br />
TSAM was initially conceived to quantify<br />
dem<strong>and</strong> for NASA’s Small Aircraft<br />
Transportation System (SATS). The SATS<br />
program, aimed at improving reliability<br />
of general aviation aircraft, has inspired<br />
several new aircraft designs <strong>and</strong> air taxi<br />
companies.<br />
“NASA Langley develops new aerospace<br />
engineering vehicles technology<br />
that a Boeing or a Lockheed Martin may<br />
use to make the technology cheaper <strong>and</strong>/<br />
or more reliable to operate,” Trani said. If<br />
airline travel costs can be reduced, then<br />
predictive models might suggest more<br />
people will opt for flying when traveling.<br />
“No one has a crystal ball,” Trani admitted,<br />
but “we do need to make the best<br />
guess possible.” Recent global events,<br />
such as the worldwide downturn in the<br />
economy, the rise <strong>and</strong> fall of the price of<br />
gasoline, <strong>and</strong> any terrorism threat, can<br />
play havoc with the predictive modeling,<br />
he acknowledged.<br />
The SATS program extended over a<br />
five year period from 2001 until 2006 <strong>and</strong><br />
was administered by the National Consortium<br />
for Aviation Mobility, a public-private<br />
partnership. In conjunction with the SATS<br />
report, “Virginia Tech recommended that<br />
a transportation systems analysis be conducted<br />
to develop some underst<strong>and</strong>ing of<br />
the performance of the new transportation<br />
paradigm.” Trani said.<br />
The completed models <strong>and</strong> simulation<br />
will offer the transportation industry<br />
greater insight on automobile traffic, fuel<br />
consumption <strong>and</strong> emissions for cars, airlines<br />
<strong>and</strong> air taxis, airline route structures<br />
<strong>and</strong> schedules, <strong>and</strong> highway fatalities<br />
estimation.<br />
“A lot of improvements are related to<br />
flying smarter. The Next Generation Air<br />
Transportation System which has developed<br />
more efficient routing, means<br />
passengers spend less time in airports,”<br />
Trani said. Such improvements increase<br />
air traffic.<br />
Working with Trani on this forecasting<br />
Continued on next page<br />
8 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
8 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
RESEARCH NEWS<br />
project are Nicholas Hinze <strong>and</strong> Howard<br />
Swingle, Virginia Tech research associates,<br />
as well as three doctoral students<br />
<strong>and</strong> seven master’s c<strong>and</strong>idates.<br />
To create Virginia Tech’s model of<br />
transportation usage, they used a number<br />
of socio-economic metrics. The U.S. has<br />
some 3000 airports, with approximately<br />
500 of them used for commercial flying<br />
when they started their studies. Today,<br />
that number is down to about 375, mostly<br />
due to changing economic conditions <strong>and</strong><br />
airline consolidation in the past decade.<br />
Furthermore, some 80 of these 375 airports<br />
are actually subsidized by Congress<br />
through the Essential Air Service System.<br />
These airports may only have a few flights<br />
a day, <strong>and</strong> passenger counts can be<br />
minimal. So Trani <strong>and</strong> his team also take<br />
these numbers into account as they make<br />
their best estimates.<br />
They look at factors such as trips that<br />
are greater than 100 miles <strong>and</strong> business<br />
versus non-business needs. They<br />
sampled five different household income<br />
groups <strong>and</strong> looked at three types of metropolitan<br />
statistical areas, as well as other<br />
parameters.<br />
The market share for airline routes are<br />
subject to variables such as travel time<br />
<strong>and</strong> cost, direct or one-stop flight availability,<br />
<strong>and</strong> hub types.<br />
They even assembled information as<br />
to how potential improvements at airports<br />
could increase air travel. For example,<br />
“After 9/11 a lot of short-term flights were<br />
eliminated. But if the Transportation Security<br />
Administration (TSA) could screen<br />
more efficiently, allowing travelers to<br />
spend less time at the airport, then this<br />
could change people’s travel planning,”<br />
Trani said.<br />
They also looked at fares. “Airlines by<br />
law must report 10 percent of their fares.<br />
We use this number <strong>and</strong> determine the<br />
average fares. One year of analysis allowed<br />
us to analyze 12 million tickets,<br />
about 10 percent of all that were sold that<br />
year. We determined that fares had gone<br />
down when adjusted by inflation,” Trani<br />
said.<br />
Lower fares can mean increased travel<br />
in the researcher’s modeling of the system.<br />
A prime advantage to the Virginia Tech<br />
modeling of transportation systems is<br />
Trani’s group looked at competing models.<br />
“We calculate why people travel, <strong>and</strong> we<br />
look at ground transportation. We can do<br />
comparisons. It is not in the FAA’s radar<br />
scope to predict ground transportation,”<br />
he said. “Even President Obama’s administration<br />
is now taking on the multi-modal<br />
issues, trying to deal with models that allow<br />
for competition.”<br />
With competing models, Trani predicted<br />
that with a 10 percent airfare increase in<br />
2015, the resulting increase in vehicular<br />
traffic will bring the likelihood of an additional<br />
120 intercity automotive fatalities.<br />
“Driving can be as much as 90 times<br />
more dangerous than flying on a per seatmile<br />
basis,” he said.<br />
About NEXTOR:<br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> concerns are another<br />
factor. With hydrocarbon emissions of<br />
rising international concern, Trani noted,<br />
“Aviation is an easy target even though it<br />
only produces about three to four percent<br />
of the emissions. To offset the carbon<br />
footprint, airlines like Virgin Atlantic already<br />
offer the service to buy offsetting<br />
carbon footprints…. Airlines will eventually<br />
have to re-fleet to use airplanes that are<br />
greener.”<br />
The Cap <strong>and</strong> Trade legislation is going<br />
“to force fuel efficiency <strong>and</strong> is giving impetus<br />
to synthetic fuels in aviation,” Trani<br />
added.<br />
In addition to Virginia Tech’s lead on this<br />
research project, NASA Langley, ATK (a<br />
NASA contractor) <strong>and</strong> the Missouri University<br />
of Science <strong>and</strong> Technology were<br />
collaborators.<br />
Virginia Tech, in conjunction with the University of California at Berkeley, the<br />
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, <strong>and</strong> the University of Maryl<strong>and</strong>, comprised<br />
the NEXTOR center when it started in 1996. Five years later, George Mason University<br />
was added to the group. Together, they have worked on safety, business,<br />
<strong>and</strong> operational issues in the aviation industry.<br />
Since its inception, the center has focused on the development <strong>and</strong> use of operations<br />
research -- a focused blend of applied mathematics, computer science, <strong>and</strong><br />
engineering aimed at finding optimal solutions to complex problems.” Specific work<br />
has addressed such issues as air traffic, management <strong>and</strong> control, human factors<br />
(the relationship between humans <strong>and</strong> machinery), system performance <strong>and</strong> assessment<br />
measures, safety data analysis, scheduling, navigation communications,<br />
<strong>and</strong> aviation economics.<br />
Benefits to the Aviation Community<br />
• FAA increases its access to forward-looking aviation research from leading universities.<br />
• Universities enlarge their technical capabilities <strong>and</strong> create greater academic opportunities<br />
for their students, faculty, <strong>and</strong> partners.<br />
• Industry receives the opportunity to participate in developing or adopting new<br />
technologies.<br />
All gain insights to improve their operational efficiencies <strong>and</strong> profitability.<br />
All benefit from creating highly skilled aviation professionals <strong>and</strong> future leaders.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 9
NEW FACULTY<br />
ERICH HESTER<br />
Erich Hester received his doctorate<br />
in ecology from the University of<br />
North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 2008.<br />
He earned his master’s degree in civil<br />
<strong>and</strong> environmental engineering from<br />
Stanford University in 1998, <strong>and</strong> his<br />
bachelor’s degree in biology from Dartmouth<br />
College in 1992.<br />
While pursuing his doctorate, Hester<br />
was an <strong>Environmental</strong> Protection<br />
Agency STAR Graduate Fellow for two<br />
years. He also held a UNC Kenan Fellowship<br />
for four years at UNC.<br />
He has professional experience at<br />
four companies. He served as a civil<br />
engineer at Herrera <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Consultants of Seattle, Wash. (2002-<br />
2003), Philip Williams <strong>and</strong> Associates<br />
of San Francisco (2001-2002), <strong>and</strong><br />
LFR of Emeryville, Ca. (1998-2001).<br />
He also served as a staff scientist at<br />
Ecology <strong>and</strong> Environment, Inc., of San<br />
Francisco from 1993 until 1995.<br />
His varied work included performing<br />
hydrologic, hydraulic <strong>and</strong> geomorphic<br />
analysis <strong>and</strong> design for stream <strong>and</strong><br />
wetl<strong>and</strong> ecological habitat restoration<br />
<strong>and</strong> water resources projects.<br />
WILLIAM WRIGHT<br />
William J. Wright joined the Via Department<br />
of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> as an associate professor.<br />
He is a member of its structural<br />
engineering <strong>and</strong> materials program<br />
area.<br />
Wright received his bachelor’s degree<br />
in civil engineering (CE) from the<br />
University of Maryl<strong>and</strong> at College Park<br />
in 1986, his master’s degree in structural<br />
engineering, also from University<br />
of Maryl<strong>and</strong> in 1988, <strong>and</strong> his Ph.D. in<br />
CE from Lehigh University in 2003.<br />
His research is in the fatigue <strong>and</strong><br />
fracture of high performance steels,<br />
performance <strong>and</strong> evaluation of truss<br />
bridge connections, horizontally<br />
curved steel girder bridges, forensic<br />
He also<br />
performed<br />
analytical <strong>and</strong><br />
numerical modeling<br />
of water<br />
movement <strong>and</strong><br />
chemical migration<br />
in groundwater,<br />
surface<br />
water, <strong>and</strong> ambient<br />
air for soil<br />
<strong>and</strong> groundwater<br />
contaminant<br />
remediation<br />
projects. HESTER<br />
He is a registered<br />
Professional Engineer in Washington<br />
State.<br />
His research interests focus on how hydrology,<br />
hydraulics, <strong>and</strong> geomorphology<br />
influence ecological health in streams, rivers,<br />
<strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s. His goal is to advance<br />
process-based knowledge to allow better<br />
informed l<strong>and</strong> use planning, ecological<br />
restoration design, <strong>and</strong> preservation of<br />
aquatic ecosystems.<br />
He is particularly interested in how<br />
complexity <strong>and</strong> heterogeneity in physical<br />
evaluation of<br />
bridge failures<br />
<strong>and</strong> modular<br />
steel bridge systems.<br />
His primary<br />
research interest<br />
involves<br />
development<br />
<strong>and</strong> experimental<br />
evaluation of<br />
new, innovative<br />
bridge systems<br />
that can meet<br />
three critical WRIGHT<br />
requirements:<br />
rapid construction, life cycle durability,<br />
<strong>and</strong> cost effectiveness. He has targeted<br />
structure (bathymetry, topography, substrate<br />
composition, large woody debris,<br />
floodplain forest patterns) affect water<br />
exchange among channel, floodplain,<br />
<strong>and</strong> hyporheic environments, <strong>and</strong> how<br />
this affects ecologically relevant properties<br />
<strong>and</strong> processes like temperature,<br />
flow <strong>and</strong> retention of water, <strong>and</strong> biogeochemical<br />
cycling.<br />
While stresses due to urbanization,<br />
agriculture, forestry, <strong>and</strong> resource extraction<br />
are substantial, he is becoming<br />
increasingly convinced that climate<br />
change is one of the biggest challenges<br />
from the scientific <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scape<br />
management perspective.<br />
As a result, he is also interested in<br />
how climate change will alter the quantity,<br />
timing, <strong>and</strong> temperature of hydrologic<br />
flows through river <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong><br />
systems; how such altered hydrology<br />
will influence aquatic ecosystems; <strong>and</strong><br />
how humans can use knowledge of relevant<br />
hydrological <strong>and</strong> ecological processes<br />
to help minimize the ultimate<br />
ecological impact of climate change<br />
<strong>and</strong> ease the transition to this new<br />
ecological state.<br />
this “Bridge of the Future” goal as the<br />
overriding principle guiding the FHWA<br />
research program.<br />
He is currently the principal investigator<br />
for two research projects in the<br />
structures laboratory at FHWA: Fatigue<br />
Resistance of Orthotropic Bridge Deck<br />
Welds Produced with the Hybrid Laser<br />
Assisted Welding (HLAW) Process <strong>and</strong><br />
Design <strong>and</strong> Evaluation of Gusset Plates<br />
for Major Truss Bridges.<br />
He teaches courses in structural steel<br />
design <strong>and</strong> in bridge engineering.<br />
Among his honors, Wright received<br />
the 2008 Richard S. Fountain Award<br />
from the American Iron <strong>and</strong> Steel Institute<br />
<strong>and</strong> the AASHTO T-14 Steel Bridge<br />
See Wright, page 11<br />
10 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
FACULTY HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS<br />
Jesus de la Garza<br />
CII Distinguished Professor<br />
Award <strong>and</strong> a Dean’s Award<br />
for Excellence in Teaching<br />
Innovation<br />
Andrea Dietrich<br />
Dean’s Award for<br />
Excellence in Research<br />
Marc Edwards<br />
Praxis Award in<br />
Professional Ethics from<br />
Yale <strong>and</strong> a National<br />
Association of Corrosion<br />
Engineers Technical<br />
Achievement Award<br />
Bill Knocke<br />
Dean’s Award for<br />
Excellence in Service <strong>and</strong><br />
the ExCEEd Leadership<br />
Award from the American<br />
Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers<br />
John Novak<br />
Feng Lecturer at<br />
the University of<br />
Massachusetts - Amherst<br />
Carin Roberts-<br />
Wollmann<br />
CEE Alumni Teaching<br />
Excellence Award<br />
Mike Duncan<br />
Opal Award from the<br />
American Society of <strong>Civil</strong><br />
Engineers<br />
John Little<br />
Academy of Fellows of<br />
the International Society<br />
of Indoor Air Quality <strong>and</strong><br />
Climate<br />
Sunil Sinha<br />
College of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Faculty Fellow<br />
R<strong>and</strong>y Dymond<br />
College of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Certificate of Teaching<br />
Excellence <strong>and</strong> G.V.<br />
Loganathan Teaching<br />
Excellence Award from<br />
CEE Department.<br />
Tom Murray<br />
Ernest E. Howard Award<br />
from the American Society<br />
of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers<br />
Sam Easterling<br />
Montague-Betts Professor<br />
of Structural Steel Design<br />
Pamela Murray-Tuite<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing New Assistant<br />
Professor Award from the<br />
College of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Wright continued from page 10<br />
Committee for his outst<strong>and</strong>ing contributions<br />
to the steel bridge industry.<br />
In 2007, he received a U.S. Department<br />
of Transportation Gold Medal<br />
for his work on the Minnesota I-35W<br />
Bridge Response Team.<br />
In 2006, Wright earned the George<br />
S. Richardson Medal, presented by the<br />
Engineers Society of Western Pennsylvania<br />
<strong>and</strong> Roads <strong>and</strong> Bridges magazine<br />
for his development of the Load<br />
<strong>and</strong> Resistance Factor Design Unified<br />
Steel Design Code.<br />
Wright also won an Award for <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Excellence from the Federal Highway<br />
Administration administrator for superior<br />
technical accomplishments on steel highway<br />
bridge structures in 2003. That year,<br />
the National Society of Professional Engineers<br />
named him the Federal Engineer of<br />
the <strong>Year</strong>.<br />
In 1997 the <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Research<br />
Foundation of ASCE presented him with<br />
its Charles Pankow Award for Innovation<br />
for his work on the development of high<br />
performance steels for highway bridge<br />
applications.<br />
Wright is a member of the American<br />
Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers <strong>and</strong><br />
is a present/past member of numerous<br />
technical committees serving the<br />
Transportation Research Board (TRB),<br />
the American Society for Testing <strong>and</strong><br />
Materials (ASTM), the American Iron<br />
<strong>and</strong> Steel Institute (AISI), the American<br />
Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)<br />
<strong>and</strong> the American Association of State<br />
Highway Transportation Officials<br />
(AASHTO).<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 11
FACULTY NEWS<br />
Numerous successes<br />
Accolades abound for teacher <strong>and</strong> scholar<br />
Michael C.<br />
Vorster<br />
More than 20 years ago, Michael<br />
C. Vorster was recruited to Virginia<br />
Tech to create <strong>and</strong> direct<br />
the Via Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>’s (CEE) undergraduate<br />
<strong>and</strong> graduate programs in construction<br />
engineering <strong>and</strong> management<br />
(CEM). During his 23-year tenure, he was<br />
instrumental in a number of the program’s<br />
successes.<br />
As one example, members of the<br />
Vecellio family donated $1 million to the<br />
CEM program, <strong>and</strong> it was subsequently<br />
named in their honor. Then, in 2005, CEE<br />
alumnus A. Ross Myers <strong>and</strong> his longtime<br />
friend <strong>and</strong> fellow classmate from the early<br />
1970s, John Lawson, each gave $5 million<br />
to start the Myers-Lawson School of<br />
Construction.<br />
In 1998, Vorster was awarded the David<br />
H. Burroughs Professorship, recognizing<br />
his eminent teaching <strong>and</strong> sustained<br />
<strong>and</strong> distinguished scholarship. Burroughs,<br />
a 1942 Virginia Tech engineering graduate,<br />
was president of the Virginia Road<br />
Builders Association in 1962, <strong>and</strong> spent<br />
two years as chair of the Virginia Registration<br />
Board of Contractors.<br />
Accolades for Vorster’s successes<br />
12 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
abound. One comes from G. Wayne<br />
Clough who currently heads the Smithsonian<br />
Institution in Washington, D.C., <strong>and</strong><br />
who was Dean of Virginia Tech’s College<br />
of <strong>Engineering</strong> from 1990-93. He credited<br />
Vorster with building “…the Virginia Tech<br />
construction program into one of the best<br />
in the U.S.”<br />
At the end of the fall <strong>2009</strong> semester,<br />
Vorster will retire from Virginia Tech, but<br />
he does plan to remain a very active consultant<br />
from his Blacksburg, Va., home<br />
that he shares with his wife Merle.<br />
Vorster is recognized as an international<br />
expert in the CEM field, with specific<br />
emphasis on applications of engineering<br />
economics to construction machinery. He<br />
has personally directed or co-directed<br />
externally funded research grants <strong>and</strong><br />
contracts totaling more than $5 million,<br />
with such funding providing the means<br />
for Vorster to support numerous graduate<br />
students.<br />
One of these former students, Govi<br />
Kannan who earned his doctorate while<br />
working with Vorster, had mixed emotions<br />
regarding his adviser’s retirement. He<br />
wrote in an email, “On one side there is<br />
sadness on behalf of scores of students<br />
who are going to be deprived of not being<br />
a student of Dr. Vorster’s. They will read<br />
about your work but not have indulgence<br />
of your simple <strong>and</strong> tasteful communication<br />
<strong>and</strong> personal charm. They will not get<br />
to hear the stories that instill confidence<br />
<strong>and</strong> credibility. On the other side, there is<br />
a sense of relief … (for you).”<br />
Another former student <strong>and</strong> now an assistant<br />
professor of construction management<br />
at the University of North Carolina<br />
at Charlotte, John Hildreth, wrote, “Mike<br />
is noted for his work regarding construction<br />
equipment, but to his students he is<br />
also renowned for his work in the classroom.<br />
He teaches beyond construction<br />
engineering <strong>and</strong> management to topics<br />
he knows equally well, such as passion,<br />
curiosity, <strong>and</strong> dignity. Fortunate are those<br />
of us who have known him.”<br />
In addition to the students’ overwhelming<br />
support for Vorster, he also had outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
relationships with construction<br />
industries. One reason was an initiative<br />
he is particularly proud of — his founding<br />
of the Construction Mentoring Program<br />
in 1990 in partnership with the Virginia<br />
Department of Transportation (VDOT).<br />
See Vorster, page 14
FACULTY NEWS<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing leadership<br />
Knocke credited by colleagues, alumni, <strong>and</strong> staff;<br />
plans to restart environmental research program<br />
In the Charles E. Via <strong>Report</strong>, William<br />
R. Knocke, W.C. English Chaired Professor<br />
<strong>and</strong> head of the Charles E. Via,<br />
Jr. Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> (CEE) at Virginia Tech from<br />
1995 until the summer of <strong>2009</strong>, needs no<br />
introduction.<br />
A 30-year veteran of Virginia Tech’s College<br />
of <strong>Engineering</strong> faculty, Knocke arrived<br />
on campus in 1979 after obtaining all three<br />
of his degrees from the University of Missouri.<br />
He quickly distinguished himself as<br />
a scholar, earning a 1984 National Science<br />
Foundation (NSF) Presidential Young<br />
Investigator Award. These Presidential<br />
awards recognize remarkable achievements<br />
by outst<strong>and</strong>ing engineers, scientists<br />
<strong>and</strong> educators. Only 100 such awards<br />
were presented nationwide in 1984.<br />
His work on the NSF award was in the<br />
areas of physical-chemical water <strong>and</strong><br />
wastewater treatment systems, sludge<br />
h<strong>and</strong>ling <strong>and</strong> disposal, biological waste<br />
treatment, <strong>and</strong> heavy metal chemistry.<br />
Knocke used his NSF money to attract<br />
matching research dollars from a number<br />
of industries concerned with environmental<br />
issues.<br />
His teaching skills also brought accolades<br />
early on. In 1987 the Virginia State<br />
Council for Higher Education of Virginia<br />
(SCHEV) awarded him one of its Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Faculty Awards. The competition<br />
for this award is also steep, as faculty at<br />
all of Virginia’s public <strong>and</strong> private colleges<br />
<strong>and</strong> universities are eligible. At the time,<br />
Knocke was 33 <strong>and</strong> recognized as one of<br />
the youngest recipients to ever receive this<br />
award. In 1987, the average age of the<br />
competitor was 47, <strong>and</strong> Knocke had only<br />
been teaching nine years when he won<br />
this honor.<br />
He was also one of the first of the Virginia<br />
Tech engineering faculty to teach<br />
the distance learning courses. He started<br />
in 1984 with the first CEE course offered<br />
through the Commonwealth Graduate<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Program (CGEP) when the<br />
technology was a microwave connection<br />
to selected cites. It was not unheard of<br />
for Knocke to reach out to more than two<br />
dozen sites in Virginia by the late 1980s,<br />
offering “live” graduate coursework through<br />
what was then the new satellite technology.<br />
In 1994, Knocke moved to administration,<br />
first serving as the interim department<br />
head, <strong>and</strong> then securing it on a permanent<br />
basis the following year. During his tenure,<br />
significant growth occurred <strong>and</strong> by <strong>2009</strong>,<br />
U.S. News <strong>and</strong> World <strong>Report</strong> had it ranked<br />
among the top ten civil <strong>and</strong> environmental<br />
engineering programs at both the graduate<br />
<strong>and</strong> undergraduate levels.<br />
The department also ranks among the<br />
top ten for the total number of bachelor’s,<br />
master’s <strong>and</strong> doctoral degrees awarded in<br />
a given year.<br />
Accolades for his abilities abound. Veteran<br />
CEE Emeritus Professor <strong>and</strong> National<br />
Academy of <strong>Engineering</strong> (NAE) member,<br />
James Mitchell, said that in his “51 years<br />
in academia, both at the University of California,<br />
Berkeley <strong>and</strong> here at Virginia Tech,<br />
Bill Knocke st<strong>and</strong>s right at the top among<br />
department chairs <strong>and</strong> heads that I have<br />
worked with when it comes to his overall<br />
commitment, dedication, <strong>and</strong> service<br />
across the full range of activities that make<br />
the job so dem<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> important both<br />
within <strong>and</strong> outside the university,”<br />
Mitchell added that Knocke’s abilities<br />
“to look ahead, discern <strong>and</strong> evaluate the<br />
needs of the department, <strong>and</strong> then institute<br />
those activities required to address them,<br />
find the necessary resources, develop a<br />
plan, <strong>and</strong> carry it out have enabled CEE at<br />
Virginia Tech to grow <strong>and</strong> to enjoy a leadership<br />
position among comparable departments<br />
across the country.”<br />
Another senior emeritus member of<br />
the department, J. Michael Duncan, also<br />
a member of the NAE, credited Knocke<br />
with ”guiding the department to its top-ten<br />
ranking nationally through his leadership,<br />
See Knocke, page 36<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | | VIA REPORT | | 13
Vorster continued from page 12<br />
This program was designed to<br />
provide comprehensive mentoring<br />
to Disadvantaged Business<br />
Enterprise (DBE) firms<br />
in the highway construction<br />
industry. Vorster oversaw all<br />
aspects of this program since<br />
its inception, including the selection<br />
of VDOT personnel to<br />
work as mentors with the DBE<br />
firms who participate in the<br />
formal program.<br />
“I started this program in<br />
the belief that small minority<br />
owned construction companies<br />
would benefit greatly from<br />
the services of a dedicated<br />
<strong>and</strong> experienced mentor from<br />
whom they can obtain advice<br />
<strong>and</strong> guidance across the full<br />
spectrum of personal, technical<br />
<strong>and</strong> business challenges<br />
that small companies face.<br />
The program employs a full<br />
time mentor who works under<br />
my guidance to proactively<br />
assist between six <strong>and</strong> eight<br />
small minority owned construction<br />
companies in southwest<br />
Virginia.<br />
The program has made an<br />
undoubted contribution to the<br />
Disadvantaged Business Enterprise<br />
community in southwest<br />
Virginia. Making that difference<br />
is an essential part of<br />
our service mission <strong>and</strong> of the<br />
privilege of being a member of<br />
our faculty,” Vorster said.<br />
When Connie Sorrell was<br />
the assistant commissioner<br />
of administration, VDOT, she<br />
wrote that “Mike has been<br />
instrumental in assisting<br />
(VDOT) in outreach efforts<br />
to strengthen <strong>and</strong> develop<br />
minority <strong>and</strong> women-owned<br />
businesses in obtaining their<br />
goals to become transportation<br />
contractors. ...Mike brings<br />
his integrity, trust, expertise<br />
<strong>and</strong> good humor to his clients<br />
14 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
“We strive to be the model<br />
L<strong>and</strong> Grant University of the<br />
21st century. I have valued<br />
the words, the spirit, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
challenge of that statement.”<br />
~ Michael C. Vorster<br />
in this program <strong>and</strong> his<br />
colleagues at VDOT<br />
in a way that enriches<br />
us all.”<br />
Another trait Vorster<br />
brings to his field is passion.<br />
After he spoke as a guest<br />
lecturer in Paul Torgersen’s<br />
Theory of Organization class,<br />
he received an email from one<br />
of the seniors in attendance,<br />
Ryan Arvin. In part, it read:<br />
“Your presentation … was<br />
the most inspiring lecture I’ve<br />
been in, <strong>and</strong> one that I’ve<br />
walked away remembering<br />
just about everything. …Your<br />
speech was inspiring <strong>and</strong><br />
made me realize I need to follow<br />
my passion now.”<br />
Among his numerous<br />
awards, the National Academy<br />
of Construction inducted<br />
him as a member in 2000.<br />
Members of this academy are<br />
considered to “be industry<br />
leaders whose present or past<br />
professional career over a<br />
period of years demonstrates<br />
outst<strong>and</strong>ing contributions to<br />
the engineering <strong>and</strong> construction<br />
industry.”<br />
The American Society<br />
of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers (ASCE)<br />
awarded Vorster its Faculty of<br />
the <strong>Year</strong> Award in 2000 <strong>and</strong><br />
its Thomas Fitch Rowl<strong>and</strong><br />
Prize for a Research Publication<br />
in 1992. The latter is an<br />
award given to recognize the<br />
best scholarly publication in a<br />
given year within the society’s<br />
construction engineering <strong>and</strong><br />
management journal.<br />
The Construction Industry<br />
Institute, a leading organization<br />
of its kind in the U.S.,<br />
gave him its Outst<strong>and</strong>ing Research<br />
Award in 1995.<br />
The State Council of Higher<br />
Education of Virginia (SCHEV)<br />
presented its 2003 Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Faculty Award to Vorster.<br />
At Virginia Tech, he received<br />
the Alumni Award for<br />
Teaching Excellence in 2001,<br />
Certificates of Teaching Excellence<br />
from the College of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
in 1993 <strong>and</strong> in 1999,<br />
a Dean’s Award for Excellence<br />
in Service in 1999, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Via Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>’s<br />
2004 Alumni Teaching Excellence<br />
Award. He is a member<br />
of the Virginia Tech Academy<br />
of Teaching Excellence.<br />
At Virginia Tech, “we strive<br />
to be the model L<strong>and</strong> Grant<br />
University of the 21st century,”<br />
Vorster said. “I have valued<br />
the words, the spirit, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
challenge of that statement.<br />
A faculty position is a privilege<br />
not enjoyed by many. I<br />
accepted that the privilege<br />
carries heavy responsibilities;<br />
you work with the best young<br />
minds in the Commonwealth<br />
<strong>and</strong> beyond, you advance the<br />
frontiers of knowledge, <strong>and</strong><br />
you truly seek to create a better<br />
future. Your contributions<br />
must lead to new peaks of<br />
achievement for an exceptionally<br />
talented generation that<br />
faces more challenges than<br />
ever before.”<br />
Vorster’s commitment to<br />
students throughout Virginia<br />
was illustrated through his<br />
involvement with the Commonwealth<br />
Graduate <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Program (CGEP).<br />
CGEP is a graduate distance<br />
learning televised program<br />
offered throughout the Commonwealth<br />
under the auspices<br />
of SCHEV. Throughout his<br />
career, Vorster taught several<br />
CGEP courses that were<br />
broadcast to sites in the Commonwealth,<br />
again receiving<br />
excellent student evaluation<br />
scores for the quality of instruction<br />
that he provided in<br />
the challenging environment<br />
of distance learning.<br />
A second major accomplishment<br />
in outreach/public<br />
service was Vorster’s development<br />
(in 1988) <strong>and</strong> continuous<br />
annual leadership of the<br />
Transportation Construction<br />
Management Institute (TCMI),<br />
a ten-day continuing education<br />
program developed especially<br />
for middle managers<br />
in VDOT <strong>and</strong> member companies<br />
of the Virginia Road<br />
<strong>and</strong> Transportation Builders<br />
Association.<br />
Vorster served as the Associate<br />
Dean for Research <strong>and</strong><br />
Graduate Studies in the College<br />
of <strong>Engineering</strong> from 1993<br />
until 1997.<br />
While he was associate<br />
dean, he still taught each semester,<br />
played a significant<br />
role in the development of the<br />
Green <strong>Engineering</strong> program<br />
in the college, as well as the<br />
plans to open the College’s<br />
Ware Lab, a space devoted<br />
entirely to student design<br />
team projects in engineering.<br />
Vorster received his bachelor’s<br />
degree in civil engineering<br />
<strong>and</strong> his masters in business<br />
administration in 1965<br />
<strong>and</strong> in 1971, respectively from<br />
the University of Cape Town.<br />
He earned his doctorate in engineering<br />
from the University<br />
of Stellenbosch in 1980.
STUDENT NEWS<br />
Undergraduate scholarships<br />
CE Alumni Board Scholarship<br />
Stephanie Burt<br />
John Draminski<br />
Andrew Harasz<br />
Melissa Ruth<br />
Ryan Yauger<br />
American Infrastructure Scholarship<br />
Erich Roscher (CEM)<br />
Lisa Alban (CEM)<br />
Jason Leib (CEM)<br />
Kenneth R. Ayers ’80 Memorial Scholarship<br />
Michael Prince<br />
Balzer & Associates Scholarship<br />
Maria Lang<br />
William A. Caruthers CE Scholarship<br />
Jonathan Sproul<br />
CE Class of ’58 Scholarship<br />
John Bergman<br />
Shane Cochran<br />
Katherine Masoero<br />
Nataliya Schroeder<br />
Michael Werder<br />
Warren F. Cline Scholarship<br />
Kevin Aswegan<br />
Sabina Fedrowitz<br />
Matthew Werder<br />
Stanley & Francis Cohen Scholarship<br />
Kendall Bl<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Tyler Austin<br />
Andrew Gingrich<br />
CMAA (Construction Management<br />
Association of America) Scholarship<br />
Sabina Fedrowitz<br />
Brent Brown (CEM)<br />
C. Jacob Brown (BC)<br />
John DeBell <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Scholarship<br />
Bradley Riel<strong>and</strong><br />
Delta Airport Consultants, Inc. Scholarship<br />
Stephen Litsas<br />
Dewberry Scholarship<br />
Olivia Parks<br />
Jeffrey Wary<br />
L.J. Turner & W.S. Dewhirst Scholarship<br />
Nathan Fox<br />
Ryan Clayton<br />
Walter & Mary Ruth Duncan Scholarship<br />
Kyle Lawson<br />
Stephanie Shupe<br />
Chelsey A. Godfrey Scholarship<br />
Tyler Harrington<br />
Lois Cox & Edna Goodwin Scholarship<br />
Patrick Joyce<br />
Matthew Hynson<br />
Ryan Durner<br />
Harry S. & Patsy B. Williams Scholarship<br />
Mallory Barkdull<br />
Wesley Sturgill<br />
Hankins & Anderson Scholarship<br />
Zachary Stutts<br />
Kelso Baker Scholarship<br />
Bryan Carey<br />
Gary Riggins<br />
William Bulloss<br />
Joshua Magargee<br />
Charles & Patricia Brown Scholarship<br />
Lars Peterson<br />
Everett Carter Memorial Scholarship<br />
Carrie Hargraves<br />
Joseph & Jane Christenbury Memorial<br />
Scholarship<br />
Jaquelyn Dalrymple<br />
Geo-Technology Associates Scholarship<br />
Gerald Henson<br />
Williams A. Joyner Scholarship<br />
Elaine Huffman<br />
Dennis & Sherry Kamber Scholarship<br />
Elizabeth Gichana<br />
Lingerfelt Family Foundation Scholarship<br />
Roger Arnold<br />
Margret Mascaro<br />
Hersie B. & Ethel G. McCauley Scholarship<br />
Martin Johnson<br />
Ashleigh Newman<br />
Layla Cabrera<br />
Kenton & Liliana Mel<strong>and</strong> Scholarship<br />
Kevin Pocta<br />
George Bowers<br />
Michael Baker Corporation <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Scholarship<br />
Christopher Trent<br />
Howell & Ann Simmons L<strong>and</strong> Development<br />
Design Scholarship<br />
Jamie Zivich<br />
Newport News Shipbuilding Scholarship<br />
Lindsey Hatcher<br />
John E. Pruitt, Jr. Scholarship<br />
Patrick Drury<br />
George A. Stewart <strong>Engineering</strong> Scholarship<br />
Corey Oliver<br />
Paul Zheng<br />
Thomas Sproul<br />
Sara Sidhom<br />
Daniel Boppe<br />
Kathryn Winters<br />
Andrew Sottile-Jackson<br />
Jonathan Grace<br />
Undergraduate Stewart Scholars<br />
Caitlin Proctor<br />
Faizan Qureshi<br />
SMC Concrete Scholarship<br />
Jonathan Emenheiser<br />
Will Matthews<br />
Southern Ironworks, Inc. Scholarship in<br />
honor of Charles E. Spitzer, Class of ’49<br />
Scott Darling<br />
Stantec Award for Excellence in <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Nick Ellington<br />
Vecellio Scholarship<br />
Shane Cochran<br />
Arsalan Heydarian<br />
Jeffrey Smith<br />
Zachary Stutts<br />
Jason Tartaglia (CEM)<br />
Joseph Arcella (CEM)<br />
Virginia-Carolinas Structural Steel<br />
Fabricators Association<br />
Elaine Huffmann<br />
Andrew Gillespie<br />
Virginia Concrete Scholarship<br />
Marwan Mahmoud<br />
Francis Pesce<br />
Via Scholarship<br />
Claire McKenzie<br />
Williams Industries Scholarship<br />
Junghoon In<br />
Cody McElroy<br />
Katie Young<br />
Verne & Jewel Williamson Scholarship<br />
William Carter<br />
Alumni Golf Tournaments Scholarship<br />
Elizabeth Moreton<br />
Anonymous Gifts Scholarship<br />
Christopher Dianora<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 15
STUDENT NEWS<br />
Graduate scholarships <strong>and</strong> fellowships<br />
Academy of Athens, Greece Fellowship<br />
Nikolaos Apsilidis<br />
AWWA LARS Fellowship<br />
Christina Davis<br />
Yan Zhang<br />
Association of Drilled Shaft<br />
Contractors Fellowship<br />
Kurt Schimpke<br />
Rachel Finch (Women’s Association<br />
Scholar)<br />
Brian Bluhm Fellow<br />
Matthew James<br />
Stanley & Frances Cohen Scholarship<br />
Kendall Bl<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Cunningham Fellowships<br />
Hannah Bruce<br />
Jennifer Miller<br />
Matthew Swenty<br />
Raymond & Madeline Curry<br />
Fellowships<br />
Micah Hatch<br />
Carlton Lanier<br />
J. Read Plott<br />
Maria Prieto Riqueime<br />
Davenport Fellowship<br />
Bernardo Castellanos<br />
Diversity Fellowship<br />
Jordan Jarrett<br />
Linsey Reese<br />
Dwight David Eisenhower Graduate<br />
Transportation Fellowship<br />
Crysta Highfield<br />
Aly Tawfik<br />
Wenjing Xue<br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> Protection Agency<br />
Lee D. Bryant<br />
Rebecca Halvorson<br />
FHWA Academic Study Program<br />
Carlos F. Figueroa<br />
David W. & Lillian Frances Scholarship<br />
Christopher Strock<br />
Leifur Eiriksson Foundation<br />
Kevin Foster<br />
Fugro Fellow<br />
Stephen Gyurisin<br />
Fulbright Fellowships<br />
Francisco Flores<br />
Nirupa Maharajh<br />
Vathana Poev<br />
Adrian Tola<br />
Geosynthetics Institute Fellowship<br />
Michael McGuire<br />
Matt Gwaltney Fellowship<br />
Christopher Shores<br />
Thomas N. Hunnicutt III Fellowships<br />
Tracy Gusukuma<br />
Sarah McIntyre<br />
Institute for Airflow Diagnostic<br />
Education Foundation (IADEF)<br />
Andrea Tiwari<br />
Ying Xu<br />
Institute for Critical Technology <strong>and</strong><br />
Applied Science (ICTAS)<br />
Xiaojun Chang<br />
Susan Mirlohi<br />
Vathana Poev<br />
Dexter C. Jameson, Jr. National Chi<br />
Epsilon Scholarship<br />
Peter Kauffmann<br />
G.V. Loganathan Fellowship<br />
John Petrie<br />
Memorial Fellowship<br />
Richard Lizardi Chapel<br />
National Science Foundation (NSF)<br />
Integrative Graduate Education<br />
<strong>and</strong> Research Traineeship (IGERT)<br />
Fellowships<br />
Lee Bryant (NSF-IGERT)<br />
Jose Cerrato (EIGER-IGERT)<br />
Laura Kosoglu (NSF IGERT)<br />
Matthew Hull (MILES-IGERT)<br />
Melissa Stewart (IGERT)<br />
Andrea Tiwari (EIGER)<br />
Andrew Whelton (MILES-IGERT)<br />
National Water Research Institute<br />
(NWRI) Fellowship<br />
Christina Davis<br />
Pratt <strong>Engineering</strong> Fellowships<br />
Abeera Batool<br />
Thomas Bergbauer<br />
Shaoqing Ge<br />
Taehyoung Kim<br />
Simoni Triantafyllidou<br />
Wan Yang<br />
Rita Zelinski Gelinas Alumni<br />
Scholarship<br />
Christopher Grey<br />
Edna Bailey Sussman Fellowships<br />
Nikolaos Apsilidis<br />
Christina Davis (Jeremy Herbstritt<br />
Memorial Internship)<br />
Dyan Lorge Eppen<br />
R<strong>and</strong>i Lieberman<br />
Ana Arango Rodriquez<br />
Jia Tang<br />
SAIC Scholar Fellowship<br />
Crysta Highfield<br />
Sangjun Park<br />
Virginia Tech <strong>Engineering</strong> Dean’s<br />
Teaching Fellowship<br />
Aly Tawfik<br />
Walts Fellowship<br />
Garrett Menichino<br />
William R. Walker Fellowship Award<br />
John Petrie<br />
John E. Woodward Graduate<br />
Scholarship (VMI)<br />
Christopher Strock<br />
16 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
STUDENT NEWS<br />
Ph.D. degrees awarded<br />
The following doctoral degrees were<br />
awarded to CEE students between July<br />
2008 <strong>and</strong> June <strong>2009</strong>:<br />
Name: Adrian Burde<br />
Dissertation Title: A Study on Road Users’<br />
Overall Perceptions of Highway<br />
Maintenance Service Quality <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Variables that Define the Highway<br />
Maintenance Service Quality Domain<br />
Advisor: Jesus de la Garza<br />
Name: Amy Cheatham<br />
Dissertation Title: Responses of<br />
Nitrifying Bacteria to Aquaculture<br />
Chemotherapeutic Agents<br />
Advisor: Gregory Boardman<br />
Name: D. Bradley Davis<br />
Dissertation Title: Finite Element Modeling<br />
for Prediction of Low Frequency Floor<br />
Vibrations due to Walking<br />
Advisor: Thomas Murray<br />
Name: E. Matthew Fiss<br />
Dissertation Title: The Chlorination of<br />
Pharmaceuticals <strong>and</strong> Other Phenolic<br />
Compounds in the Presence of Iodide<br />
Advisor: Peter Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
Name: Kevin Gilmore<br />
Dissertation Title: Treatment of High-<br />
Strength Nitrogen Wastewater with a<br />
Hollow-Fiber Mebrane-Aerated Biofilm<br />
Reactor - A Comprehensive Evaluation<br />
Advisor: Nancy Love<br />
Name: Ann Jeffers<br />
Dissertation Title: A Fiber-Based Approach<br />
for Modeling Beam-Columns under Fire<br />
Loading<br />
Advisor: Elisa Sotelino<br />
Name: Chang-Hyun Jo<br />
Dissertation Title: Oxidation of Disinfection<br />
Byproducts <strong>and</strong> Algae-related Odorants<br />
by UV/H 2 O 2<br />
Advisor: Andrea Dietrich<br />
Name: Joshua Joseph<br />
Dissertation Title: Computational Tools for<br />
Improved Analysis <strong>and</strong> Assessment of<br />
Groundwater Remediation Sites<br />
Advisor: Mark Widdowson<br />
Name: Kwang-Sub Lee<br />
Dissertation Title: Modifying TRANSIMS<br />
(Transportation Analysis <strong>and</strong><br />
Simulation) to Include Dynamic Value<br />
Pricing <strong>and</strong> Departure Time Choice<br />
Advisor: Antoine Hobeika<br />
Name: Jianqui Liu<br />
Dissertation Title: Parametric Model<br />
for Assessing Factors that Influence<br />
Highway Bridge Service Life<br />
Advisor: Michael Garvin<br />
Name: Qifeng Lu<br />
Dissertation Title: Bivariate Best First<br />
Searches to Process Category Based<br />
Queries in a Graph for Trip Planning<br />
Applications in Transportation<br />
Advisor: Kathleen Hancock<br />
Name: Justin Marshall<br />
Dissertation Title: Development, Analysis<br />
<strong>and</strong> Testing of a Hybrid Passive Control<br />
Device for Seismic Protection of<br />
Framed Structures<br />
Advisor: Finley Charney<br />
Name: Eduardo Mendez<br />
Dissertation Title: Natural Attenuation<br />
Software (NAS): Assessing Remedial<br />
Strategies <strong>and</strong> Estimating Timeframes<br />
Advisor: Mark Widdowson<br />
Name: Martin Musabyimana<br />
Dissertation Title: Deammonification<br />
Process Kinetics <strong>and</strong> Inhibition<br />
Evaluation<br />
Advisor: Nancy Love<br />
Name: Pinar Omur-Ozbek<br />
Dissertation Title: Macromolecular<br />
Reactions <strong>and</strong> Sensory Perception at<br />
the Air-Water-Human Interface<br />
Advisor: Andrea Dietrich<br />
Name: Sangjun Park<br />
Dissertation Title: High Automobile<br />
Emissions: Modeling Impacts <strong>and</strong><br />
Developing Solutions<br />
Advisor: Hesham Rakha<br />
Name: Andrew Whelton<br />
Dissertation Title: Advancing Potable<br />
Water Infrastructure through an<br />
Improved Underst<strong>and</strong>ing of Polymer<br />
Pipe Oxidation, Polymer Contaminant<br />
Interactions, <strong>and</strong> Consumer Perception<br />
of Taste<br />
Advisor: Andrea Dietrich<br />
Name: Krista Rule Wigginton<br />
Dissertation Title: Surface Enhanced<br />
Raman Spectroscopy as a Tool for<br />
Waterborne Pathogen Detection<br />
Advisor: Peter Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
Name: Robert C. Williams<br />
Dissertation Title: The Development of<br />
Mathematical Models for Preliminary<br />
Prediction of Highway Construction<br />
Duration<br />
Advisor: Michael Vorster<br />
Name: Ying Xu<br />
Dissertation Title: Emissions of Phthalate<br />
Plasticizer from Polymeric Building<br />
Materials<br />
Advisor: John Little<br />
Name: Yan Zhang<br />
Dissertation Title: Nitrification in Premise<br />
Plumbing <strong>and</strong> Its Effect on Corrosion<br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Quality Degradation<br />
Advisor: Marc Edwards<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 17
ALUMNI NEWS<br />
Both the current <strong>and</strong> the past <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Advisory Board<br />
members gather for a group photo at the fall <strong>2009</strong> meeting.<br />
CEE Alumni Board<br />
Members (Fall <strong>2009</strong>)<br />
Michael A. Alto<br />
Clark Construction Group, LLC<br />
Bethesda, Md.<br />
David S. Anderson<br />
Rosel<strong>and</strong> Development Corp.<br />
Midlothian, Va.<br />
Bruce R. Bates<br />
RISA Technologies, LLC<br />
Foothill Ranch, Calif.<br />
Courtney A. Beamon<br />
Delta Airport Consultants, Inc.<br />
Richmond, Va.<br />
Gary P. Bowman<br />
Bowman Consulting<br />
Chantilly, Va.<br />
Amy Kohls Buehler (Chair)<br />
Independent Consultant<br />
Dallas, Tex.<br />
Douglas W. Burks<br />
Retired from Hankins <strong>and</strong> Anderson, Inc.<br />
Consulting<br />
Glen Allen, Va.<br />
H.D. Campbell, Jr.<br />
Campbell & Paris <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Chantilly, Va.<br />
Derrick B. Cave<br />
Kimley-Horn <strong>and</strong> Associates, Inc.<br />
Vero Beach, Fla.<br />
Raymond G. Curry<br />
SMC Concrete Construction, Inc.<br />
Ann<strong>and</strong>ale, Va.<br />
Lisa Decker<br />
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.<br />
Baltimore, Md.<br />
Carolyn Dimmick<br />
HDR, Inc.<br />
Pittsburgh, Pa.<br />
Richard M. DiSalvo, Jr.<br />
Draper Aden Associates<br />
Blacksburg, Va.<br />
T.A. Groover<br />
Wiley & Wilson, Inc.<br />
Lynchburg, Va.<br />
Robert F. Jansen (Vice Chair)<br />
Jansen L<strong>and</strong> Consulting<br />
Falls Church, Va.<br />
Jimmie D. Jenkins<br />
Department of Public Works <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> Design<br />
Fairfax, Va.<br />
Anthony J. Moraco<br />
Space & Geospatial Intelligence Business Unit<br />
Chantilly, Va.<br />
Carl W. Pugh, Jr.<br />
New Millennium Building Systems<br />
Salem, Va.<br />
Brian L. Ramaley<br />
Newport News Waterworks<br />
Newport News, Va.<br />
Jack E. Rinker<br />
Rinker Design Associates<br />
Manassas, Va.<br />
Philip A. Shucet<br />
The Philip A. Shucet Company<br />
Virginia Beach, Va.<br />
18 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
CEE FACULTY BY PROGRAM AREA<br />
Vecellio Construction <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Management Program<br />
• Jesus M. de la Garza, Vecellio Professor<br />
• Michael J. Garvin, Associate Professor *<br />
• Sunil K. Sinha, Associate Professor <strong>and</strong> Program<br />
Coordinator<br />
• Michael C. Vorster, David Burrows Professor<br />
• Deborah E. Young-Corbett, Assistant Professor *<br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Program<br />
• Gregory D. Boardman, Professor<br />
• William Cox, Assistant Department Head <strong>and</strong> Professor<br />
• Andrea M. Dietrich, Professor<br />
• Panayiotis Diplas, Professor<br />
• R<strong>and</strong>el Dymond, Associate Professor<br />
• Marc A. Edwards, Charles Lunsford Professor<br />
• Daniel L. Gallagher, Associate Professor<br />
• Adil N. Godrej, Research Associate Professor (NV)<br />
• Thomas J. Grizzard, Jr., Professor (NV)<br />
• Erich T. Hester, Assistant Professor<br />
• Robert Hoehn, Emeritus Professor<br />
• David F. Kibler, Emeritus Professor<br />
• William Knocke, W. Curtis English Professor<br />
• John C. Little, Professor <strong>and</strong> Program Coordinator<br />
• Linsey C. Marr, Associate Professor<br />
• Glenn E. Moglen, Professor (NV)<br />
• John T. Novak, Nick Prillaman Professor<br />
• Amy J. Pruden, Associate Professor<br />
• Clifford W. R<strong>and</strong>all, Emeritus Professor<br />
• Peter J. Vikesl<strong>and</strong>, Associate Professor<br />
• Mark Widdowson, Assistant Department Head <strong>and</strong><br />
Professor<br />
Geotechnical <strong>Engineering</strong> Program<br />
• Thomas L. Br<strong>and</strong>on, Associate Professor<br />
• Joseph E. Dove, Research Assistant Professor<br />
• J. Michael Duncan, Emeritus Professor<br />
• George M. Filz, Charles E. Via, Jr. Professor<br />
• Russell A. Green, Associate Professor <strong>and</strong> Program<br />
Coordinator<br />
• James R. Martin, II, Professor<br />
• Matthew Mauldon, Associate Professor<br />
• James K. Mitchell, Emeritus Professor<br />
Structural <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> Materials Program<br />
• Richard M. Barker, Emeritus Professor<br />
• Finley A. Charney, Associate Professor<br />
• Thomas E. Cousins, Professor<br />
• W. Samuel Easterling, Department Head <strong>and</strong><br />
Montague-Betts Professor of Structural Steel Design<br />
• Donald A. Garst, Emeritus Professor<br />
• Siegfried M. Holzer, Emeritus Professor<br />
• Cristopher D. Moen, Assistant Professor<br />
• Thomas M. Murray, Emeritus Professor<br />
• Raymond H. Plaut, Emeritus Professor<br />
• Carin L. Roberts-Wollmann, Associate Professor<br />
• Kamal B. Rojiani, Associate Professor <strong>and</strong> Program<br />
Coordinator<br />
• Elisa D. Sotelino, Professor<br />
• Richard E. Weyers, Charles E. Via, Jr. Professor<br />
• William J. Wright, Associate Professor<br />
Transportation Infrastructure <strong>and</strong> Systems<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Program<br />
• Montasir Abbas, Assistant Professor<br />
• Thomas A. Dingus, Newport News Shipbuilding /<br />
Tenneco Professor<br />
• Gerardo W. Flintsch, Associate Professor<br />
• Kathleen L. Hancock, Associate Professor (NV)<br />
• Antoine G. Hobeika, Professor<br />
• Shinya Kikuchi, Charles E. Via, Jr. Professor (NV)<br />
• Pamela Murray-Tuite, Assistant Professor (NV)<br />
• Hesham A. Rakha, Professor<br />
• Dusan Teodorovic, Emeritus Professor (NV)<br />
• Antonio A. Trani, Professor <strong>and</strong> Program Coordinator<br />
• Linbing Wang, Associate Professor<br />
* — Affiliated through the Myers-Lawson School of<br />
Construction<br />
NV — Northern Virginia Program<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 19
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
VECELLIO CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT<br />
Lectures highlight eventful year for VCEMP<br />
20 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
The Vecellio Construction <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Management Program<br />
(VCEMP) has had an eventful year.<br />
The highlights include: the CH2M Hill<br />
Distinguished Lecture in the spring semester<br />
presented by Brendan Owens<br />
(see sidebar story, page 22) of the U.S.<br />
Green Building Council; the recognition by<br />
the Construction Industry Institute (CII) as<br />
the <strong>2009</strong> CII Curriculum Partner, recognizing<br />
the incorporation of CII research findings<br />
within curricula; <strong>and</strong> the <strong>2009</strong> Vecellio<br />
Distinguished Lecture in the fall semester<br />
presented by Paul E. Torgersen (see<br />
sidebar story, page 22).<br />
Six undergraduate Vecellio Scholarships<br />
were awarded to highly-qualified<br />
students who have demonstrated leadership<br />
potential <strong>and</strong> an interest in pursuing a<br />
career in the construction industry. These<br />
students who were formally recognized<br />
during the proceedings of the Vecellio<br />
Distinguished Lecture are: Joseph Arcella,<br />
Shane Cochran, Arsalan Heydarian, Jeffrey<br />
Smith, Zachary Stutts, <strong>and</strong> William<br />
Tartaglia.<br />
To help bring all these initiatives to<br />
fruition, S<strong>and</strong>y Simpkins has provided<br />
essential <strong>and</strong> extraordinary administrative<br />
support to the program, students <strong>and</strong><br />
faculty.<br />
As for news from the VCEMP faculty,<br />
the following paragraphs showcase their<br />
activities.<br />
Jesus M. de la Garza, the Vecellio<br />
Professor in Construction <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Management, received the College of<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Dean’s Award for Teaching<br />
Excellence <strong>and</strong> CII’s Distinguished Professor<br />
award.<br />
He is member of the National Research<br />
Council’s Board on Infrastructure <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Constructed Environment (BICE) <strong>and</strong> just<br />
published the report on “Sustainable Critical<br />
Infrastructure Systems: A Framework<br />
for Meeting 21st Century Imperatives.”<br />
de la Garza’s research is funded by the<br />
National Science Foundation (NSF) <strong>and</strong><br />
the Virginia Department of Transportation<br />
(VDOT) <strong>and</strong> focuses on highway infrastructure<br />
maintenance through his leadership<br />
of the Center for Highway Asset Management<br />
ProgramS (CHAMPS).<br />
He traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to present<br />
his research on RFID technology for<br />
highway infrastructure to the CIB Task<br />
Group 78. He also taught three courses,<br />
namely, construction management, construction<br />
control techniques, <strong>and</strong> schedule<br />
impact analysis.<br />
de la Garza chairs CII’s Academic<br />
Committee <strong>and</strong> is the associate editor of<br />
ASCE’s Journal of Construction <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Management. He serves as the<br />
faculty advisor to the Construction Management<br />
Association of America (CMAA)<br />
student chapter in the Myers-Lawson<br />
School of Construction.<br />
Michael J. Garvin was appointed as<br />
the associate director of the Myers-Lawson<br />
School of Construction in early summer<br />
of 2008. (See related article, page 4.)<br />
In this role, he will focus upon the school’s<br />
academic <strong>and</strong> organizational affairs.<br />
He also was appointed to Federal Highway<br />
Administration’s (FHWA) Expert Task<br />
Group on Public-Private Partnerships in<br />
the spring.<br />
Garvin taught two courses in common<br />
core graduate curriculum in the<br />
Myers-Lawson School of Construction,<br />
Preconstruction Planning <strong>and</strong> Facilities<br />
Integration. He also once again taught<br />
construction management to nearly 130<br />
undergraduates in the spring.<br />
Garvin had another productive year in<br />
the area of scholarship. He had a book<br />
chapter accepted for publication, one<br />
paper published in an archival journal,<br />
<strong>and</strong> three papers published in conference<br />
proceedings.<br />
He was also the primary author <strong>and</strong><br />
report facilitator for the FHWA/AASHTO<br />
report entitled “Public-Private Partnerships<br />
for Highway Infrastructure: Capitalizing on<br />
International Experience.”<br />
He made presentations at the AASHTO<br />
Subcommittee on Construction’s annual<br />
meeting <strong>and</strong> TRB’s annual meeting regarding<br />
the findings from this report.<br />
He was also a plenary speaker at the<br />
2008 Specialty Conference on Leadership<br />
<strong>and</strong> Management in Construction, sponsored<br />
by CIB Task Group 64 <strong>and</strong> ASCE’s<br />
Construction Research Council.<br />
Garvin continues his NSF CAREER<br />
award research efforts to develop decision<br />
support systems to improve how infrastructure<br />
projects are programmed, financed,<br />
<strong>and</strong> delivered. One Ph.D. student<br />
<strong>and</strong> three M.S. students were supported<br />
by this award graduated this past year.<br />
He also began a research project with<br />
VDOT to investigate risk allocation <strong>and</strong><br />
contract provisions in design-build contracts.<br />
Sunil Sinha’s research group continues<br />
to develop a national <strong>and</strong> international<br />
reputation in the area of sustainable water<br />
infrastructure management system.<br />
Sinha is co-director of the Center of<br />
Excellence (ICE) in Sustainable Water<br />
Infrastructure Management (SWIM).<br />
Currently, he has several ongoing<br />
research projects, funded by the NSF,<br />
EPA, WERF, <strong>and</strong> industry <strong>and</strong> all related<br />
to the water infrastructure system.<br />
He is also working closely with<br />
international research institutions working<br />
in the areas of water infrastructure such<br />
as CSIRO, Australia; NRC, Canada;<br />
University of Birmingham, U.K.; <strong>and</strong><br />
SINTEF, Norway.<br />
During the past year he taught two<br />
graduate level courses, Infrastructure<br />
Asset Management <strong>and</strong> Information<br />
Technology (IT) in Construction.<br />
Sinha’s research group currently<br />
consists of one post-doc, three doctoral<br />
<strong>and</strong> seven master’s students.<br />
In February <strong>2009</strong>, Sinha <strong>and</strong> his<br />
graduate student Raj Kola visited<br />
Washington Suburban Sanitary<br />
Commission (WSSC) in Laurel, Md.,<br />
to investigate the failure mode <strong>and</strong><br />
mechanism of large diameter water prestressed<br />
concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP).<br />
Sinha was featured as an expert<br />
on water infrastructure on the History<br />
Channel’s news special on America’s<br />
Continued on next page
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
VECELLIO CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT<br />
infrastructure crisis --”The Crumbling of<br />
America. “ He is also the seed behind a<br />
new PBS documentary that throws light on<br />
a long-buried problem — America’s aging<br />
water <strong>and</strong> sewer infrastructure. Sinha<br />
hopes that “Liquid Assets: The Story of<br />
Our Water Infrastructure,” airing on PBS<br />
across the nation, will spur American cities<br />
to take action.<br />
Michael C. Vorster, the David Burrows<br />
Professor, spent calendar year 2008 on<br />
research <strong>and</strong> study leave.<br />
During this time he completed his work<br />
on “Construction Equipment Economics,”<br />
a book designed to serve as a desk reference<br />
for practitioners responsible for managing<br />
large fleets of heavy construction<br />
equipment. Pre publication reviews have<br />
cited the book, published in September<br />
of <strong>2009</strong>, as “the most comprehensive <strong>and</strong><br />
modern equipment management guide to<br />
date” <strong>and</strong> “at last, Mike offers his fans a<br />
comprehensive work that most certainly<br />
will become the st<strong>and</strong>ard for the equipment<br />
management professional.”<br />
Vorster returned to active duty in spring<br />
<strong>2009</strong> when he taught CEE 4017 Estimating,<br />
Production <strong>and</strong> Cost <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
CEE 4074, Construction <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
Means <strong>and</strong> Methods.<br />
He also participated as a member of the<br />
leadership team for a $25 million research<br />
proposal submitted to NIOSH for the<br />
establishment of The National Center for<br />
Construction Safety <strong>and</strong> Health at Virginia<br />
Tech. His specific responsibilities in the<br />
proposed future center include leadership<br />
of the Industry Board <strong>and</strong> participation in<br />
the Granata Pilot Research program.<br />
Vorster will retire from Virginia Tech in<br />
December <strong>2009</strong> after 23 years of service.<br />
(See related article, page 12.)<br />
Deborah Young-Corbett, in her second<br />
year on the faculty, continued to develop<br />
research, education <strong>and</strong> scholarship endeavors<br />
to address health hazards arising<br />
from the built environment or inherent to<br />
construction processes.<br />
Regarding the pursuit of sponsored research,<br />
she was PI or co-PI on 15 submitted<br />
grant applications totaling $9,890,993.<br />
Her personal share on those applications<br />
is $1,817,514 of which $1,239,334 is still<br />
pending decision, as of the writing of this<br />
report. To date, she has received funding<br />
Deborah Young-Corbett received a grant from NSF to develop a framework for<br />
managing the environmental health of the nation’s public school infrastructure.<br />
in the amount of $662,455 (personal share<br />
$315,002).<br />
She has been awarded a grant from the<br />
NSF to develop a framework for managing<br />
the environmental health of the nation’s<br />
public school infrastructure. This framework<br />
will optimize maintenance management<br />
of asbestos-containing materials <strong>and</strong><br />
lead-based paint in school facilities.<br />
As a part of the leadership team for<br />
the Center for Innovation in Construction<br />
Safety <strong>and</strong> Health, Young-Corbett participated<br />
in the preparation of an application<br />
to the National Institute for Occupational<br />
Safety <strong>and</strong> Health for Virginia Tech to<br />
become a National Research Center for<br />
Construction Safety <strong>and</strong> Health. A decision<br />
on this $25 million center application<br />
is expected in the fall of <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Young-Corbett continued her participation<br />
in the Interdisciplinary Research Team<br />
for Pervasive Computing. The team was<br />
awarded an NSF grant to study interdisciplinary<br />
engineering education <strong>and</strong> innovation<br />
in computer engineering.<br />
In this year, she published two peerreviewed<br />
journal articles <strong>and</strong> six conference<br />
papers.<br />
Young-Corbett developed three new<br />
courses in her areas of expertise: Designing<br />
for Hazard Control in Construction,<br />
Industrial <strong>Engineering</strong> of Construction Processes,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Indoor <strong>Environmental</strong> Quality<br />
<strong>and</strong> Sustainability. She also continues to<br />
teach an undergraduate course in Building<br />
Systems Technology Design.<br />
In this academic year, she served as<br />
advisor to one doctoral <strong>and</strong> five master’s<br />
students.<br />
Regarding professional service, she<br />
was a reviewer for the Journal of Construction<br />
Management <strong>and</strong> Economics<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Journal of Construction <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Management.<br />
She also served on two committees of<br />
the American Industrial Hygiene Association:<br />
Indoor <strong>Environmental</strong> Quality <strong>and</strong><br />
Computer Applications.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 21
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
VECELLIO CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND MANAGEMENT<br />
Torgersen presents Vecellio Distinguished Lecture<br />
The <strong>2009</strong> Vecellio Distinguished<br />
Lecture was presented by Paul E.<br />
Torgersen, president emeritus of Virginia<br />
Tech <strong>and</strong> a member of the National<br />
Academy of <strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
His talk was titled: “The Virginia<br />
Tech Personal Computer Initiative or<br />
Walking 20 Miles in the Snow to Catch<br />
the School Bus.”<br />
A synopsis of his talk is as follows:<br />
Twenty-five years ago the College<br />
of <strong>Engineering</strong> required of its entering<br />
freshmen the purchase of a personal<br />
computer. Virginia Tech was the first<br />
public university in the nation to do so.<br />
The machine was described as “portable”<br />
but weighed over 40 pounds.<br />
It had all of 256K of memory <strong>and</strong> a<br />
9” amber monochrome monitor. By<br />
st<strong>and</strong>ards even a few years later, the<br />
required machine was primitive.<br />
The decision to impose this requirement<br />
upon an entering freshman<br />
class, the selection of a vendor <strong>and</strong> a<br />
machine, <strong>and</strong> the actual distribution of<br />
hardware <strong>and</strong> software were not without<br />
some interesting moments <strong>and</strong> just<br />
a little controversy.<br />
One faculty member critical of the<br />
initial recommendation concluded,<br />
“Whatever you guys are on, you<br />
TORGERSEN<br />
should make it available to everyone. It’ll<br />
solve all the world’s problems.”<br />
Would this computer requirement <strong>and</strong><br />
added cost impact enrollments Would<br />
it produce a more marketable graduate<br />
We knew the answer to the second<br />
question but not the first.<br />
The time lapse from the initial recommendation<br />
to the distribution of<br />
computers to students was 15 months.<br />
We were on a fast track. This was<br />
truly a team effort of some dedicated<br />
faculty.<br />
Two comments from the graduating<br />
class might set this in perspective:<br />
“The class of ’87 was quite jealous …<br />
they had to endure FORTRAN programming<br />
with card decks. We (the<br />
class of ’88) actually programmed our<br />
own PC’s, did drafting on our PC’s,<br />
<strong>and</strong> wrote papers on our PC’s. And a<br />
second comment …. “I still have my<br />
computer <strong>and</strong> show it to my kids so<br />
they know what the first ‘laptop’ looked<br />
like (my version of walking 20 miles in<br />
the snow to catch the school bus).”<br />
In hindsight, now 25 years later one<br />
of the principal players concluded,<br />
“How little we understood at that time<br />
how computing would evolve, how<br />
pervasive it would become in our daily<br />
lives as well as our engineering work.<br />
In that sense we were lucky rather<br />
than enlightened.”<br />
Owens delivers CH2M Hill Distinguished Lecture<br />
The CH2M Hill Distinguished Lecture was presented by<br />
Brendan Owens, vice president for the U.S. Green Building<br />
Council. His talk was titled: “Mind the Gap: Integrated design,<br />
construction, operations <strong>and</strong> maintenance of green buildings.”<br />
A synopsis of Owens’ lecture is as follows: the design,<br />
construction, operation <strong>and</strong> maintenance of high performance<br />
green buildings is, by many metrics, the fastest growing sector<br />
of the buildings industry <strong>and</strong> major initiatives are under way to<br />
make green buildings the industry st<strong>and</strong>ard of care.<br />
“Green” has become ubiquitous in everyday U.S. life.<br />
Despite its almost universal application to everything from<br />
cars to clothes, it has become clear that “green”, while<br />
understood in a general sense, often describes widely<br />
varying performance features depending on the perspective<br />
of the entity applying the label. Underst<strong>and</strong>ing the underlying<br />
technical details of a “green” claim is critical to preventing<br />
misalignment of performance goals <strong>and</strong> greenwashing.<br />
Mind the Gap was a discussion about integrated design,<br />
construction, operations, maintenance <strong>and</strong> verification of high<br />
performance green buildings, green building rating systems<br />
such as USGBC’s LEED <strong>and</strong> the role that buildings play as<br />
part of the power, water <strong>and</strong> communications infrastructure<br />
modern society relies on. Gaps exist in making all of these<br />
systems function as efficiently <strong>and</strong> effectively as possible.<br />
22 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING<br />
R<strong>and</strong>y Dymond coordinates the L<strong>and</strong> Development<br />
Design Initiative, <strong>and</strong> is a recipient of a national award<br />
for connecting education with professional practice.<br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> graduate program ranks ninth in the country<br />
The <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
(EWR) Graduate Program<br />
Area is again in the Top Ten <strong>and</strong><br />
moving on up!<br />
EWR was ranked ninth in the nation<br />
(up from 10th last year) by U.S. News<br />
<strong>and</strong> World <strong>Report</strong> for <strong>2009</strong>. In the undergraduate<br />
program area, U.S. News ranks<br />
the environmental program 15th in the<br />
country.<br />
Well-prepared Virginia Tech Ph.D., M.S.<br />
<strong>and</strong> B.S. students are graduating <strong>and</strong><br />
serving the profession. This year, EWR is<br />
educating 100 students in the graduate<br />
program alone.<br />
During the past year, the EWR faculty<br />
conducted a substantial strategic planning<br />
exercise <strong>and</strong> identified three new<br />
thrust areas in addition to the traditional<br />
water, wastewater, hydrosystems <strong>and</strong> air<br />
activities. The new areas are: water supply<br />
<strong>and</strong> reuse; water infrastructure; <strong>and</strong><br />
environmental nanotechnology. Research<br />
<strong>and</strong> teaching opportunities are being developed<br />
<strong>and</strong> exp<strong>and</strong>ed in these areas.<br />
In Blacksburg, EWR staff continues to<br />
supervise teaching <strong>and</strong> research activities<br />
in five buildings: Patton Hall, Durham Hall,<br />
Norris Hall, Hancock Hall <strong>and</strong> the new<br />
ICTAS building, adjacent to Durham Hall.<br />
Betty Wingate <strong>and</strong> Beth Lucas primarily<br />
provide administrative support to faculty<br />
<strong>and</strong> students located in Durham Hall while<br />
Merry Gayle Moeller covers the faculty<br />
<strong>and</strong> students in Patton Hall. Together they<br />
organize the new students each fall <strong>and</strong><br />
move them through the administrative<br />
maze until they graduate.<br />
The Durham, Patton, Hancock, Norris<br />
Halls <strong>and</strong> ICTAS laboratories continue to<br />
be in top-notch <strong>and</strong> safe working order<br />
because of Julie Petruska’s <strong>and</strong> Jody<br />
Smiley’s dedication to student <strong>and</strong> faculty<br />
researchers <strong>and</strong> the instruments they use.<br />
EWR is adding liquid chromatographymass<br />
spectrometry to its extensive collection<br />
of analytical chemistry instrumentation,<br />
<strong>and</strong> just recently an “olfactory gas chromatography”<br />
was installed so that researchers<br />
can literally “sniff” the organic compounds<br />
that elute from the gas chromatography<br />
column <strong>and</strong> describe their odors.<br />
Those who visit the EWR hydrosystems<br />
area on the second floor of Patton will<br />
marvel at the renovations. Replacing the<br />
ping-pong table are high-tech <strong>and</strong> architecturally<br />
appealing offices for students<br />
<strong>and</strong> faculty, a conference room <strong>and</strong> the<br />
newly dedicated G.V. Loganathan Library.<br />
On your next visit to the department,<br />
stop by this area <strong>and</strong> enjoy the books, art<br />
work, <strong>and</strong> colleagues.<br />
Susan Merten, the student services coordinator<br />
for CEE at the Northern Virginia<br />
Center, stays busy supporting all of the<br />
Continued on page 24<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 23
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING<br />
24 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
Continued from page 23<br />
CEE graduate students <strong>and</strong> faculty in the<br />
National Capital Region, including those<br />
in the Transportation Infrastructure Systems,<br />
EWR, <strong>and</strong> Geospatial <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
program areas. Merten is leaving Virginia<br />
Tech soon as her husb<strong>and</strong> accepts a new<br />
assignment in the Diplomatic Corps.<br />
Research is at a frenzied pace at the<br />
Occoquan Water Monitoring Lab in Manassas.<br />
This past year, Harry Post celebrated<br />
25 years of service as a research associate<br />
<strong>and</strong> supervisor of field operations at<br />
the Occoquan Laboratory. He has been<br />
working to advance the automation of<br />
field monitoring stations in the Occoquan<br />
Watershed, including transitioning data<br />
collection to a near-real-time mode by<br />
uploading information to the GOES II Geosynchronous<br />
Satellite.<br />
George “Woody” Underwood completed<br />
30 years of service <strong>and</strong> continues to play<br />
a key leadership role in the operation<br />
<strong>and</strong> maintenance of the field monitoring<br />
network in the Occoquan <strong>and</strong> Potomac<br />
Watersheds.<br />
Phil Spellerberg, Mark Lucas, <strong>and</strong> Doug<br />
Holladay serve as the core of the watershed<br />
<strong>and</strong> reservoir study field team <strong>and</strong><br />
reliably maintain an automated sampling<br />
network that is distributed over much of<br />
the National Capital Region.<br />
New to the Occoquan Laboratory is<br />
Dongmei Wang who just completed her<br />
first year as a research associate <strong>and</strong><br />
laboratory supervisor. Wang has led the<br />
effort to obtain <strong>Environmental</strong> Laboratory<br />
Certification at OWML, <strong>and</strong> has also<br />
played a key role in the planning for a major<br />
renovation of the laboratory spaces at<br />
the Manassas Facility.<br />
Joan Wirt <strong>and</strong> Mike Gaal have had a<br />
busy year working to accommodate laboratory<br />
renovations while keeping current<br />
with the analytical workload of the Occoquan<br />
Laboratory. They have been instrumental<br />
in bringing up new instrumentation<br />
<strong>and</strong> helping to plan for planned laboratory<br />
renovations.<br />
Curt Eskridge, a long-time former employee<br />
of the Occoquan Laboratory, has<br />
returned to work this year on a part-time<br />
basis to help in meeting some of the challenges<br />
of preparing for lab certification.<br />
Adam Fleming is a recent graduate of<br />
Virginia Tech in microbiology, <strong>and</strong> worked<br />
as a part-time member of the laboratory<br />
analytical staff.<br />
On the administrative side of the laboratory<br />
operations, Barb Angelotti <strong>and</strong> Alicia<br />
Tingen are busy meeting the varied needs<br />
of the Occoquan Laboratory, particularly<br />
as the renovation project has proceeded,<br />
<strong>and</strong> as the lab is now also hosting David<br />
Sample from the biological systems<br />
engineering department who is also an<br />
adjunct CEE faculty member working with<br />
CEE faculty to develop a research <strong>and</strong><br />
outreach program in urban stormwater<br />
management.<br />
The EWR faculty is active providing<br />
leadership in teaching, research <strong>and</strong><br />
outreach to the Virginia Tech community,<br />
the state, the nation, <strong>and</strong> the world-wide<br />
education <strong>and</strong> research community. The<br />
emeritus faculty are doing well.<br />
Clifford R<strong>and</strong>all is frequently in his<br />
Durham Hall office <strong>and</strong> continues to interact<br />
with students, staff, faculty <strong>and</strong> the<br />
biological nutrient removal community.<br />
Robert Hoehn continues to guest<br />
lecture, particularly on his favorite topic,<br />
tastes <strong>and</strong> odors in drinking water.<br />
David Kibler continues to be a presence<br />
in the hydrosystems area <strong>and</strong> is a<br />
frequent visitor to Patton Hall. A sampling<br />
of the activities <strong>and</strong> accomplishments of<br />
the teaching <strong>and</strong> research faculty is provided<br />
below.<br />
Gregory Boardman, three of his graduate<br />
students, <strong>and</strong> colleagues in another<br />
department (food science <strong>and</strong> technology<br />
— G. Flick, D. Kuhn <strong>and</strong> L. Marsh) performed<br />
various studies at an inl<strong>and</strong> shrimp<br />
production facility that uses recirculating<br />
aquaculture systems (RAS).<br />
The research projects included evaluations<br />
of the impact of chemotherapeutic<br />
agents (e.g., antibiotics) on nitrifying<br />
bacteria in the RAS, the performance of<br />
the RAS water treatment operations, the<br />
effects of ammonia <strong>and</strong> nitrite on shrimp,<br />
<strong>and</strong> the potential benefits of feeding biofloc<br />
(bacteria, etc.) to shrimp along with<br />
commercial feed.<br />
Biofloc was generated through biological<br />
treatment of effluents from an adjacent<br />
fish farm (tilapia). The idea that biofloc<br />
might be a good feed supplement is gaining<br />
momentum through the success of this<br />
research <strong>and</strong> the work of others around<br />
the world. In fact, Boardman is a member<br />
of an international working group of the<br />
Aquacultural <strong>Engineering</strong> Society (AES)<br />
that is referred to as “Microbial Controlled<br />
Aquaculture Systems” <strong>and</strong> dedicated to<br />
the uses of biofloc technology.<br />
Boardman also has a student studying<br />
the formation of disinfection by-products<br />
(DBPs) at a local water plant. Laboratory<br />
tests are now being conducted to try to<br />
simulate actual field results <strong>and</strong> to test the<br />
impact of different water quality variables<br />
on DBP production.<br />
In May, <strong>2009</strong>, Boardman was appointed<br />
a fellow of the Department of Energy’s<br />
National Energy Technology Laboratory<br />
(NETL) <strong>and</strong> leader of its water management<br />
research thrust area. His job will<br />
be to develop, in cooperation with NETL<br />
fellows from Virginia Tech <strong>and</strong> four other<br />
universities (Carnegie Mellon University,<br />
the University of Pittsburgh, West Virginia<br />
University, <strong>and</strong> Penn State University),<br />
a research program that will address the<br />
water quality issues associated with energy<br />
production systems. Research projects<br />
are to begin in November, <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Boardman continues to offer short<br />
courses <strong>and</strong> serves as director of the<br />
<strong>Annual</strong> Short School for Treatment Plant<br />
Personnel. Over the past year, Boardman<br />
worked with Holly McCall-Williams of Virginia<br />
Tech’s Continuing <strong>and</strong> Professional<br />
Education (CPE) to coordinate <strong>and</strong> offer<br />
11 short courses. He also works with her<br />
to organize a televised lecture series (approximately<br />
eight lectures per year; 14<br />
Virginia sites) which is sponsored by the<br />
Virginia Department of Health.<br />
The lecture series is designed to help<br />
people in the water industry, <strong>and</strong> covers<br />
a variety of topics, such as operation <strong>and</strong><br />
maintenance, security, setting water rates,<br />
capital improvement plans, grant writing,<br />
<strong>and</strong> water chemistry.<br />
Rounding out Boardman’s outreach<br />
efforts this past year were the duties as-<br />
Continued on page 25
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 24<br />
sociated with being co-chair of an AES<br />
Special Issues Forum <strong>and</strong> as a member<br />
of the program committee for the 2008<br />
International Conference on Recirculating<br />
Aquaculture (ICRA).<br />
William Cox continued to focus on<br />
water supply planning <strong>and</strong> management<br />
issues in teaching <strong>and</strong> research.<br />
Water planning research included<br />
completion of a project for the Corps of<br />
Engineers’ Institute for Water Resources<br />
investigating the potential for shared vision<br />
planning in Virginia’s James River<br />
Basin. The water planning <strong>and</strong> management<br />
focus involved several activities<br />
within the American Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers’<br />
(ASCE) <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>and</strong> Water<br />
Resources Institute, including membership<br />
on the technical executive committee <strong>and</strong><br />
several other committees.<br />
Cox’s dominant emphasis during the<br />
past year was administrative. Since an<br />
Accreditation Board for <strong>Engineering</strong> Technology<br />
(ABET) visit was scheduled in the<br />
fall to assess the undergraduate program,<br />
preparation of necessary documents <strong>and</strong><br />
coordination of the preparation of supporting<br />
materials was a major activity for Cox.<br />
Another administrative responsibility<br />
focused on CEE curriculum development.<br />
These responsibilities included significant<br />
involvement in the review <strong>and</strong> revision of<br />
the undergraduate CEE curriculum that<br />
was underway throughout the 2008-09<br />
academic year, assistance with course<br />
proposal preparation, <strong>and</strong> other activities<br />
associated with the undergraduate curriculum.<br />
Andrea M. Dietrich received the 2008<br />
American Water Works Association’s<br />
Golden Spigot Award for service to the<br />
drinking water community.<br />
In acknowledgement of her achievements<br />
in interdisciplinary research over<br />
the past decade, the College of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
selected her for a Dean’s Award for<br />
Excellence in Research.<br />
In October 2008, Dietrich delivered<br />
invited keynote addresses in Korea <strong>and</strong><br />
Taiwan at two conferences that attracted<br />
international experts on drinking water<br />
quality.<br />
During the academic year, she taught<br />
analytical <strong>and</strong> environmental chemistry to<br />
the next generation of environmental engineers<br />
<strong>and</strong> scientists.<br />
Her research group had many successes<br />
this year, including launching into their<br />
new careers. Ph.D. graduates Chang-<br />
Hyun Jo, Pinar Omur-Ozbek, <strong>and</strong> Andrew<br />
Whelton, <strong>and</strong> successful masters students<br />
Andrew Benson, David Clark, Heather<br />
Johnson, <strong>and</strong> Ryan Pierce, graduated.<br />
Back in the lab, interdisciplinary Ph.D.<br />
student Jose Cerrato is working at the<br />
nano-interface of chemical <strong>and</strong> biological<br />
cycling of manganese.<br />
Continuing the research started by<br />
Omur-Ozbek, Ph.D. student Susan Mirlohi<br />
leads the research effort in metallic tastes<br />
with the assistance of undergraduates<br />
Shannon Flynn <strong>and</strong> Christine Sargent,<br />
plus master’s student Jia Tang who is also<br />
developing a model to predict contaminant<br />
diffusion in distribution system materials.<br />
Undergraduate researcher Timothy<br />
Smiley investigated the role antioxidants<br />
play in performance of polyethylene pipes,<br />
an extension of Whelton’s dissertation<br />
research which was also aided by undergraduates<br />
Stephanie Pluta <strong>and</strong> Ted Halley.<br />
Graduate students Andrew Benson,<br />
David Clark, Heather Johnson, <strong>and</strong> Ryan<br />
Pierce all contributed to the betterment<br />
of distribution system materials with their<br />
investigations of corrosion <strong>and</strong> improving<br />
water quality.<br />
Chang Jo applied advanced oxidation<br />
to destroy drinking water odors, while the<br />
research team of undergraduates Andrew<br />
Snyder-Beattie <strong>and</strong> Timothy Byrne, along<br />
with high school student Conor Gallagher,<br />
asked volunteers to sip drinking water<br />
<strong>and</strong> provide their opinions on the taste of<br />
minerals. “UmUm Good” was often the<br />
response.<br />
The <strong>2009</strong>-2010 year looks busy, as<br />
Dietrich is leading an effort on “Water for<br />
Health” that involves 11 other interdisciplinary<br />
faculty at Virginia Tech who represent<br />
research <strong>and</strong> teaching from three<br />
colleges.<br />
Panos Diplas continued his teaching<br />
<strong>and</strong> research activities in the areas of environmental<br />
<strong>and</strong> fluvial hydraulics.<br />
His research efforts focused on numerical<br />
modeling of river flows for stream<br />
restoration purposes; determination of the<br />
effect of fluctuating releases from the Roanoke<br />
Rapids Dam of the Lower Roanoke<br />
River, N.C., on bank stability; modeling the<br />
effects of fluctuating instantaneous forces<br />
on sediment movement; investigating the<br />
behavior of flow through wetl<strong>and</strong>s; scour<br />
around bridge piers; the role of in-stream<br />
structures on river stability <strong>and</strong> infrastructure<br />
protection; <strong>and</strong> the characteristics of<br />
tropical rivers.<br />
The National Science Foundation,<br />
Dominion Power, the U.S. Army Corps of<br />
Engineers, Army Research Office, National<br />
Cooperative Highway Research Program,<br />
Virginia Department of Game <strong>and</strong><br />
Inl<strong>and</strong> Fisheries, <strong>and</strong> Defense Advanced<br />
Research Projects Agency (DARPA) supported<br />
these research projects.<br />
Diplas advised 12 graduate students,<br />
seven of them pursuing Ph.D.s, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
remaining five MS degrees. Three of the<br />
MS students, David Liu, Derek Spurlock,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Ryan Radspinner, graduated <strong>and</strong> are<br />
currently employed. John Petrie, a Ph.D.<br />
c<strong>and</strong>idate, received the Walker Graduate<br />
Research Fellow Award from the Virginia<br />
Water Resources Research Center. Papanicolaou,<br />
a former Ph.D. student <strong>and</strong><br />
currently a professor of the CE department<br />
at the University of Iowa, received<br />
the ASCE Walter Huber Research Prize.<br />
Together with his graduate students<br />
<strong>and</strong> collaborators, Diplas published papers<br />
in Science, Journal of Geophysical<br />
Research-Earth Science, Journal of Hydraulic<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Science <strong>and</strong> Technology. He is the guest<br />
editor of a special issue of the Journal of<br />
Hydraulic <strong>Engineering</strong>, ASCE, on Stream<br />
Restoration Hydrodynamics that will appear<br />
in 2010.<br />
He is also a member of the International<br />
Scientific Committee International Conference<br />
on Fluvial Hydraulics (River Flow<br />
2010) that will be held in Germany.<br />
R<strong>and</strong>y Dymond has been very active<br />
in both teaching <strong>and</strong> research efforts in<br />
the areas of l<strong>and</strong> development, floodplain<br />
mapping, urban stormwater, hazard mitigation,<br />
<strong>and</strong> geospatial information technology.<br />
Dymond teaches classes in l<strong>and</strong> de-<br />
Continued on page 26<br />
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26 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
Continued from page 25<br />
velopment design, water resources, <strong>and</strong><br />
geographic information systems’ applications.<br />
He was recognized this year with<br />
two major teaching awards: the College of<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Certificate of Teaching Excellence<br />
<strong>and</strong> the G.V. Loganathan Teaching<br />
Award.<br />
This past year, he also coordinated volunteer<br />
professional engineers in teaching<br />
an advanced l<strong>and</strong> development design<br />
course, mentored a new three credit<br />
course on sustainable l<strong>and</strong> development<br />
as part of the new curricular effort called<br />
the L<strong>and</strong> Development Design Initiative<br />
(LDDI).<br />
LDDI is a new effort to involve practitioners<br />
in promoting the career of l<strong>and</strong> development<br />
design to CEE undergraduates<br />
<strong>and</strong> to exp<strong>and</strong> the learning opportunities<br />
for students in this area. More information<br />
is available at www.Iddi.net.<br />
LDDI was also honored to receive a<br />
second place award from the National<br />
Council of Examiner for <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
Surveying (NCEES) in its contest on “Connecting<br />
Professional Practice <strong>and</strong> Education.”<br />
Dymond completed his sixth <strong>and</strong> final<br />
year as the co-director of the Center<br />
for Geospatial Information Technology<br />
(CGIT).<br />
Dymond continues to stay busy with<br />
numerous research projects such as<br />
floodplain mapping, urban stormwater<br />
systems, hazard mitigation planning, <strong>and</strong><br />
infrastructure operations.<br />
Dymond was involved in three presentations<br />
at three different conferences<br />
during the year on floodplain modeling<br />
techniques <strong>and</strong> hazard mitigation. One paper<br />
was published in the Journal of Flood<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> two other papers are currently<br />
in review.<br />
Dymond served as principal investigator<br />
on two new research proposals on urban<br />
stormwater management, <strong>and</strong> he continued<br />
work on eight previous projects.<br />
Marc Edwards had a “front-page” year.<br />
He was the commencement speaker at<br />
Virginia Tech’s Graduate School Commencement<br />
in December. He presented<br />
seven other keynote addresses at national/international<br />
conferences.<br />
His research on childhood lead poisoning<br />
from contaminated drinking water in<br />
the Washington D.C. area was once again<br />
front-page news on the web <strong>and</strong> in print<br />
media.<br />
Edwards’ group also continued active<br />
research projects on concrete, brass, copper<br />
<strong>and</strong> lead corrosion, as well as work on<br />
nitrification, legionella <strong>and</strong> coagulation.<br />
In <strong>2009</strong>, Edwards received a National<br />
Association of Corrosion Engineers<br />
(NACE) technical achievement award.<br />
Members of Edwards’ research group<br />
traveled to San Diego for the American<br />
Water Works Association National Conference<br />
<strong>and</strong> made nine presentations.<br />
Group members making the trip or having<br />
work presented include R<strong>and</strong>i Lieberman,<br />
Jeff Parks, Br<strong>and</strong>i Clark, Simoni Triantafyllidou,<br />
Yan Zhang, Carolyn Nguyen, Kendall<br />
Stone, Ben Custalow, Yaofu Zhang,<br />
Anusha Kashyup, Emily Sarver <strong>and</strong> Paolo<br />
Scardina. The group also continued active<br />
research projects on concrete, brass, copper<br />
<strong>and</strong> lead corrosion, as well as work on<br />
nitrification, legionella <strong>and</strong> coagulation.<br />
For nearly a decade, Dan Gallagher<br />
<strong>and</strong> his students have modeled microbial<br />
growth in food products from farm to fork<br />
with funding from the U.S. Department of<br />
Agriculture (USDA).<br />
In the past year, Gallagher made many<br />
trips to Washington, D.C., to inform regulators,<br />
policymakers, <strong>and</strong> industry how<br />
best to implement these models <strong>and</strong> associated<br />
monitoring programs.<br />
This year, graduate student Sarah Endrikat<br />
<strong>and</strong> undergraduate Owen Gallagher<br />
assisted him.<br />
Most recently, he has begun development<br />
of a bacterial cross contamination<br />
model for retail grocery stores as part of a<br />
joint USDA/Food <strong>and</strong> Drug Administration<br />
project.<br />
In the drinking water arena of his research<br />
program, graduate student James<br />
Newbold modeled contaminant transport<br />
in distribution systems <strong>and</strong> Gallagher travelled<br />
to Korea for a presentation on statistical<br />
analyses of customer complaint data.<br />
Adil Godrej’s research work on the Occoquan<br />
model continued this year, with<br />
his Ph.D. student Yingmei Liu working on<br />
the completion of the last update period<br />
(2002-07). Some predictive runs, using<br />
models of previous periods, have been<br />
made.<br />
Liu is also working on a protocol for a<br />
sensitivity analysis of the linked model,<br />
as part of her research work on BMP <strong>and</strong><br />
agricultural chemical usage in the Lake<br />
Manassas subwatershed model.<br />
Another Ph.D. student, whom Godrej<br />
is co-advising with Tom Grizzard, will be<br />
working on a web application of the model<br />
(or a neural network version of it).<br />
Niffy Saji, Godrej’s masters student,<br />
graduated after finishing her work on lake<br />
zonation, <strong>and</strong> now works for Fairfax Water.<br />
Godrej continued his work on various<br />
regional <strong>and</strong> local committees that deal<br />
with water <strong>and</strong> watershed issues.<br />
Tom Grizzard continued as director<br />
of the Occoquan Watershed Monitoring<br />
Laboratory (OWML), <strong>and</strong> also began his<br />
35th year of service to Virginia Tech.<br />
Along with his regular teaching activities<br />
in the EWR program in Northern Virginia,<br />
he continued with a number of University<br />
service roles in the Northern Capitol region.<br />
With colleagues, Grizzard continued<br />
his research activities in wastewater reclamation,<br />
source water management, <strong>and</strong><br />
management of surface water quality in<br />
urbanizing watersheds. Together with Adil<br />
Godrej, this accounts for nearly $2 million<br />
in funding in <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Through an inter-departmental cooperative<br />
agreement, a biological systems engineering<br />
(BSE) faculty member is hosted<br />
at OWML. This agreement <strong>and</strong> exp<strong>and</strong>ed<br />
research activities created a need for additional<br />
laboratory <strong>and</strong> office space in the<br />
Manassas facility. In response, Grizzard<br />
took charge of constructing a 25 percent<br />
space increase addition <strong>and</strong> refurbishment<br />
to the lab <strong>and</strong> office space, including faculty<br />
<strong>and</strong> graduate student research areas<br />
at the OWML.<br />
Through a new agreement between<br />
Virginia Tech <strong>and</strong> the French <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Graduate School École des Mine de<br />
St. Etienne, Grizzard hosted a French<br />
student for the summer term, <strong>and</strong> an environmental<br />
engineering professor in the<br />
fall semester. Also in the vein of international<br />
collaboration, Grizzard participated<br />
in hosting delegations visiting the U.S. to<br />
Continued on page 27
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ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING<br />
Adil Godrej works with his colleagues at<br />
CEE’s Occoquan Watershed Monitoring<br />
Laboratory. He serves on a number of<br />
regional <strong>and</strong> local committees.<br />
Continued from page 26<br />
learn about research <strong>and</strong> indirect potable<br />
reuse practice, including several groups<br />
from Australia <strong>and</strong> a Romanian study tour.<br />
Grizzard continued in a sixth year of<br />
service as a member of an advisory panel<br />
to the Public Utility Board (PUB) of the<br />
Republic of Singapore, advising the Singaporean<br />
government on a range of issues<br />
related to the management of critical<br />
water resources, including indirect potable<br />
reuse <strong>and</strong> stormwater harvesting.<br />
He also completed eight years of service<br />
on the scientific <strong>and</strong> technical advisory<br />
committee to the U.S. EPA Chesapeake<br />
Bay Program where he made policy<br />
recommendations for restoration of the<br />
world’s most productive estuary.<br />
In 2008, Grizzard was appointed to the<br />
technical advisory committee for the Syracuse<br />
University EPA Center of Excellence<br />
on Energy <strong>and</strong> Environment.<br />
Beginning this year, he has worked with<br />
the Virginia Department of <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Quality, developing regulatory guidance<br />
for the practice of indirect potable reuse in<br />
Virginia.<br />
The unique experience of the Occoquan<br />
Watershed has provided a model for the<br />
development of a successful policy to<br />
address future projects in the Commonwealth.<br />
Erich Hester’s research focuses on<br />
how hydrology, hydraulics, <strong>and</strong> geomorphology<br />
influence ecological health in<br />
stream, river, <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong> systems.<br />
Hester completed his Ph.D. in ecology<br />
at the University of North Carolina in August<br />
2008 <strong>and</strong> joined the EWR faculty in<br />
January <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Work from his recent dissertation continues<br />
to be presented in conferences <strong>and</strong><br />
journals. For example, his field experiments<br />
evaluating the impact of surfacegroundwater<br />
(hyporheic) exchange induced<br />
by in-stream geomorphic structures<br />
on stream temperature was published in<br />
Limnology <strong>and</strong> Oceanography in January.<br />
In addition, he presented his metaanalysis<br />
of biological sensitivity of stream<br />
<strong>and</strong> river organisms to anthropogenic temperature<br />
change at the North American<br />
Benthological Society <strong>Annual</strong> Meeting in<br />
May, <strong>and</strong> submitted a manuscript on this<br />
topic to a peer-reviewed journal.<br />
Hester has also pursued new research<br />
directions. For example, in January<br />
he submitted a manuscript for an invited<br />
chapter on hyporheic restoration in<br />
streams <strong>and</strong> rivers that will become part<br />
of an American Geophysical Union (AGU)<br />
book on Stream Restoration in 2010.<br />
Finally, he is preparing for research in<br />
<strong>2009</strong>-2010 in several ways. He successfully<br />
recruited Garrett Menichino (direct<br />
Ph.D.) <strong>and</strong> Elizabeth Cranmer (M.S.) who<br />
will be joining his new research group in<br />
the fall.<br />
His summer <strong>2009</strong> research focused on<br />
impacts of stream restoration on hyporheic<br />
exchange, impact of heated runoff<br />
Continued on page 28<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 27
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 27<br />
from parking lots during thunderstorms on<br />
temperatures in receiving water bodies,<br />
<strong>and</strong> effects of bathymetry <strong>and</strong> vegetation<br />
on thermal heterogeneity in streams <strong>and</strong><br />
rivers.<br />
William Knocke stepped down as CEE<br />
department head in August <strong>2009</strong> after 15<br />
years of service in this position.<br />
He was on research leave during the<br />
fall semester <strong>2009</strong>, <strong>and</strong> then will be welcomed<br />
back to the EWR program as a fulltime<br />
faculty member beginning in January<br />
2010.<br />
Over the past year he was named the<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>Civil</strong> Engineer of the <strong>Year</strong> by<br />
the Virginia Section of the American Society<br />
of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers <strong>and</strong> received the<br />
<strong>2009</strong> ASCE ExCEEd Leadership Award<br />
from ASCE national.<br />
He <strong>and</strong> his EWR colleagues look forward<br />
to a return to the more traditional<br />
faculty role within the group in the year to<br />
come!<br />
During the past year, John Little developed<br />
<strong>and</strong> taught a new 4000-level class<br />
titled “<strong>Environmental</strong> Sustainability.”<br />
He was elected to the International<br />
Society of Indoor Air Quality <strong>and</strong> Climate<br />
(ISIAQ) Academy of Fellows <strong>and</strong> was<br />
invited by the Indoor Air Institute to cochair<br />
a series of highly interdisciplinary<br />
workshops on semi-volatile organic compounds<br />
(SVOC) such as plasticizers <strong>and</strong><br />
flame retardants in the residential environment.<br />
Little was also invited to be a keynote<br />
speaker at the Fifth International Workshop<br />
on Energy <strong>and</strong> Environment of<br />
Residential Buildings <strong>and</strong> the Third International<br />
Conference on Built Environment<br />
<strong>and</strong> Public Health (EERB-BEPH <strong>2009</strong>),<br />
Guilin, Guangxi, China.<br />
Little is also chair of a newly formed<br />
IWA specialist group on lake <strong>and</strong> reservoir<br />
management.<br />
Lee Bryant, a Ph.D. student in Little’s<br />
lake <strong>and</strong> reservoir management group,<br />
received a two-year NSF earth sciences<br />
postdoctoral fellowship to continue her<br />
research on the biogeochemical cycling<br />
of manganese, <strong>and</strong> its effect on drinking<br />
water.<br />
Little was also the lead technical expert<br />
28 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
on a large consulting project for Atlanta<br />
entitled “Optimizing Water Quality at the<br />
Conceptual Design Stage: Bellwood Quarry<br />
Reservoir.” Vickie Singleton, a former<br />
Ph.D. student in Little’s lake <strong>and</strong> reservoir<br />
management group, played a central role<br />
in the project.<br />
Ying Xu, a Ph.D. student in Little’s indoor<br />
air group, accepted a faculty position<br />
in the Department of <strong>Civil</strong>, Architectural<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> at the<br />
University of Texas, Austin.<br />
Little remains coordinator of the EWR<br />
program.<br />
Linsey Marr’s research in air quality<br />
engineering focuses on improved quantification<br />
of emissions, characterization of<br />
airborne nanoparticles, <strong>and</strong> prediction of<br />
the fate <strong>and</strong> transport of air pollutants.<br />
Ph.D. student Tim Moore graduated<br />
this year. His paper describing development<br />
<strong>and</strong> testing of the Flux Lab for the<br />
Atmospheric Measurement of Emissions<br />
(FLAME) appeared on the cover of the<br />
Journal of <strong>Environmental</strong> Quality.<br />
Andrea Tiwari successfully defended<br />
her M.S., received an NSF IGERT EIGER<br />
fellowship, <strong>and</strong> is now pursuing doctoral<br />
research on chemical transformations of<br />
fullerene nanoparticles in the atmosphere.<br />
Ph.D. student Marina Eller Quadros<br />
reviewed the environmental risks of airborne<br />
silver nanoparticles <strong>and</strong> is quantifying<br />
emissions of such particles from consumer<br />
products.<br />
Post-doctoral researchers Amara Holder<br />
<strong>and</strong> Jennifer Benning joined the group<br />
from UC Berkeley <strong>and</strong> the University of<br />
Alaska, respectively, to study the interactions<br />
of nanoparticles with lung cells <strong>and</strong><br />
the interactions of endocrine-disrupting<br />
chemicals emitted by vinyl flooring with<br />
particles.<br />
Two new Ph.D. students, Mike Klapmeyer<br />
<strong>and</strong> Wan Yang, joined the group<br />
this fall.<br />
Currently on sabbatical in-house, Marr<br />
is exploring new research directions in<br />
the airborne transmission of disease while<br />
also finalizing a backlog of results for publication.<br />
Glenn Moglen spent the year settling<br />
into his position with new efforts in teaching,<br />
research, <strong>and</strong> service/outreach.<br />
Moglen’s first forays into distance<br />
teaching included developing new versions<br />
of existing graduate courses: CEE<br />
5324: advanced hydrology, <strong>and</strong> CEE<br />
5734: urban hydrology <strong>and</strong> stormwater<br />
management.<br />
In the fall, he taught his first undergraduate<br />
course in CEE 4304: hydrology. Part<br />
of his preparation included working closely<br />
with the campus’ Institute for Distance <strong>and</strong><br />
Distributed Learning to bring digital whiteboard<br />
technology to Virginia Tech in time<br />
for this course.<br />
In research, he had a productive year<br />
with four to five journal publications on<br />
topics ranging from climate/l<strong>and</strong> use<br />
change effects on flow duration, spurious<br />
correlation associated with EPA TMDL<br />
methods, optimization of l<strong>and</strong> development<br />
patterns for flood control, <strong>and</strong> effects<br />
of climate/l<strong>and</strong> use change on stream<br />
ecology.<br />
He is the lead-principal investigator on<br />
recent funding from ICTAS that will support<br />
the studies of several students <strong>and</strong><br />
colleagues in Northern Virginia with a<br />
focus on water supply in the Washington,<br />
D.C., metropolitan region in the face of<br />
changing climate <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong> use.<br />
Moglen reports recent growth in his research<br />
group. Suzanne Ciavola (MS), Phil<br />
Maldonado (MS), <strong>and</strong> Jim Stagge (Ph.D.)<br />
are commencing their studies presently.<br />
In the area of service <strong>and</strong> outreach,<br />
Moglen guest edited the April <strong>2009</strong> issue<br />
of ASCE Journal of Hydrologic <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
that focused on “Impervious Areas <strong>and</strong><br />
Hydrology.”<br />
He also assumed chairmanship of the<br />
ASCE Watershed Management technical<br />
committee in October, 2008.<br />
Moglen now serves as the engineering<br />
faculty organization representative for engineering<br />
from the National Capital Region<br />
(NCR). He also became president-elect of<br />
the NCR Faculty Association.<br />
Finally, Moglen enjoyed a trip last fall to<br />
Berlin, Germany as part of a NSF-sponsored<br />
joint U.S.-German conference on<br />
l<strong>and</strong> use decision making under a changing<br />
climate.<br />
John Novak <strong>and</strong> his students continued<br />
their research in wastewater, biore-<br />
Continued on page 29
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL AND WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 28<br />
mediation <strong>and</strong> solid waste management.<br />
His students, Jongmin Kim <strong>and</strong> Chul<br />
Park, presented two papers at the annual<br />
Water Environment Federation meeting in<br />
Chicago. Another student, Chris Wilson,<br />
was a coauthor on another paper presented<br />
at this conference.<br />
Wilson also presented a paper at the<br />
Residuals <strong>and</strong> Biosolids Management<br />
Conference in Portl<strong>and</strong>, Ore.<br />
Vijesh Karatt presented a paper at the<br />
New York Water Environment Association<br />
on solid waste management.<br />
Research continued with projects supported<br />
by Siemens Corporation, DC Water<br />
& Sewer Authority, CH2M-HILL <strong>and</strong> Waste<br />
Management, Inc.<br />
In addition, a project with the Mid Atlantic<br />
Biosolids Association continued. Four<br />
papers were published in research journals<br />
<strong>and</strong> seven papers were included in<br />
conference proceeding.<br />
Novak served as the advisor for 10<br />
graduate students this past year.<br />
He also continued his service as an associate<br />
editor for the journal Water Environment<br />
Research.<br />
Amy Pruden has had an exciting <strong>and</strong><br />
busy first year at Virginia Tech, coming<br />
to Blacksburg after six years at Colorado<br />
State University.<br />
The year kicked off with a Discovery<br />
Channel interview for its new series: “Sci<br />
Trek: Killer Germs” in which she explored<br />
the environmental pathways of antibiotic<br />
resistance.<br />
Two months later, she was selected to<br />
attend the National Academy of <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Frontiers Symposium in Albuquerque,<br />
N.M., where she sat alongside some of<br />
the nation’s brightest engineers between<br />
the ages of 30-45, <strong>and</strong> learned about the<br />
cutting edge in homel<strong>and</strong> security, drug<br />
delivery, <strong>and</strong> cognitive engineering.<br />
Pruden taught two courses this year,<br />
CEE 5194 <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Microbiology <strong>and</strong> CEE 3104 Introduction<br />
to <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Her graduate students also had a busy<br />
year.<br />
Chad McKinney helped Pruden set up<br />
the laboratories in Hancock for new research<br />
projects, <strong>and</strong> began experiments<br />
on disinfection of antibiotic resistance<br />
genes.<br />
Two other Ph.D. students joined her<br />
research group. Yanjun (Becky) Ma will<br />
be examining persistence of antibiotic<br />
resistance in soils, while Hong Wang is<br />
developing methods for quantification of<br />
water-borne pathogens using molecular<br />
biological techniques.<br />
She also started a new project with<br />
Mark Widdowson in which they will advise<br />
Ph.D. student Nicole Fahrenfeld in demonstrating<br />
the feasibility of TNT bioremediation<br />
in anaerobic aquifer sediments.<br />
In the spring Pruden had the honor of<br />
giving two invited lectures in the UK, one<br />
at the Society of General Microbiology in<br />
Harrogate <strong>and</strong> the second at the University<br />
of Newcastle Upon Tyne.<br />
Finally, she is happy to see her first<br />
book come into print, “Hormones <strong>and</strong><br />
Pharmaceuticals Generated from Concentrated<br />
Animal Feeding Operations:<br />
Transport in Water <strong>and</strong> Soil,” which she<br />
co-edited with Laurence Shore through<br />
Springer publishing.<br />
This past year was a busy, yet highly<br />
successful one for Peter Vikesl<strong>and</strong>’s research<br />
group.<br />
During the year, two Ph.D. students,<br />
Krista Rule Wigginton <strong>and</strong> E. Matthew<br />
Fiss, completed their dissertations. They<br />
were the first two Ph.D. students to complete<br />
their doctoral studies in the Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
group <strong>and</strong> have set the bar high for<br />
future doctoral students. Wigginton is currently<br />
employed as a postdoctoral scholar<br />
at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de<br />
Lausanne (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerl<strong>and</strong>,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Fiss is working as a consultant<br />
in Charlotte, N.C.<br />
Two M.S. students, Komgrit Kotcharaksa<br />
(K2) <strong>and</strong> John Templeton, also finished<br />
their theses during this past year.<br />
His remaining graduate group now<br />
consists of four Ph.D. students, Xiaojun<br />
Chang, Rebecca Halvorson, Matthew Hull,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Robert Rebodos, one M.S. student,<br />
Lisa DeGrazia, one postdoctoral scholar,<br />
Andrew Whelton, <strong>and</strong> one research scientist,<br />
Weinan Leng.<br />
Travel to foreign countries was a general<br />
theme for the year with Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
attending conferences in both Aix-en-<br />
Provence, France <strong>and</strong> Singapore <strong>and</strong><br />
three students undertaking research experiences<br />
abroad.<br />
In the summer of 2008, Wigginton<br />
worked for three months at EPFL. In the<br />
summer of <strong>2009</strong>, Halvorson worked at<br />
Nanyang Technological University in Singapore<br />
<strong>and</strong> DeGrazia was a summer intern<br />
with the non-government organization<br />
DAI in Cambodia.<br />
In the fall, Vikesl<strong>and</strong> spent four months<br />
at the Le Centre Européen de Recherche<br />
et d¹Enseignement des Géosciences de<br />
l’Environnement (CEREGE) in Aix-en-<br />
Provence. At the CEREGE, Vikesl<strong>and</strong><br />
continued his work examining engineered<br />
<strong>and</strong> natural nanomaterial fate in the environment.<br />
Mark Widdowson <strong>and</strong> his colleagues<br />
initiated two new projects funded by the<br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> Security Technology Certification<br />
Program (ESTCP). ESTCP is a<br />
Department of Defense (DoD) program<br />
that promotes innovative, cost-effective<br />
environmental technologies through demonstration<br />
<strong>and</strong> validation at DoD sites.<br />
The aim of one project is to validate a<br />
methodology for assessing the long-term<br />
sustainability of biodegradation-based<br />
remedial action plans at chlorinated solvent<br />
sites. The second project involves<br />
the performance <strong>and</strong> analysis field-scale<br />
mass-transfer tests at the former Williams<br />
Air Force Base where a source zone<br />
remediation pilot test, using terminal enhanced<br />
extraction, is underway.<br />
Widdowson <strong>and</strong> his students presented<br />
papers at the tenth International In Situ<br />
<strong>and</strong> On-Site Bioremediation Symposium<br />
<strong>and</strong> other conferences.<br />
Widdowson presented an invited paper<br />
on the subject of remedial timeframes at<br />
sites contaminated with polycyclic aromatic<br />
compounds (PAHs) at an EPA workshop<br />
on the remediation of manufactured gas<br />
plants in May <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
He presented short courses on groundwater<br />
remediation to the National Ground<br />
Water Association <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Professionals Organizations of Connecticut.<br />
Last year, Widdowson ended a five-year<br />
term as coordinator of the EWR graduate<br />
program.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 29
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING<br />
Russell Greene is working on several<br />
NSF earthquake engineering projects.<br />
Geotechnical expertise solves a myriad of pressing issues<br />
Faculty, staff, <strong>and</strong> students within the<br />
Geotechnical <strong>Engineering</strong> Program<br />
continued to excel in teaching <strong>and</strong><br />
research, <strong>and</strong> have applied their technical<br />
expertise in solving pressing national <strong>and</strong><br />
international issues.<br />
Brief descriptions of each faculty member’s<br />
activities over the past year are presented<br />
below.<br />
Adrian Rodriguez-Marek will join the<br />
group as an associate professor in August<br />
2010. He has expertise in the areas of<br />
seismic hazard analysis, site response<br />
analysis, soil-structure interaction <strong>and</strong><br />
post-earthquake field reconnaissance.<br />
Tom Br<strong>and</strong>on has continued focusing<br />
both his research <strong>and</strong> professional efforts<br />
on projects dealing with the U.S. Army<br />
Corps of Engineers.<br />
He currently has research projects with<br />
the New Orleans District <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Research <strong>and</strong> Development Center<br />
(ERDC) investigating the interpretation<br />
of cone penetration tests in organic clays,<br />
methods of underseepage analysis for<br />
levees, behavior of organic-rich fills, <strong>and</strong><br />
undrained strength interpretation for stability<br />
assessment.<br />
He also was involved in training ERDC<br />
technicians regarding automated consolidation,<br />
direct shear, <strong>and</strong> triaxial testing.<br />
Br<strong>and</strong>on is a member of the Mississippi<br />
Valley Division’s Geotechnical <strong>and</strong> Construction<br />
QA Teams, <strong>and</strong> a member of the<br />
Geotechnical Criteria Application Team.<br />
With Mike Duncan, he taught a two-day<br />
short course at Virginia Tech sponsored<br />
by the CGPR in December on shear<br />
strength <strong>and</strong> slope stability.<br />
Joe Dove continued his emphasis on<br />
multidisciplinary research to develop <strong>and</strong><br />
deploy technologies that improve productivity<br />
while promoting sustainability <strong>and</strong><br />
adding value to professional services.<br />
He is collaborating with Patricia Dove,<br />
professor of geosciences, <strong>and</strong> Adam<br />
Wallace, a post doctoral fellow in geosciences,<br />
Craig Shillaber <strong>and</strong> Kyle Blakley,<br />
both Via fellows, to develop a novel, biologically<br />
inspired method to improve the<br />
engineering behavior of soil.<br />
Dove is also working with software engineer<br />
Brian Badillo using National Science<br />
Foundation (NSF) support to further develop<br />
the software package geotechnical<br />
Visualization Tools (gVT). This software<br />
allows extraction of engineering data from<br />
terrestrial LiDAR equipment scans <strong>and</strong> is<br />
being used by a major contracting company<br />
for mapping <strong>and</strong> monitoring of tunnel<br />
excavations.<br />
Other areas of active research include<br />
Continued on page 31<br />
30 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 30<br />
the application of advanced field-based<br />
sensing techniques to identify swelling<br />
soils, engineering for sustainable sites,<br />
<strong>and</strong> bio-inspired materials.<br />
Teaching activities included instructing<br />
about 265 undergraduates <strong>and</strong> launching<br />
the new course “Geotechnics for L<strong>and</strong><br />
Development.”<br />
Dove has also served as the geotechnical<br />
program coordinator for the past three<br />
years, served the department as one of<br />
the academic advisors for undergraduate<br />
majors, <strong>and</strong> was the program’s representative<br />
to the curriculum committee.<br />
Mike Duncan <strong>and</strong> Ph.D. student Matthew<br />
Sleep continued their study of levee<br />
safety, focusing on underseepage, erosion<br />
<strong>and</strong> stability. They are working with<br />
Tom Br<strong>and</strong>on, who is a co-supervisor of<br />
Sleep’s Ph.D. research.<br />
Duncan continues his work with George<br />
Filz, CEE professor, managing the Center<br />
for Geotechnical Practice <strong>and</strong> Research<br />
(CGPR).<br />
Duncan <strong>and</strong> Sleep wrote a CGPR report<br />
on new <strong>and</strong> emerging seepage monitoring<br />
techniques <strong>and</strong> practices for dams<br />
<strong>and</strong> levees.<br />
Duncan <strong>and</strong> master’s student Thomas<br />
Moore completed a CGPR report entitled<br />
“Guide for Best Practices in Geotechnical<br />
Site <strong>and</strong> Soil Characterization.”<br />
Working with Sleep, Heather Hickerson,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Kevin Ritter, Duncan completed<br />
a study of organic soils <strong>and</strong> peats, <strong>and</strong><br />
methods of remediating the problems associated<br />
with them.<br />
Working with Ritter, he completed a<br />
literature review report on geophysical<br />
methods for detection of underground<br />
cavities.<br />
In April, ASCE honored Duncan with an<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing Projects <strong>and</strong> Leaders (OPAL)<br />
award for lifetime achievement in education.<br />
Only one OPAL award for education<br />
is awarded to civil engineering faculty in<br />
the United States each year. Virginia Tech<br />
colleague Jim Mitchell won the same<br />
award three years earlier, making Virginia<br />
Tech the only university with two faculty<br />
members who have been accorded this<br />
prestigious honor.<br />
George Filz is working with Jim<br />
Mitchell, Vern Schaefer (a Virginia Tech<br />
graduate who is a professor at Iowa State<br />
University), <strong>and</strong> others on a research<br />
project sponsored by the Strategic Highway<br />
Research Program to enable more<br />
widespread use of soil improvement technologies<br />
for transportation infrastructure<br />
renewal.<br />
Filz continues his work for the National<br />
Aeronautics <strong>and</strong> Space Administration<br />
(NASA) to evaluate the mobility <strong>and</strong> stability<br />
of NASA’s rocket transporter as it<br />
travels from the Vehicle Assembly Building<br />
to the launch pad under a 25 million<br />
pound load from the next-generation Ares<br />
V rocket.<br />
Filz also continues his work with John<br />
Little, Mitchell, <strong>and</strong> others across the<br />
university on a large NSF-funded study of<br />
interfaces in nature, including interfaces<br />
between soil particles, <strong>and</strong> to develop new<br />
approaches for integrating education <strong>and</strong><br />
research for doctoral students.<br />
With Mike Duncan, Filz is investigating<br />
the interactions of integral bridge abutments<br />
<strong>and</strong> MSE wall backfill, under sponsorship<br />
from the Virginia Transportation<br />
Research Council.<br />
Funding from Virginia Tech’s CGPR<br />
supports projects on over-excavation <strong>and</strong><br />
replacement, load <strong>and</strong> resistance factor<br />
design, quality control <strong>and</strong> quality assurance<br />
for deep mixing, <strong>and</strong> sustainability in<br />
geotechnical engineering. These projects<br />
permit Filz to work with many outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
students, including Tiffany Adams, Alfredo<br />
Arenas, Eric Backlund, Am<strong>and</strong>a Barngrover,<br />
Kolleen Carlson, Micah Hatch, Laura<br />
Kosoglu, Mike McGuire, Kurt Schimpke,<br />
Jesse Siegel, Joel Sloan, Lee Vanzler,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Chadd Yeats, as well as visiting<br />
scholar Xin Lu.<br />
Filz <strong>and</strong> his students made presentations<br />
of their research results in Charlotte,<br />
Kansas City, Nanjing, New Orleans, Okinawa,<br />
Orl<strong>and</strong>o, <strong>and</strong> Sligo.<br />
Together with Duncan, Filz directs Virginia<br />
Tech’s CGPR.<br />
He recently completed several years<br />
of service as chairman of the CEE curriculum<br />
committee, <strong>and</strong> he is a member of<br />
VDOT’s Geotechnical Research Advisory<br />
Committee, the ASCE Geo-Institute Soil<br />
Improvement Committee, <strong>and</strong> the editorial<br />
board of the ASCE Journal of Geotechnical<br />
<strong>and</strong> Geoenvironmental <strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Filz also continues his consulting work<br />
on projects involving the deep mixing<br />
method <strong>and</strong> other geotechnical construction.<br />
He is assisting the U.S. Army Corps of<br />
Engineers with design of levee repairs <strong>and</strong><br />
improvements in Louisiana.<br />
This past year was Russell Green’s<br />
first academic year at Virginia Tech as a<br />
faculty member. Previously, Green was on<br />
the faculty at the University of Michigan.<br />
Consequently, the year has largely<br />
been one of transition, with two of his<br />
Ph.D. students at the University of Michigan<br />
successfully defending their research<br />
in the spring <strong>2009</strong> semester <strong>and</strong> two more<br />
making progress towards completion.<br />
Over the past year, Green continued<br />
his involvement in three major funded<br />
research projects that include two NSF<br />
Network for Earthquake <strong>Engineering</strong> Simulation<br />
Research (NEESR) projects, one<br />
of which Green is the lead principal investigator<br />
(PI), <strong>and</strong> an NSF Faculty Early<br />
Career Development (CAREER) Program<br />
project, for which he is the sole PI.<br />
One of the NEESR projects focuses<br />
on the phenomenon of “s<strong>and</strong> aging,” with<br />
other participants on the project being<br />
Roman Hryciw (University of Michigan),<br />
Christopher Baxter (University of Rhode<br />
Isl<strong>and</strong>), James Mitchell (Virginia Tech),<br />
<strong>and</strong> Ph.D. c<strong>and</strong>idate David Saftner (University<br />
of Michigan) <strong>and</strong> former Ph.D.<br />
student Thaweesak Jirathanathworn (University<br />
of Michigan).<br />
The second NEESR project focuses on<br />
the health monitoring of buried pipelines.<br />
Other participants on this project include<br />
Radoslaw Michalowski (University of<br />
Michigan), Jerome Lynch (University of<br />
Michigan), Jason Weiss (Purdue University),<br />
<strong>and</strong> Aaron Bradshaw (Merrimack College),<br />
<strong>and</strong> graduate students Junhee Kim<br />
(University of Michigan), Srinivasa Nadukuru<br />
(University of Michigan), <strong>and</strong> Mohammad<br />
Pour-Ghaz (Purdue University).<br />
The CAREER project focuses on the<br />
Continued on page 32<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 31
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 31<br />
use of paleoliquefaction techniques for<br />
determining performance-based seismic<br />
design parameters for the central-eastern<br />
U.S.<br />
Other participants on this project include<br />
Scott Olson (University of Illinois)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Patrick Munson (University of Indiana,<br />
emeritus), Stephen Obermeier (U.S. Geological<br />
Survey, emeritus), <strong>and</strong> Ph.D. student<br />
Kathryn Gunberg (Virginia Tech).<br />
Other students who Green has worked<br />
with over the past year on various projects<br />
include Rachel Finch, Stephen Gyurisin,<br />
Kevin Foster, <strong>and</strong> Sam Lasley, as well<br />
as the post-doctoral researcher Jongwon<br />
Lee.<br />
Earlier in the year Green completed his<br />
term as the interim chair of the research<br />
committee for the U.S. Universities Council<br />
for Geotechnical Education <strong>and</strong> Research<br />
(USUCGER) <strong>and</strong> became an editorial<br />
board member for ASCE’s Journal<br />
of Geotechnical <strong>and</strong> Geoenvironmental<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Additionally, he gave invited lectures or<br />
presentations in California, Beijing, China,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Tokyo, Japan.<br />
Jimmy Martin remains active in teaching,<br />
research, <strong>and</strong> professional service.<br />
A significant portion of the year involved<br />
work as director of the Institute for Disaster<br />
Risk Management at Virginia Tech<br />
(DRM@VT), a university research center.<br />
Under Martin’s leadership, DRM@VT developed<br />
19 proposals to funding agencies<br />
<strong>and</strong> organizations.<br />
Most proposals were in excess of $2<br />
million <strong>and</strong> involved natural disaster-related<br />
research. Proposals were funded in the<br />
area of geothermal energy where foundation<br />
piles are used as heat exchangers<br />
via heat pumps to more efficiently heat or<br />
cool buildings. The Department of Energy<br />
<strong>and</strong> NSF are sponsoring this work. (See<br />
related story, page 2.)<br />
Funding was also secured for l<strong>and</strong>slide<br />
analysis, modeling, <strong>and</strong> disaster risk mitigation<br />
in Romania.<br />
Martin <strong>and</strong> his colleague Guney Olgun<br />
also secured funding to develop a levee<br />
monitoring system for New Orleans using<br />
plane- <strong>and</strong> satellite-based remote sensing<br />
32 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
technology. This innovative work closely<br />
integrates sensing, advanced modeling,<br />
<strong>and</strong> decision-making in an attempt to<br />
establish a new paradigm for long-term<br />
infrastructure management.<br />
If successful, this work will be exp<strong>and</strong>ed<br />
to other major levee districts, such as Sacramento,<br />
Calif., <strong>and</strong> be implemented for<br />
other types of infrastructure systems.<br />
Importantly, based on this work <strong>and</strong><br />
his discussions with leaders at ASCE,<br />
Martin was one of 30 national experts that<br />
participated in ASCE’s Critical Infrastructure<br />
Summit that developed guidance for<br />
President Obama’s stimulus package for<br />
infrastructure-related projects.<br />
Martin made numerous international<br />
trips to perform research studies, conduct<br />
training <strong>and</strong> outreach, teach courses, <strong>and</strong><br />
present the results of his work. Travel during<br />
the past year involved Japan, Turkey,<br />
Romania, Switzerl<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> Italy.<br />
Findings of his work were developed<br />
into several refereed publications, including<br />
a special issue of the Journal of Emergency<br />
Management in which he served as<br />
co-editor.<br />
He presented several professional engineering<br />
short courses <strong>and</strong> seminars for<br />
ASCE, FERC, <strong>and</strong> other regional groups,<br />
such as the New Jersey Chapter of the<br />
Geo-institute.<br />
He served on a number of large consulting<br />
projects including serving as lead<br />
seismic consultant on the Pevari Dam<br />
in southeastern Turkey, <strong>and</strong> the foundation<br />
<strong>and</strong> seismic retrofit of historic Grace<br />
Church in Charleston, S.C.<br />
Matthew Mauldon’s research activities<br />
for the last year included semi-automated<br />
processing of LiDaR data to extract statistical<br />
engineering parameters for rock<br />
masses (with M.S. student K. Chaturvedela),<br />
<strong>and</strong> a study of the relationship between<br />
damage areas <strong>and</strong> shear strength<br />
on sheared bedding planes.<br />
Undergraduate Seth Martin applied image<br />
processing techniques to delineation<br />
<strong>and</strong> measurement of the damage suffered<br />
during shear.<br />
Mauldon presented papers on these<br />
topics at the 43rd U.S. Rock Mechanics<br />
Symposium in July.<br />
Mauldon continues to explore geoengineering<br />
research opportunities at DUSEL<br />
together with colleagues at other institutions.<br />
New initiatives include a study of<br />
erodibility of fractured rock.<br />
He served this year on the organizing<br />
committee for the 43rd US Rock Mechanics<br />
Symposium <strong>and</strong> Fourth U.S.-Canada<br />
Rock Mechanics Symposium.<br />
He serves on the editorial board of<br />
Rock Mechanics <strong>and</strong> Rock <strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Emeritus Professor Jim Mitchell continues<br />
to serve as the chair of the advisory<br />
committee for the interdisciplinary<br />
NSF IGERT at Virginia Tech on Exploring<br />
Interfaces in Graduate Education <strong>and</strong><br />
Research.<br />
He is a member of the research team<br />
for the Transportation Research Board’s<br />
Strategic Highway Research Program 2<br />
project on Geotechnical Solutions for Soil<br />
Improvement, Rapid Embankment Construction,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Stabilization of the Pavement<br />
Working Platform.<br />
He delivered nine invited lectures,<br />
including the 2008 Stanley D. Wilson<br />
Memorial Lecture in Seattle <strong>and</strong> the 2008<br />
Mueser-Rutledge Consulting Engineers<br />
Lecture in New York City.<br />
He was the honoree at the “Sixth International<br />
Conference on Case Histories<br />
in Geotechnical <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> Symposium<br />
in Honor of Professor James K.<br />
Mitchell,” Arlington, Va., in August 2008.<br />
Mitchell’s professional service activities<br />
included membership on the nominating<br />
committee of the National Academy<br />
of <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> the <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Academic Advisory Board of Rensselaer<br />
Polytechnic Institute.<br />
His current consulting activities include<br />
advisory panels on seismic remediation<br />
studies for four embankment dams in California<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Seismic Peer Review Panel<br />
for the Bay Area Rapid Transit System,<br />
membership, along with Mike Duncan, on<br />
the Blue Ribbon Panel for review of the<br />
Eastward Expansion of Craney Isl<strong>and</strong> for<br />
the Port of Virginia’s new Craney Isl<strong>and</strong><br />
Marine Terminal, <strong>and</strong> evaluation of mattress<br />
rock densification problems at the<br />
Deltaport Berth 3 Marineworks in Vancouver,<br />
British Columbia.
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS<br />
Finley Charney is pursuing formal relationships<br />
between universities in the U.S. <strong>and</strong> in India,<br />
allowing for a variety of cooperative activities.<br />
SEM program<br />
highlights<br />
research <strong>and</strong><br />
travel<br />
The highlights of the Structural <strong>and</strong><br />
Materials (SEM) Program for the<br />
past include the following: Sam<br />
Easterling was appointed CEE department<br />
head; William Wright joined the<br />
faculty in spring <strong>2009</strong>; Carin Roberts-<br />
Wollmann received the Alumni Teaching<br />
Excellence Award; <strong>and</strong> four faculty members,<br />
Roberts-Wollmann, Tommy Cousins,<br />
Elisa Sotelino, <strong>and</strong> Richard Weyers<br />
are working on a multi-year, multi-million<br />
research project known as the Long Term<br />
Bridge Performance (LTBP) program.<br />
Summaries of each SEM faculty member’s<br />
activities for the past year are presented<br />
in the paragraphs below.<br />
Finley Charney continues to perform<br />
research in analysis, behavior, <strong>and</strong> design<br />
of building structures. Focus areas include<br />
nonlinear dynamic analysis, innovative<br />
structural system development, <strong>and</strong> structural<br />
damping.<br />
Several new projects have been initiated<br />
over the past year. Examples include<br />
the development of new “hybrid” structural<br />
systems for earthquake resistant design,<br />
wind drift analysis <strong>and</strong> design methodologies<br />
for metal buildings (with Cris Moen<br />
as co-principal investigator), <strong>and</strong> a major<br />
update to the earthquake engineering<br />
computer programs NONLIN <strong>and</strong> EQ-<br />
Tools.<br />
Charney has traveled extensively over<br />
the past year, with trips to China, Europe,<br />
India, <strong>and</strong> Central America. The visit to<br />
India was of particular interest because<br />
one of the goals of this trip was to establish<br />
formal relationships between universities<br />
in the U.S. <strong>and</strong> India. Thus, as part<br />
of the India trip, Charney visited several<br />
universities, including Mumbai University,<br />
Continued on page 34<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 33
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS<br />
Continued from page 33<br />
IIT Bombay <strong>and</strong> IIT Kanpur. Over the next<br />
year Charney will seek to establish memor<strong>and</strong>ums<br />
of underst<strong>and</strong>ing with these universities,<br />
allowing for a variety of cooperative<br />
research <strong>and</strong> teaching activities.<br />
Charney has developed a new twoday<br />
continuing education seminar titled<br />
A Guide to the ASCE 7-05 Seismic Load<br />
Provisions for Buildings <strong>and</strong> other Structures.<br />
This seminar is based on his new<br />
book, with a similar title, published in<br />
<strong>2009</strong> by ASCE Press. The seminar is presented<br />
several times a year in major cities<br />
throughout the United States.<br />
Tommy Cousins continues to offer<br />
prestressed concrete <strong>and</strong> bridge design<br />
courses <strong>and</strong> to focus his research efforts<br />
on challenges associated with bridge performance<br />
<strong>and</strong> longevity.<br />
He has concentrated his research efforts<br />
on the projects described below<br />
which are all related to the development<br />
<strong>and</strong> use of high performance materials in<br />
bridges.<br />
Cousins is co-principal investigator (PI)<br />
with Roberts-Wollmann on a National<br />
Cooperative Highway Research Program<br />
(NCHRP) project that involves a comprehensive<br />
investigation of lightweight, high<br />
performance concrete for bridges. This<br />
project is approximately 50 percent complete<br />
(total contract length is 36 months),<br />
involves extensive material <strong>and</strong> structural<br />
testing, <strong>and</strong> will develop changes to the<br />
AASHTO LRFD bridge design specification<br />
that take advantage of the material<br />
properties of lightweight, high performance<br />
concrete.<br />
The Virginia Transportation Research<br />
Council (VTRC) is a sub-contractor on the<br />
project <strong>and</strong> as such will aid in development<br />
of mix designs, material property<br />
testing, <strong>and</strong> code development.<br />
Of special importance to the bridge<br />
engineering community is the casting<br />
<strong>and</strong> testing of six full sized prestressed<br />
concrete bridge girders. These girders<br />
will be cast at a local prestressing plant<br />
<strong>and</strong> tested in the structures <strong>and</strong> materials<br />
laboratory.<br />
In a $25 million project, The Federal<br />
Highway Administration (FHA) has con-<br />
34 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
tracted with researchers at the Center for<br />
Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation<br />
(at Rutgers University) to undertake a<br />
five-year project to investigate the longterm<br />
performance of bridges. The LTBP<br />
program will be the basis for future bridge<br />
condition assessment <strong>and</strong> asset management<br />
programs that will be used to assist<br />
managers of the nation’s highway infrastructure<br />
in making better decisions in the<br />
stewardship of highway assets.<br />
Researchers from VTRC <strong>and</strong> Virginia<br />
Tech are subcontractors to Rutgers for<br />
this project. The Virginia Tech research<br />
team is being lead by Roberts-Wollmann<br />
with Cousins <strong>and</strong> Sotelino serving as coinvestigators.<br />
The first year of the project has been<br />
completed. To date, the main accomplishment<br />
was developing a list of national<br />
needs for bridge condition assessment by<br />
polling a representative sample of state<br />
transportation agencies.<br />
Virginia Tech along with partner researchers<br />
from VTRC <strong>and</strong> Utah State University<br />
are presently planning the periodic<br />
<strong>and</strong> long-term monitoring of several pilot<br />
bridges. Instrumentation <strong>and</strong> testing of the<br />
first of two of these pilot bridges should<br />
begin during the summer of <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Cris Moen has split time in his first year<br />
at Virginia Tech between developing his<br />
“teaching style” <strong>and</strong> building a strong research<br />
group. He is very active in structural<br />
stability research, especially the design<br />
<strong>and</strong> behavior of cold-formed steel (CFS)<br />
structural components.<br />
M.S. graduate Ryan Bowen, the first<br />
alumnus of Moen’s research group, produced<br />
compelling experimental results<br />
that directly quantified manufacturing residual<br />
stresses in cold-formed steel.<br />
Moen <strong>and</strong> his M.S. student Karthik Ganesan<br />
are conducting a research study<br />
for the American Iron <strong>and</strong> Steel Institute<br />
(AISI) to improve the LRFD design method<br />
for CFS compression members, which<br />
will make CFS more competitive with low<br />
<strong>and</strong> midrise hot-rolled steel structural systems.<br />
Moen <strong>and</strong> M.S. student Rakesh Naik<br />
are working on a new design approach for<br />
CFS joists subjected to high shear loads.<br />
M.S. student Behrooz Soroori Rad is<br />
completing experimental work on coldformed<br />
steel joists with web holes (the<br />
holes are needed to accommodate utilities<br />
in the ceilings of buildings). This research<br />
will support a new design method for CFS<br />
members with holes (developed by Moen<br />
<strong>and</strong> his Ph.D. advisor) currently being incorporated<br />
into the AISI CFS North American<br />
Specification.<br />
Moen’s research on steel thin-walled<br />
components is exp<strong>and</strong>ing to ultra-high<br />
performance concrete (UHPC) with a recent<br />
grant from Virginia Tech’s Institute for<br />
Critical Technology <strong>and</strong> Applied Science<br />
(ICTAS).<br />
Ph.D. student <strong>and</strong> former Fulbright<br />
Scholar Vathana Poev will start work in<br />
the fall to develop new design tools <strong>and</strong><br />
methods encouraging UHPC use in buildings<br />
<strong>and</strong> transportation structures.<br />
M.S. student Gokul Kamath presented<br />
his work on automated strut-<strong>and</strong>-tie models<br />
for reinforced concrete with topology<br />
optimization at the <strong>2009</strong> ASCE Conference<br />
on Mechanics <strong>and</strong> Materials. (This<br />
research is a collaboration with Jamie<br />
Guest at Johns Hopkins University.)<br />
Moen is also working on several research<br />
studies with industry, including a<br />
collaborative effort with Charney to improve<br />
lateral drift design procedures for<br />
metal buildings. This project entails pulling<br />
on an existing building (yes, that’s correct,<br />
pulling on a building!) in Christiansburg to<br />
evaluate the influence of cladding on lateral<br />
frame stiffness.<br />
Moen <strong>and</strong> Ph.D. student Tian Gao are<br />
helping to improve the design of industrial<br />
roll up garage doors subjected to hurricane-force<br />
winds.<br />
M.S. student Kalyani Tipnis recently<br />
completed a test on an innovative glassfiber<br />
reinforced concrete panel for a<br />
start-up company in Northern Virginia, the<br />
Diamond Panel Corporation, looking to<br />
compete worldwide with precast concrete<br />
planks used for sounds walls <strong>and</strong> building<br />
facades.<br />
Stop by Moen’s website to read the latest<br />
news from his research group, www.<br />
moen.cee.vt.edu.<br />
Continued on page 35
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS<br />
Continued from page 34<br />
Kamal Rojiani’s primary contribution<br />
was in the area of teaching due to an unusually<br />
heavy teaching load. In fall 2008<br />
he taught Theory of Structures, Reinforced<br />
Concrete Design, Computer Applications<br />
for CEE, a small group section of<br />
Intro to CEE, <strong>and</strong> the SEM graduate seminar.<br />
In spring <strong>2009</strong> he taught Reinforced<br />
Concrete Design, Reliability Methods for<br />
Structures <strong>and</strong> Mechanics <strong>and</strong> the SEM<br />
graduate seminar. He also taught Theory<br />
of Structures <strong>and</strong> Computer Applications<br />
for CEE in the first summer session of<br />
<strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Rojiani performs several service activities.<br />
He is one of the CEE department<br />
advisors with responsibility for advising<br />
approximately 100 undergraduate students.<br />
He is also a member of the CEE<br />
Curriculum Committee. Rojiani assumed<br />
the role of SEM program area coordinator<br />
in June.<br />
Rojiani’s research interests include<br />
structural safety <strong>and</strong> reliability, risk analysis,<br />
code calibration, computer applications<br />
in civil <strong>and</strong> structural engineering,<br />
programming methodologies <strong>and</strong> software<br />
development. He is currently working on<br />
several books on programming <strong>and</strong> numerical<br />
applications.<br />
Elisa Sotelino continued her research<br />
on finite element analysis <strong>and</strong> modeling of<br />
structures <strong>and</strong> on the development of new<br />
numerical algorithms for high performance<br />
computing.<br />
She is currently collaborating with<br />
Cousins <strong>and</strong> Roberts-Wollmann <strong>and</strong> the<br />
Virginia Transportation Research Council<br />
(VTRC) on a multimillion dollar project on<br />
Long-Term Bridge Performance Program<br />
(LTBPP). The team is responsible for<br />
the instrumentation <strong>and</strong> monitoring of 10<br />
bridges in the eastern part of the United<br />
States. Sotelino is responsible for modeling<br />
<strong>and</strong> analyzing the bridges selected for<br />
monitoring.<br />
Other current collaborative research<br />
activities with Roberts-Wollman <strong>and</strong> Cousins<br />
in the bridge area include: the application<br />
of ultra-high performance concrete on<br />
bridge decks <strong>and</strong> girders, long-term bridge<br />
performance, <strong>and</strong> investigation the dynamic<br />
behavior of bridges with lightweight<br />
decks. The Federal Highway Administration<br />
(FHWA) <strong>and</strong> VTRC are the sponsors.<br />
On another current research project,<br />
Sotelino is collaborating with Linbing<br />
Wang of Virginia Tech <strong>and</strong> Marte Gutierrez<br />
of the Colorado School of Mines on a<br />
“Unified Approach for Multiscale Characterization,<br />
Modeling, <strong>and</strong> Simulation for<br />
Stone- Based Infrastructure Materials,”<br />
sponsored by the National Science Foundation<br />
(NSF).<br />
Finally, she is leading a research project<br />
on the behavior of structures under fire<br />
loading.<br />
Sotelino continues to perform numerous<br />
service activities on behalf of the CEE department,<br />
Virginia Tech, <strong>and</strong> professional<br />
organizations. She has served as the<br />
SEM program area coordinator for the last<br />
four years. She has also served as one<br />
of the CEE department representatives in<br />
the university’s faculty senate, a member<br />
of the College of <strong>Engineering</strong> Diversity<br />
Committee, the faculty senate representative<br />
on the Commission for Equal Opportunity<br />
<strong>and</strong> Diversity, <strong>and</strong> a member of the<br />
Provost-chaired Taskforce on Race <strong>and</strong><br />
the Institution.<br />
Sotelino continues to be active in the<br />
profession. She is finishing a seven-year<br />
term as associate editor for the ASCE<br />
Journal of Structural <strong>Engineering</strong>. She is<br />
also a member of the International Advisory<br />
Board for COMPDYN <strong>2009</strong>, a thematic<br />
conference sponsored by the European<br />
Community on Computational Methods in<br />
Applied Sciences.<br />
Richard Weyers completed research<br />
on the volume changes of Portl<strong>and</strong> cement<br />
concrete overlay mixtures for VTRC/<br />
VDOT. The project provides shrinkage<br />
limits <strong>and</strong> a test method for the implementation<br />
of specifications for latex modified<br />
concrete, shrinkage compensating concrete,<br />
ternary pozzolanic concrete, <strong>and</strong><br />
latex modified rapid set concrete. Implementation<br />
of results will minimize cracking<br />
in bridge deck overlays <strong>and</strong> thus increase<br />
service life performance.<br />
Weyers joined the LTBP research team<br />
in the spring. His prime responsibilities are<br />
to evaluate the performance of untreated<br />
<strong>and</strong> treated bridge decks. He will also assist<br />
Mike Brown of the VTRC in evaluating<br />
decks built with reinforcement other than<br />
black steel <strong>and</strong> epoxy coated steel including<br />
galvanized, <strong>and</strong> corrosion resistant<br />
alloyed steels.<br />
In April <strong>2009</strong> a 3-foot-by-3-foot section<br />
of a closure pour in a reinforced concrete<br />
deck on Interstate 81 punched through<br />
the deck. The deck was cast in two sections<br />
in 1992 during a deck replacement<br />
project. The closure pour connected the<br />
two new deck sections. The deck sections<br />
<strong>and</strong> closure pour were built with epoxycoated<br />
reinforcement. Weyers is assisting<br />
Michael Sprinkel of VTRC in investigating<br />
the cause of the failure. A presentation of<br />
the failure <strong>and</strong> results to date is planned<br />
for the 2010 TRB meeting in Washington,<br />
D.C.<br />
Carin Roberts-Wollmann focuses her<br />
research on methods for improving bridge<br />
durability <strong>and</strong> performance, <strong>and</strong> reducing<br />
bridge construction time.<br />
This year she is collaborating with<br />
Cousins <strong>and</strong> Sotelino on several bridge<br />
research projects. She <strong>and</strong> Cousins are in<br />
the third year of a project for the National<br />
Cooperative Highway Research Program<br />
(NCHRP) to investigate the use of High-<br />
Performance/High Strength Lightweight<br />
Concrete for Bridge Girders <strong>and</strong> Decks.<br />
The final two years of the project have<br />
involved extensive laboratory testing to investigate<br />
development length of prestress<br />
str<strong>and</strong>, shear strength <strong>and</strong> horizontal<br />
shear transfer behavior in lightweight girders<br />
<strong>and</strong> decks.<br />
Cousins, Sotelino <strong>and</strong> Roberts-Wollmann,<br />
along with Weyers, are investigating<br />
the long-term performance of bridges.<br />
This project is sponsored by the FHA<br />
<strong>and</strong> will involve extensive field testing of<br />
bridges.<br />
Roberts-Wollmann also has ongoing<br />
projects investigating full-depth precast<br />
deck panels, ultra-high performance concrete<br />
bridge deck panels, stress increases<br />
in unbonded tendons in continuous members,<br />
specialized lifting devices for precast<br />
double-tees, <strong>and</strong> anchorage zones in<br />
post-tensioned concrete.<br />
Continued on page 36<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 35
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS<br />
Continued from page 33<br />
Roberts-Wollmann continues to teach<br />
undergraduate <strong>and</strong> graduate classes in<br />
reinforced <strong>and</strong> prestressed concrete, <strong>and</strong><br />
remains active in advising the ASCE Concrete<br />
Canoe team <strong>and</strong> Concrete for Kids<br />
committee, as well as the PCI Big Beam<br />
Competition Team.<br />
She continues in her role as the secretary<br />
of the Prestressed Concrete Committee<br />
of the American Concrete Institute<br />
(ACI) <strong>and</strong> was recently appointed the<br />
chair of the TRB Committee AFF30 – Concrete<br />
Bridges.<br />
She also continues to serve on other<br />
technical <strong>and</strong> board appointed committees<br />
of ACI, TRB <strong>and</strong> the Precast/Prestressed<br />
Concrete Institute (PCI).<br />
William Wright joined the SEM faculty<br />
in January after a 20-year career with<br />
the FHA. He has a strong background in<br />
experimental structural research, having<br />
served as director of the FHWA Structures<br />
Laboratory in McLean, Va., for most of his<br />
career.<br />
Wright is a nationally recognized expert<br />
in steel bridge structures, particularly in<br />
the specialty areas of fatigue <strong>and</strong> fracture.<br />
He is actively involved in the work of the<br />
AASHTO Steel Bridge Subcommittee as<br />
well as other TRB, ASCE, <strong>and</strong> AISC committees<br />
involving structural steel.<br />
While at the FHWA, Wright led a major<br />
experimental study to evaluate behavior<br />
of horizontally curved steel girder bridges,<br />
resulting in a major re-write of the AASH-<br />
TO LRFD Steel Bridge Design Specifications.<br />
This project culminated in a major<br />
laboratory test of a full-scale, curved<br />
girder bridge.<br />
Wright has performed numerous other<br />
experimental studies involving fatigue,<br />
fracture, <strong>and</strong> behavior of steel bridge<br />
structures, <strong>and</strong> led the highly successful<br />
program to develop high performance<br />
steels to improve bridge construction.<br />
During the spring semester, Wright<br />
taught a new version of the Topics in<br />
Bridge <strong>Engineering</strong> course focused on<br />
steel bridge design.<br />
In the fall he is teaching Topics in Structural<br />
Steel Design <strong>and</strong> Introduction to <strong>Civil</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Wright has a keen interest in forensic<br />
engineering <strong>and</strong> was part of the NTSB<br />
forensic team that investigated the catastrophic<br />
collapse of the I-35W truss bridge<br />
in Minneapolis.<br />
While still with the FHWA, he initiated<br />
a major experimental project to developed<br />
refined procedures to evaluate the<br />
connection gusset plates in other truss<br />
bridges that are still in service. Wright is<br />
currently continuing work on this project<br />
<strong>and</strong> the hope is to develop design <strong>and</strong><br />
bridge rating procedures that prevent unnecessary<br />
retrofit work on truss bridges<br />
while still ensuring bridge safety.<br />
He currently is advising one M.S. student<br />
working on this project <strong>and</strong> plans<br />
to engage other students as the project<br />
progresses.<br />
Over his career, Wright has been<br />
involved in a number of forensic investigations<br />
involving fatigue <strong>and</strong> fracture<br />
cracking of steel bridges, including the<br />
near-collapse of the I-89 bridge over the<br />
Milwaukee River.<br />
Wright plans to continue to perform<br />
forensic work with a special emphasis on<br />
bridge problems in Virginia.<br />
Knocke continued from page 13<br />
the systems he put in place, the excellent<br />
team he assembled, <strong>and</strong> his skillful<br />
advocacy on behalf of all in the CEE<br />
department.”<br />
Outsiders also recognized Knocke’s<br />
achievements. In 2008, the American<br />
Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers (ASCE), Virginia<br />
section, awarded him the 2008 Virginia<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>Civil</strong> Engineer Award.<br />
According to the ASCE announcement,<br />
Knocke was presented with the award<br />
for his 29 years of research focusing<br />
on the physical <strong>and</strong> chemical treatment<br />
of water <strong>and</strong> wastewater, chemistry of<br />
aquatic systems, sludge treatment <strong>and</strong><br />
disposal, <strong>and</strong> hazardous waste assessment<br />
<strong>and</strong> treatment. ASCE also cited<br />
Knocke’s contributions to an improved<br />
environment <strong>and</strong> quality of life for all<br />
Virginia residents.<br />
And alumni such as John DeBell,<br />
a former member of the CEE Advisory<br />
Board <strong>and</strong> former alumni head of the Virginia<br />
Tech Foundation Board, recognized<br />
Knocke for “always being interested in<br />
alumni input on the key issues facing the<br />
department <strong>and</strong> the profession.”<br />
Leaving his position as department head<br />
to return to the environmental <strong>and</strong> water<br />
resources program area of CEE, Knocke<br />
took a well-deserved sabbatical with the<br />
intent to restart his research program. External<br />
research funding quadrupled under<br />
Knocke’s leadership, placing the department<br />
among the top three on the Virginia<br />
Tech campus.<br />
Knocke leaves the prestigious CEE department<br />
headship in the capable h<strong>and</strong>s of<br />
Sam Easterling. He inherits a department<br />
that now has a total of six Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Faculty Awards from SCHEV <strong>and</strong> 15 NSF<br />
Faculty Early Career Development (CA-<br />
REER) awards, a unique number within<br />
Virginia universities.<br />
His former administrative assistant,<br />
Sheila Collins, described Knocke as a<br />
“fair man” who “always had the utmost<br />
respect for all members of the department,<br />
whether they be faculty, staff or<br />
students. No matter the tough decisions<br />
he had to make day after day as department<br />
head, he always did what he<br />
thought was best for the department as<br />
a whole.”<br />
Knocke may now have more time for<br />
one of his favorite pastimes, golf, which<br />
he plays both locally <strong>and</strong> with alumni<br />
around the state. Mitchell is one of his<br />
partners <strong>and</strong> he laughingly said that<br />
Knocke told him one of his new goals is<br />
to ‘teach Jim how to hit properly out of<br />
a s<strong>and</strong> trap. I wish him every success in<br />
that endeavor!”<br />
36 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING<br />
Shinya Kikuchi has funded research projects that<br />
include aspects of public transportation systems, mode<br />
integration, data management, <strong>and</strong> artificial intelligence.<br />
Implementing positive transportation changes is program goal<br />
The Transportation Infrastructure<br />
<strong>and</strong> Systems <strong>Engineering</strong> Program<br />
(TISE) conducted a retreat, organized<br />
two student recruitment activities,<br />
<strong>and</strong> arranged travel for all TISE students<br />
to the Transportation Research Board’s<br />
annual meeting in Washington D.C.<br />
The group continued to provide highest<br />
quality education in a wide range of<br />
transportation fields; to create an excellent<br />
environment for students to learn transportation<br />
engineering, systems concepts,<br />
<strong>and</strong> develop critical thinking; to advance<br />
knowledge about transportation infrastructure<br />
<strong>and</strong> systems that sustains its global<br />
leadership in research <strong>and</strong> technology<br />
development; <strong>and</strong> to conduct outreach<br />
<strong>and</strong> service activities to disseminate<br />
knowledge <strong>and</strong> implement practical positive<br />
transportation changes.<br />
The Alliance of Transportation <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Students (ATES) has continued to<br />
be active <strong>and</strong> several students obtained<br />
awards <strong>and</strong> recognitions. The ATES organized<br />
technical <strong>and</strong> social events, participated<br />
in conferences, <strong>and</strong> organized a<br />
technical visit to Washington DC.<br />
This past year, Montasir Abbas published<br />
five peer-reviewed journal papers,<br />
nine peer-reviewed conference proceedings,<br />
<strong>and</strong> one report. Abbas currently supervises<br />
three graduate students, <strong>and</strong> one<br />
Continued on page 38<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 37
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 37<br />
international visiting scholar.<br />
He successfully completed a VTRCfunded<br />
research project on traffic responsive<br />
control. The research findings<br />
(guidelines on traffic responsive control<br />
implementations) have received significant<br />
interest from the Northern Region Operations<br />
Office of the Virginia Department<br />
of Transportation (VDOT), which in turn<br />
decided to publicize this effort <strong>and</strong> implement<br />
the guidelines this fall.<br />
Abbas is currently working on providing<br />
VDOT with guidelines for their implementation<br />
of the next generation control<br />
system. He is also working on developing<br />
strategies for operating signal systems<br />
in oversaturated conditions in collaboration<br />
with other researchers at the national<br />
level.<br />
Abbas continues to serve as the chair<br />
on an Institute of Transportation Engineers<br />
(ITE) traffic engineering council committee<br />
on traffic responsive control <strong>and</strong> as a<br />
member of the Transportation Research<br />
Board (TRB) Traffic Signal Systems committee,<br />
Artificial Intelligence <strong>and</strong> Advanced<br />
Computing Applications committee, <strong>and</strong><br />
the joint subcommittee on intersection. Abbas<br />
also serves as a member on several<br />
NCHRP panels.<br />
Thomas Dingus, Newport News Shipbuilding<br />
Professor <strong>and</strong> human factors <strong>and</strong><br />
safety transportation researcher, continues<br />
to direct the Virginia Tech Transportation<br />
Institute (VTTI), comprised of six<br />
transportation research centers.<br />
VTTI continues to be the largest university-level<br />
research center at Virginia Tech<br />
with over $20.5 million in total expenditures<br />
for FY <strong>2009</strong>. VTTI has grown to almost<br />
300 faculty, staff, <strong>and</strong> students with a<br />
total budget that will exceed $34,000,000<br />
next year.<br />
VTTI continues to operate <strong>and</strong> manage<br />
the Smart Road research facility, a closed<br />
test-bed track built to state <strong>and</strong> federal<br />
highway specifications <strong>and</strong> designed specifically<br />
for transportation research.<br />
This year represents the third year that<br />
VTTI conducted research as the National<br />
Surface Transportation Safety Center for<br />
Excellence (NSTSCE), tasked with using<br />
38 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
research to improve driver safety in both<br />
rural <strong>and</strong> urban communities.<br />
This year, new NSTSCE projects, such<br />
as a study on Roadway Lighting Design<br />
<strong>and</strong> Safety <strong>and</strong> Naturalistic Observation of<br />
Motorcycle Riders, are underway.<br />
VTTI continues to be recognized as a<br />
world leader for offering a “one-stop shop”<br />
for transportation-related research <strong>and</strong><br />
testing both on Virginia’s Smart Road as<br />
well as in the growing field of naturalistic<br />
driving research.<br />
Gerardo Flintsch, associate professor<br />
<strong>and</strong> director of the Center for Sustainable<br />
Transportation Infrastructure (CSTI) at the<br />
Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, has<br />
been appointed a chair of the infrastructure<br />
systems committee of the American<br />
Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers (ASCE).<br />
With his research group, integrated by<br />
Edgar de Leon, Billy Hobbs, Samer Katicha,<br />
<strong>and</strong> students Mario C<strong>and</strong>ia, Ryl<strong>and</strong><br />
Musick, Mohammad Dehghani, Stacey<br />
Diefenderfer, Oscar Gonzalez, Julio Roa,<br />
Sameer Shetty, Jack Verhoeven, Crysta<br />
Highfield, Shahriar Najafi, <strong>and</strong> Jae In, he<br />
has continued to grow CSTI’s pavement<br />
engineering <strong>and</strong> transportation asset management<br />
programs.<br />
His two ongoing collaborative efforts<br />
with the Virginia Transportation Research<br />
Council, the Pavement Surface Properties<br />
Consortium <strong>and</strong> the Virginia Sustainable<br />
Pavement Research Consortium (VA-<br />
SPRC) continued developing solutions<br />
in the pavement engineering field, <strong>and</strong><br />
training students in this critical field for<br />
supporting sustainable economic growth.<br />
Collaboration between the VA-SPRC, <strong>and</strong><br />
the Transport Research Laboratory <strong>and</strong><br />
University of Nottingham in the U.K. has<br />
resulted in two federal research contracts<br />
to develop “splash <strong>and</strong> spray” assessment<br />
tools <strong>and</strong> continuous measuring deflection<br />
devices, funded by the Federal Highway<br />
Administration <strong>and</strong> the National Academy<br />
of Sciences, respectively.<br />
Flintsch <strong>and</strong> his students published six<br />
journal papers, 14 peer-reviewed conference<br />
papers, four other conference<br />
papers, <strong>and</strong> two research reports <strong>and</strong> delivered<br />
many presentations at national <strong>and</strong><br />
international conferences.<br />
Two students completed their degrees<br />
<strong>and</strong> two received awards <strong>and</strong> recognitions<br />
this year. Roa received an International<br />
Road Federation Fellowship, <strong>and</strong> Highfield,<br />
a Via Fellowship recipient, received<br />
a SAIC Fellowship <strong>and</strong> a Dwight David<br />
Eisenhower Transportation Program Grant<br />
for Research Fellowship.<br />
Flintsch taught classes on civil engineering<br />
materials, pavement design <strong>and</strong><br />
management, <strong>and</strong> advanced pavement<br />
design <strong>and</strong> delivered a workshop on Introduction<br />
to Mechanistic Empiric Design of<br />
Flexible Pavements, in Monterrey Mexico<br />
<strong>and</strong> a short course on Quality Control of<br />
Pavement Condition Data Collection via<br />
internet in Bucaramanga, Colombia.<br />
Flintsch also integrated the steering<br />
committees for four large national <strong>and</strong><br />
international conferences, organized/<br />
chaired sessions at national <strong>and</strong> international<br />
conferences <strong>and</strong> meetings, <strong>and</strong> has<br />
continued to develop international collaborations<br />
between the CSTI <strong>and</strong> the Politecnico<br />
di Milano, Italy, Universidad Católica,<br />
Chile, <strong>and</strong> Technische Universität Darmstadt,<br />
Germany, <strong>and</strong> the Universidad Javeriana<br />
<strong>and</strong> CORSFALTOS, Colombia.<br />
Kathleen Hancock continues her research<br />
in geospatially enabling solutions<br />
to transportation problems for freight planning<br />
<strong>and</strong> operations, response planning<br />
for hazardous materials incidents, urban<br />
micro-simulation of traffic, <strong>and</strong> transportation<br />
right-of-way information management.<br />
She also continues as the co-director<br />
for the Center for Geospatial Information<br />
Technology in the National Capital Region<br />
which is exp<strong>and</strong>ing into Geospatial Intelligence<br />
<strong>and</strong> Health GIT (geospatial information<br />
technology).<br />
In partnership with her recently graduated<br />
doctoral student, Qifeng Lu, she<br />
has submitted patent applications for two<br />
advanced bivariate best first search algorithms.<br />
Hancock is initiating a new master of<br />
engineering degree in the National Capital<br />
Region focused on geospatial engineering.<br />
It is designed to educate professionals<br />
<strong>and</strong> recent graduates in bringing the<br />
power of geospatially reference informa-<br />
Continued on page 39
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 38<br />
tion to the problems <strong>and</strong> decisions of<br />
today. The program will begin in the fall<br />
<strong>2009</strong> <strong>and</strong> has a rolling enrollment.<br />
She continues to remain active in TRB<br />
<strong>and</strong> is on the Research Advisory Council<br />
for the American Transportation Research<br />
Institute.<br />
She is also active with the United States<br />
Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (US-<br />
GIF), Homel<strong>and</strong> Infrastructure Foundation-Level<br />
Data Working Group (HIFLD),<br />
<strong>and</strong> University Consortium for Geographic<br />
Information Sciences (UCGIS).<br />
Bryan Katz continued his adjunct faculty<br />
position with the TISE group while working<br />
for Science Applications International<br />
Corporation (SAIC) as a transportation<br />
researcher in Blacksburg.<br />
Katz taught two sections of the Introduction<br />
to Transportation <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
course, taught a section of the Introduction<br />
to <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> small groups, <strong>and</strong><br />
also led several undergraduate research<br />
efforts this year.<br />
Katz, Peter Coffey (CEE ’08), <strong>and</strong><br />
Hesham Rakha presented a paper on the<br />
effects of DWI enforcement on traffic operations<br />
that was accepted for publication by<br />
the Transportation Research Board (TRB)<br />
<strong>and</strong> also was a finalist from the College of<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> for the ACC Meeting of the<br />
Minds competition featuring undergraduate<br />
research efforts.<br />
Additionally, Katz <strong>and</strong> Rakha submitted<br />
a successful proposal to the TRB <strong>and</strong> are<br />
working together on a research effort on<br />
looking at ways to modify driver behavior<br />
to reduce non-recurring congestion.<br />
Katz worked on undergraduate research<br />
projects with civil <strong>and</strong> environmental<br />
engineering students Anthony Christian,<br />
Tavia Cawley, Tre Hall, Billy Brubaker, <strong>and</strong><br />
Michael Hage on various research efforts<br />
<strong>and</strong> also worked with industrial systems<br />
engineering student Charlie Dickinson as<br />
well on a human factors-related research<br />
project.<br />
Katz also was the proud recipient of<br />
one of the CEE department’s Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Young Alumni Awards this year.<br />
Shinya Kikuchi, the Charles E. Via<br />
Professor of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
is a member of the TISE program<br />
in the National Capital Region (NCR). He<br />
is also the program director of the CEE<br />
department in the NCR, <strong>and</strong>, during 2008-<br />
09, he was the chair of the executive committee<br />
of the NCR College of <strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Kikuchi’s interest is in urban transportation<br />
systems analysis, including the<br />
subjects of public transportation systems,<br />
mode integration, reason building under<br />
uncertainty in planning, data management,<br />
safety, <strong>and</strong> application of artificial<br />
intelligence techniques.<br />
His funded research projects in the<br />
past year were citizen participation in<br />
long range public transportation projects,<br />
dynamic airspace allocation, <strong>and</strong> operations<br />
of unmanned vehicles. He has also<br />
developed an agent-based multi-objective<br />
optimization algorithm <strong>and</strong> applied it to the<br />
problems of conflict resolution, resource<br />
allocation, adjustment of measurement,<br />
<strong>and</strong> OD table estimation.<br />
Kikuchi is the chair of TRB’s Artificial<br />
Intelligence <strong>and</strong> Advanced Computing Application<br />
Committee. He has co-organized<br />
the Helsinki Summer School of Transportation<br />
in Finl<strong>and</strong> last three years.<br />
Pamela Murray-Tuite has exp<strong>and</strong>ed<br />
her work in evacuation, traffic incident effects,<br />
transportation resilience, risk, <strong>and</strong><br />
network analysis.<br />
She has received funding from the<br />
National Science Foundation, the Virginia<br />
Transportation Research Council, NSF/<br />
AdvanceVT, the Mid-Atlantic University<br />
Transportation Center/VTTI, <strong>and</strong> Virginia<br />
Tech’s Institute for Critical Technology <strong>and</strong><br />
Applied Science (ICTAS).<br />
In the past year, she <strong>and</strong> her students<br />
have developed a simulation model to<br />
estimate incident related travel time on<br />
I-66, developed optimization models to<br />
improve evacuation strategies, <strong>and</strong> developed<br />
a method to update <strong>and</strong> examine<br />
transportation network risk as a result of<br />
intelligence information.<br />
On-going work includes integrating<br />
household decision making <strong>and</strong> behavior<br />
with transportation simulation models<br />
for both no-notice <strong>and</strong> hurricane events,<br />
analyzing the relationships among links in<br />
a network when an incident occurs, analyzing<br />
the transportation network during<br />
floods, <strong>and</strong> examining the applicability of<br />
various k-shortest path algorithms to different<br />
disaster types.<br />
Her work has been presented at conferences<br />
<strong>and</strong> published in journals <strong>and</strong> conference<br />
proceedings.<br />
She is the chair of the Transportation<br />
Research Board’s Subcommittee on Critical<br />
Transport System Protection Analysis,<br />
Integration <strong>and</strong> Operations Planning <strong>and</strong><br />
Management. She is also on the executive<br />
editorial board for the Journal of Transportation<br />
Security <strong>and</strong> continues to review papers<br />
for multiple journals <strong>and</strong> conferences.<br />
Murray-Tuite taught classes on transportation<br />
networks analysis, transportation<br />
planning, <strong>and</strong> risk, reliability, <strong>and</strong> security.<br />
In the past year, she graduated one<br />
full time master’s student. She currently<br />
supervises one full time Ph.D. student <strong>and</strong><br />
two full time master’s students.<br />
Finally, last summer, Murray-Tuite established<br />
a research internship for rising<br />
junior <strong>and</strong> senior high school students that<br />
had five participants, at least one of whom<br />
will be attending Virginia Tech next fall.<br />
Hesham Rakha, the research faculty,<br />
<strong>and</strong> students at the Center for Sustainable<br />
Mobility (CSM) continued work on various<br />
national-level projects including an FHWAsponsored<br />
project studying the impact<br />
of inclement weather on driver behavior,<br />
a NHTSA-sponsored project quantifying<br />
the safety impacts of a forward-collision<br />
warning system on trucks, a NAVTEQsponsored<br />
project developing fuel-efficient<br />
adaptive cruise control systems, a VDOTsponsored<br />
project studying driver behavior<br />
at the onset of a traffic signal yellow<br />
indication for the design of yellow timings;<br />
a NHTSA-sponsored project evaluating<br />
emerging technologies to reduce truck<br />
rollovers; <strong>and</strong> a SHRP2 project studying<br />
the feasibility of using in-vehicle video<br />
data to explore how to modify driver behavior<br />
<strong>and</strong> reduce non-recurring congestion.<br />
Other research activities that the CSM<br />
are conducting include developing vehicle<br />
energy <strong>and</strong> emission models to quantify<br />
the energy <strong>and</strong> environmental impacts of<br />
Continued on page 40<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 39
PROGRAM AREAS<br />
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING<br />
Continued from page 39<br />
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS)<br />
applications; studying the causes of traffic<br />
congestion <strong>and</strong> developing techniques to<br />
mitigate traffic congestion; studying driver<br />
route choice behavior; <strong>and</strong> developing a<br />
web-based parking system for Virginia<br />
Tech visitors.<br />
In collaboration with the CSM research<br />
faculty <strong>and</strong> students, over the past year<br />
Rakha published seven peer-reviewed<br />
journal publications, three book chapters,<br />
had eight peer-reviewed journal publications<br />
accepted for publication, published<br />
nine peer-reviewed conference proceeding<br />
publications <strong>and</strong> three reports.<br />
Rakha also served an associate editor<br />
for the IEEE Transactions on ITS, an<br />
associate editor for the Journal of ITS,<br />
as a member of the editorial board of the<br />
Transportation Letters: The International<br />
Journal of Transportation Research, <strong>and</strong> a<br />
member of the TRB committee on Traffic<br />
Flow Theory <strong>and</strong> Characteristics.<br />
Rakha was also invited to make a presentation<br />
at the “Symposium on the Fundamental<br />
Diagram: 75 <strong>Year</strong>s” <strong>and</strong> offered<br />
a three-day workshop on traffic modeling<br />
at the International Islamic University of<br />
Malaysia.<br />
Sam Tignor, adjunct professor, has<br />
continued to provide leadership in developing<br />
the NCHRP <strong>Report</strong> 600 “The<br />
Human Factors Guidelines for Road<br />
Systems: Design <strong>and</strong> Operational Considerations<br />
for the Road User.” Tignor is<br />
developing a January 2010 TRB workshop<br />
on how to use the guideline. This will be<br />
the second workshop associated with the<br />
guideline development.<br />
NCHRP <strong>Report</strong> 600, which was recently<br />
published, is intended to provide human<br />
factors principles <strong>and</strong> findings to the highway<br />
designer <strong>and</strong> traffic engineer.<br />
Tignor teaches the “Highway Transportation<br />
Safety” <strong>and</strong> “Applied Traffic <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Analysis” graduate courses.<br />
In the past year, the Air Transportation<br />
Systems Laboratory (ATSL) at Virginia<br />
Tech has conducted research studies for<br />
SAIC, the National Aeronautics <strong>and</strong> Space<br />
Administration (NASA) <strong>and</strong> the Federal<br />
Aviation Administration (FAA).<br />
Antonio A. Trani, professor, <strong>and</strong> his<br />
colleagues Nick Hinze (senior research<br />
associate), Howard Swingle (senior scientist),<br />
<strong>and</strong> graduate students Alan Mc-<br />
Donald, Nola Shen, Doug Swol, <strong>and</strong> Dong<br />
Sohn perform large-scale aviation studies.<br />
One of the studies for SAIC involves<br />
modeling <strong>and</strong> simulating civilian <strong>and</strong><br />
military traffic in the Gulf of Mexico to underst<strong>and</strong><br />
the impact of deployment of the<br />
Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). This study will<br />
help Air Force, Navy <strong>and</strong> Marine planners<br />
to better utilize the airspace resources<br />
available at 13 airfields near Eglin Air<br />
Force Base (located at Valparaiso Airport)<br />
once new aircraft deployments occur in<br />
the next decade. The study is using a sophisticated<br />
three-dimensional simulation<br />
model called TAAM – the Total Airspace<br />
<strong>and</strong> Airport Model <strong>and</strong> ATSL developed<br />
tools.<br />
Another project for NASA is described<br />
in a separate article on page 8.<br />
40 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
MEET THE VIA SCHOLARS<br />
The following pages highlight some of the country’s<br />
most exceptional students <strong>and</strong> alumni, the Via<br />
Scholars. The motivation <strong>and</strong> aspirations of<br />
this group reflect a profound curiosity <strong>and</strong> desire to<br />
improve the quality of life around the world — from<br />
helping municipalities manage growth, to the aesthetics<br />
of structures, the quality of water, <strong>and</strong> international<br />
development.<br />
The Via scholarships are made possible through the<br />
generosity of the late Mrs. Marion Bradley Via of Roanoke,<br />
Va., <strong>and</strong> her family. In 1987, Mrs. Via contributed $5 million<br />
each to the Departments of Electrical <strong>and</strong> Computer<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>.<br />
Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors subsequently named the<br />
ECE department in honor of Mrs. Via’s deceased father,<br />
Harry Lynde Bradley, <strong>and</strong> the CEE department in honor of<br />
her late husb<strong>and</strong>, Charles E. Via, Jr. Mrs. Via died in 1993.<br />
Both departments use a portion of the endowment<br />
to award scholarships to qualifying students. These<br />
scholarships are among the most competitive in the country.<br />
The Via endowment is now worth more than $15 million.<br />
44 | VIA REPORT | 2008<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 41
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
UNDERGRADUATE<br />
MASTER’S STUDENTS<br />
Claire N. McKenzie<br />
Am<strong>and</strong>a Barngrover<br />
Kyle Blakley<br />
Hometown: Midlothian, Va.<br />
Academic Level: Junior<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Chi Epsilon;<br />
Phi Kappa Phi; Eleanor Davenport<br />
Leadership Scholarship; Pamplin<br />
Leader; Robert A. Belz Scholarship;<br />
Charles Sheffield Scholarship; High<br />
School Valedictorian.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: L<strong>and</strong><br />
Development<br />
Outside Work Experience: Dewberry –<br />
Water Resources; Timmons Group –<br />
Economic Development<br />
Career Goals: Having grown up in a<br />
rapidly exp<strong>and</strong>ing suburban community<br />
near Richmond, my goal is to be<br />
involved in the planning processes<br />
for areas like this in order to make<br />
the area more accommodating <strong>and</strong><br />
appealing to its residents.<br />
Hometown: Arvada, Col.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Colorado<br />
School of Mines<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Dean’s List all<br />
semesters during undergraduate degree;<br />
Colorado School of Mines President’s<br />
Scholarship; Colorado School of<br />
Mines Alumni Association Scholarship;<br />
Member of Tau Beta Pi; Certificate in<br />
McBride Honors Program in Public<br />
Affairs<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: Colorado Department<br />
of Transportation, June-August<br />
2005; Lockheed Martin Technical<br />
Operations, May-August 2006; Hatch<br />
Mott MacDonald, June 2007–July <strong>2009</strong><br />
as Junior Tunnel Engineer<br />
Career Goals: I would like to obtain my<br />
P.E. while working for a large, multidisciplinary<br />
consulting firm.<br />
Hometown: Oxford, Ohio<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Cincinnati<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Graduated<br />
Summa Cum Laude from the University<br />
Honors Program at UC; Awarded an<br />
Ohio Academic Scholarship; American<br />
FFA Degree Recipient.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: Fuller,<br />
Mossbarger, Scott, <strong>and</strong> May Engineers<br />
– Cincinnati, OH, <strong>Engineering</strong> Co-op,<br />
December 2005 – September 2007;<br />
Butler County Engineer’s Office –<br />
Hamilton, OH, <strong>Engineering</strong> Co-op,<br />
December 2004 – September 2005<br />
Career Goals: I would like to complete my<br />
master’s degree <strong>and</strong> begin a career<br />
in the geotechnical engineering field.<br />
When eligible, I will obtain my PE<br />
license <strong>and</strong> continue working toward<br />
being a successful engineer.<br />
42 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
MASTER’S STUDENTS<br />
Suzanne Ciavola<br />
Kelly M. Donoughe<br />
Rachel T. Finch<br />
Hometown: Newtown Square, Penn.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies: The<br />
Pennsylvania State University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Department of<br />
<strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Undergraduate Student Award for<br />
Excellence in Water Resources<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>; Chi Epsilon; Academic<br />
Excellence Scholarship; Schreyer<br />
Honors College Summer Research<br />
Grant; Schreyer Ambassador Travel<br />
Grant; President of the Penn State<br />
Waste Not Club<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong> &<br />
Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Borton-<br />
Lawson <strong>Engineering</strong>, Wilkes-Barre,<br />
Penn. as a civil designer working<br />
mostly in l<strong>and</strong> development.<br />
Career Goals: After earning my master’s<br />
degree, I would like get more<br />
experience in the engineering field,<br />
using my training in water resources<br />
<strong>and</strong> hydrology <strong>and</strong> become a<br />
professional engineer.<br />
Hometown: Lake Mary, Fla.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Florida State University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Tau Beta Pi<br />
president; Institute of Transportation<br />
Engineers Scholarship winner; Rosen<br />
Scholar; graduated Magna Cum Laude<br />
in civil engineering<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Transportation<br />
<strong>and</strong> Infrastructure Systems<br />
Outside Work Experience: Intern at<br />
Avcon, Inc. where I got experience in<br />
roadway design, l<strong>and</strong> development<br />
<strong>and</strong> structural assessments of bridges;<br />
research assistant at FAMU-FSU<br />
College of <strong>Engineering</strong> where I studied<br />
the structural integrity of small buses;<br />
Odyssey of the Mind Regional Problem<br />
Captain <strong>and</strong> Head Judge for four<br />
years where I worked with children to<br />
creatively solve structural engineering<br />
problems <strong>and</strong> coordinated a portion of<br />
the regional competition.<br />
Career Goals: Upon completion of my<br />
master’s, I plan to immediately continue<br />
on to earn my Ph.D. in transportation<br />
systems. With my Ph.D., I wish to<br />
obtain a teaching <strong>and</strong> research position<br />
at a well-known university. I strive<br />
to motivate <strong>and</strong> inspire the future<br />
generations of engineers by sharing my<br />
love of transportation through teaching<br />
<strong>and</strong> mentoring. In my research, I hope<br />
to work with vehicle safety technology<br />
to help make the roadway a safer place<br />
to be.<br />
Hometown: Talking Rock, Georgia<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Georgia Institute of Technology<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: ACEC/G R.<br />
Berl Elder Memorial Scholarship;<br />
George S. Mooney Memorial<br />
Scholarship; Women in <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Geosyntec Scholarship; GEF<br />
Geosyntec Scholarship; Jordan Jones<br />
& Goulding Scholarship; ADSC Industry<br />
Advancement Fund Scholarship<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
co-op at Geosyntec Consultants in<br />
Kennesaw, Georgia; 2004-2008<br />
Career Goals: I plan to obtain my<br />
PE license <strong>and</strong> practice in either<br />
geotechnical consulting or construction<br />
upon completion of my education.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 43
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
MASTER’S STUDENTS<br />
Shannon P. Hapuarachy<br />
Crysta Highfield<br />
Peter D. Kauffmann<br />
Hometown: Beckley, W.Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies: West<br />
Virginia University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Chi Epsilon<br />
president; co-founder of Sigma<br />
Alpha Epsilon fraternity at WVU; <strong>Civil</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Outst<strong>and</strong>ing Senior;<br />
graduated Summa Cum Laude in civil<br />
engineering<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Construction<br />
Outside Work Experience: S.M.H.<br />
Construction as a junior estimator.<br />
Career Goals: I wish to obtain my P.E.<br />
<strong>and</strong> work at my father’s construction<br />
company.<br />
Hometown: Fredericksburg, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Graduated<br />
Summa Cum Laude <strong>and</strong><br />
Commonwealth Scholar; member of<br />
Tau Beta Pi, Chi Epsilon, <strong>and</strong> Phi Beta<br />
Kappa honor fraternities; dean’s list all<br />
semesters of undergraduate study.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Transportation<br />
<strong>and</strong> Infrastructure Systems<br />
Outside Work Experience: Research<br />
assistantship, geotechnical<br />
engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg,<br />
Va., January 2007-May 2008; NSF<br />
research assistantship, geotechnical<br />
engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg,<br />
VA May 2006-August 2006; intern,<br />
Turner Construction Company, Howard<br />
Hughes Medical Institute site, Ashburn,<br />
Va., May 2005-August 2005.<br />
Career Goals: I would like to work in<br />
developing countries, helping to bring<br />
about the effective <strong>and</strong> sustainable<br />
design <strong>and</strong> engineering of road <strong>and</strong><br />
highway systems. By taking part in<br />
collaboration between professionals<br />
from highly developed countries <strong>and</strong><br />
currently developing countries I hope<br />
to help bring about positive <strong>and</strong> lasting<br />
change in the quality of engineering<br />
that can be achieved by all parties.<br />
After gaining industry experience I am<br />
interested in earning my Ph.D. <strong>and</strong><br />
continuing to participate in outreach<br />
programs as a professor.<br />
Hometown: Richmond, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Graduated<br />
Summa Cum Laude <strong>and</strong> honors<br />
scholar; <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Senior; 2008 VT ASCE president;<br />
<strong>2009</strong> Dexter C. Jameson National Chi<br />
Epsilon Scholarship; Tau Beta Pi; Eagle<br />
Scout.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Transportation<br />
<strong>and</strong> Infrastructure Systems<br />
Outside Work Experience: AECOM,<br />
roadway design; Wiley & Wilson, civil<br />
site design; Draper Aden Associates,<br />
site planning.<br />
Career Goals: I believe that the<br />
transportation infrastructure network in<br />
this country is unsustainable in terms<br />
of energy use <strong>and</strong> congestion delays.<br />
I want to develop <strong>and</strong> implement<br />
solutions to these problems that<br />
include integrated, efficient mass transit<br />
systems.<br />
44 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
MASTER’S STUDENTS<br />
Ronald D. Kent<br />
Samuel Lasley<br />
Kurt J. Schimpke<br />
Hometown: Omaha, Neb.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Brigham Young University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Member<br />
of Tau Beta Pi; Edwin S. Hinckley<br />
Scholar; recipient of Brigham Young<br />
Scholarship three years in a row;<br />
graduated Magna Cum Laude<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Aquaveo,<br />
LLC, Sept. 2007 – Apr. <strong>2009</strong>, provided<br />
technical support for users of the<br />
Watershed Modeling System (WMS),<br />
Groundwater Modeling System (GMS),<br />
<strong>and</strong> Surface Water Modeling System<br />
(SMS); Brigham Young University,<br />
June 2008 – June <strong>2009</strong>, worked as a<br />
research assistant on a water quality<br />
study of Deer Creek Reservoir in Utah.<br />
Career Goals: After I graduate, I am going<br />
to obtain my PE license <strong>and</strong> work for a<br />
consulting firm in the water/wastewater<br />
industry.<br />
Hometown: Chillicothe, Iowa<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: BYU Heritage<br />
Scholar, Tau Beta Pi, BYU Cum Laude<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: Internship with<br />
Terracon Consultants, Inc.<br />
Career Goals: I want to practice sound<br />
engineering, serve the greater good,<br />
contribute to the knowledge in my<br />
field, be an inspiring mentor for<br />
younger engineers, become a trusted<br />
<strong>and</strong> valuable source of advice for my<br />
colleagues, <strong>and</strong> have an office I rarely<br />
inhabit.<br />
Hometown: Maple City, Mich.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Michigan Technological University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: ADSC<br />
scholarship recipient; MTU CEE<br />
department Academic Achievement<br />
Award; MTU Summa Cum Laude;<br />
MTU Scholar Award; MTU Tau Beta Pi<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Achievement Award<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Work Experience: City of Plymouth, Minn.,<br />
May–August 2007 <strong>and</strong> May-July 2008;<br />
Otwell Mawby, P.C., May–November<br />
2004, May-August 2005 <strong>and</strong> May–<br />
August 2006.<br />
Career Goals: I wish to develop into a<br />
successful engineer who is an asset to<br />
my firm <strong>and</strong> the profession as a whole.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 45
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
MASTER’S STUDENTS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Craig M. Shillaber<br />
Elizabeth A. Skvarenina<br />
Zaeinulabddin M. Adam<br />
Hometown: Deerfield, N.H.<br />
Location of Previous Studies: University<br />
of New Hampshire<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: University<br />
of New Hampshire Presidential<br />
Scholar; Tau Beta Pi; University of<br />
New Hampshire Alumni Association<br />
Legacy Scholar; University of New<br />
Hampshire <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Graduate<br />
Achievement Award<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Work Experience: Internship at Appledore<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>, Inc.; lab assistant at the<br />
University of New Hampshire<br />
Career Goals: I plan to progress toward<br />
professional licensure by spending<br />
a few years working in geotechnical<br />
engineering consulting <strong>and</strong> design.<br />
Later, I hope to pursue a doctorate <strong>and</strong><br />
possibly become a professor.<br />
Hometown: West Lafayette, In.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Purdue University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: National Merit<br />
Scholarship winner for undergraduates;<br />
member of Chi Epsilon <strong>and</strong> Tau Beta<br />
Pi.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Summer 2005,<br />
Summer undergraduate research<br />
fellowship at Purdue, worked with<br />
faculty <strong>and</strong> graduate student mentors<br />
doing research on the Assessment of<br />
Surfactants Biodegradability During<br />
Graywater Recycling for Advanced<br />
Life Support Applications; 2005-<br />
2007, worked as an undergraduate<br />
researcher assisting in various projects<br />
<strong>and</strong> tasks in the laboratory.<br />
Career Goals: I wish to obtain a position<br />
related to water or wastewater<br />
treatment.<br />
Hometown: Khartoum, Sudan<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Khartoum, Sudan<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Utah State<br />
University, Logan, Utah<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Dean’s lists.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Transportation<br />
<strong>and</strong> Infrastructure Systems<br />
Outside Work Experience: Project<br />
engineer, George Butler Associates,<br />
Inc. Kansas City, Kan.; project<br />
manager, <strong>Engineering</strong> Airwaves,<br />
Khartoum, Sudan.<br />
Career Goals: I plan to pursue a career in<br />
academia besides doing consulting in<br />
the area of infrastructures <strong>and</strong> transport<br />
engineering.<br />
46 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Tiffany E. Adams<br />
Adam G. Bowl<strong>and</strong><br />
Lee D. Bryant<br />
Hometown: Portl<strong>and</strong>, Ore.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Oregon State University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia<br />
Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: EIGER<br />
Fellowship; ASCE J. James R. Croes<br />
Medal, 2006; Oregon State University<br />
Council of Early Career Engineers;<br />
ASCE Edmund Friedman Young<br />
Engineer Award for Professional<br />
Achievement, 2004; registered<br />
professional engineer, (Washington<br />
<strong>and</strong> Colorado).<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: Project<br />
geotechnical engineer, PanGEO,<br />
Inc, Seattle, Wash., 2001-2005;<br />
geotechnical engineer URS Corp.,<br />
Denver, Col., 1997-2001.<br />
Career Goals: I plan to pursue a career<br />
in consulting or academia focused on<br />
improving our underst<strong>and</strong>ing of how<br />
human influences affect our design<br />
process <strong>and</strong> improving our ability to<br />
achieve safe <strong>and</strong> successful outcomes<br />
for communities living with engineered<br />
systems.<br />
Hometown: Oak Hill, W.Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Carnegie Mellon University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Member<br />
of Chi Epsilon <strong>and</strong> Tau Beta Pi,<br />
graduated with honors; recipient of the<br />
Alumni Association Academic-Athletic<br />
Achievement Award given to the male<br />
senior athlete at Carnegie Mellon with<br />
the highest GPA; second-team all<br />
conference (football).<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: West Virginia<br />
DOH, Lewisburg, W.Va., worked with<br />
state inspectors during the construction<br />
of a 500 foot steel bridge over the New<br />
River; GAI Consultants, Pittsburgh,<br />
Penn., designed transmission lines <strong>and</strong><br />
transmission structures using computer<br />
aided design software <strong>and</strong> worked on<br />
the rehabilitation of a small concrete<br />
dam in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Kimley-Horn<br />
<strong>and</strong> Associates, Virginia Beach, Va.,<br />
involved in the structural rehabilitation<br />
of a railroad underpass bridge in<br />
Norfolk, Va., <strong>and</strong> assisted in consulting<br />
efforts for the construction of a highway<br />
interchange.<br />
Career Goals: After graduation, I plan to<br />
work towards earning my professional<br />
licensure. Through past experience<br />
I have found that I enjoy working in<br />
consulting, <strong>and</strong> I want to work at a firm<br />
where I will be exposed to projects<br />
involving both bridge <strong>and</strong> building<br />
design.<br />
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Tennessee, Knoxville<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Chi Epsilon;<br />
Tau Beta Pi; Golden Key; GAANN<br />
Fellowship; Sussman Scholarship; EPA<br />
Science to Achieve Results (STAR)<br />
fellow, NSF Integrated Graduate<br />
Education <strong>and</strong> Research Training<br />
(IGERT) fellow.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Co-op with<br />
Entergy Operations, Inc., New Orleans,<br />
La., 1997-1999; AmeriCorps Water<br />
Quality Team, Knoxville, Tenn., 2001.<br />
Career Goals: I plan to pursue a teaching<br />
career that allows me to work with<br />
the development of environmentally<br />
sustainable engineering systems.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 47
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Benjamin T. Cross<br />
Kacie C. D’Aless<strong>and</strong>ro<br />
Christina C. Davis<br />
Hometown: Hamilton, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Delaware<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University<br />
of Delaware<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: E.C. Davis<br />
Scholar Award (UD Graduate School);<br />
full football athletic scholarship (UD<br />
Undergraduate); dean’s list every<br />
enrolled semester at UD; four varsity<br />
football letters at UD; 2004 CoSida first<br />
team <strong>and</strong> 2003 CoSida second team<br />
football Academic All-American; 2003<br />
Atlantic 10 Football Scholar Athlete<br />
of the <strong>Year</strong>; 2002 <strong>and</strong> 2004 UD <strong>Civil</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Scholar Athlete of the<br />
<strong>Year</strong>; member of 2003 I-AA national<br />
championship football team as well as<br />
2003 <strong>and</strong> 2004 Atlantic 10 champions.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: University<br />
of Delaware Center for Composite<br />
Materials internship, 2002-2003;<br />
Delaware <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> Design<br />
Corporation internship, 2004-2005.<br />
Career Goals: I would like to obtain an<br />
advanced research position whether<br />
it be at a university or in the structural<br />
engineering industry.<br />
Hometown: Easley, S.C.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Clemson University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Clemson<br />
University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Precast/<br />
Prestressed Concrete Institute Daniel<br />
P. Jenny Research Fellowship;<br />
American Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers<br />
S.C. Section Scholarship; W.M.<br />
Thames Jr. <strong>Engineering</strong> Scholarship;<br />
General Electric Women’s Networking<br />
Scholarship; Legislative Incentive for<br />
Future Excellence Scholarship; Chi<br />
Epsilon; Tau Beta Pi; Calhoun Honors<br />
College, Clemson University.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: Wind<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> Structures Laboratory<br />
research assistant, Clemson, S.C.;<br />
Florence & Hutcheson, Inc. internship,<br />
Columbia, S.C.<br />
Career Goals: After completing my<br />
doctoral degree, I plan to enter<br />
academia <strong>and</strong> become a professor at<br />
a research university. I want to teach<br />
future engineers along their path to<br />
success by motivating <strong>and</strong> guiding<br />
them throughout their academic<br />
journey. Additionally, I want to become<br />
a leading researcher with the capability<br />
of combining my interests in both<br />
concrete materials <strong>and</strong> structures.<br />
Hometown: Rocky Mount, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Registered<br />
professional engineer; EPA Science to<br />
Achieve Results (STAR) Fellowship;<br />
AWWA LARS <strong>and</strong> Thomas R. Camp<br />
Scholarships; NWRI Fellowship;<br />
VWRRC William R. Walker Graduate<br />
Fellowship; WPI Graduate Fellowship;<br />
AEESP Outst<strong>and</strong>ing M.S. Thesis<br />
Award; ASCE Thompson Award for<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing Undergraduate; Tau Beta<br />
Pi; Chi Epsilon<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
engineer, CDM, 2000-2003; intern,<br />
Montgomery Watson Harza, 1997;<br />
co-op engineer, RR Donnelley Printing<br />
Company, 1994-1995.<br />
Career Goals: I would like to contribute to<br />
the field of environmental engineering<br />
through teaching, research, <strong>and</strong><br />
consulting.<br />
48 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Martha E. Gross<br />
Kathryn A. Gunberg<br />
Rebecca A. Halvorson<br />
Hometown: Norfolk, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Pennsylvania State University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies:<br />
Pennsylvania State University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Fulbright<br />
Scholar (Stuttgart, Germany); licensed<br />
professional engineer<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Construction<br />
Outside Work Experience: Leonhardt,<br />
Andrä <strong>and</strong> Partner, 1999; The Citadel,<br />
2004; Skanska, 2000-2007.<br />
Career Goals: Since today’s infrastructure<br />
challenges are financial as well as<br />
technical, I look forward to supporting<br />
the construction <strong>and</strong> rehabilitation<br />
of transportation facilities through<br />
innovative project-delivery strategies,<br />
<strong>and</strong> then eventually returning to<br />
teaching.<br />
Hometown: Ada, Mich.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Michigan<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University of<br />
Michigan<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Chi Epsilon,<br />
F.E. Richart Fellowship, UM, 2006;<br />
Greene Fellowship, UM, 2006.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: Soils &<br />
Structures, Inc., during summer 2006;<br />
City of Ann Arbor, May 2004 -November<br />
2005.<br />
Career Goals: Whether in academia or<br />
industry, I hope to teach others about<br />
geotechnical engineering <strong>and</strong> to<br />
continue to broaden my knowledge <strong>and</strong><br />
experience in the field.<br />
Hometown: Whitewater, Wisc.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: N/A<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Ray Heath<br />
Scholarship in Chemistry, 2006; UW-L<br />
Undergraduate Research Grant, 2005;<br />
National Deans List, 2003-2007;<br />
American Legion Award for Citizenship,<br />
2003.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: REU summer<br />
intern, Mercury research lab at UW-La<br />
Crosse; Subassembly at electronics<br />
factory.<br />
Career Goals: Following graduation from<br />
Virginia Tech, I will find a position at a<br />
research institution, a consulting firm,<br />
or possibly an international service<br />
organization. Whether as a career or an<br />
annual summer vacation, I also hope to<br />
use my underst<strong>and</strong>ing of water quality<br />
engineering in developing nations<br />
to improve their basic quality of life<br />
through their source of water.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 49
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Andrew B. Hardyniec<br />
Jordan A. Jarrett<br />
Wendell O. Khunjar<br />
Hometown: Bringhurst, Ind.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Michigan Technological University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Summa<br />
Cum Laude; Michigan Tech <strong>Civil</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing Achievement Award; MTU<br />
Alumni Legacy Award; Class of ’49<br />
Endowed Scholarship; Presidential<br />
Excellence Scholarship; dean’s list for<br />
all semesters at Michigan Tech; MTU<br />
research scholar; valedictorian of high<br />
school class.<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia<br />
Tech<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: Federal<br />
Highway Administration, California<br />
Division, investigated soil retaining<br />
structures built in response to<br />
l<strong>and</strong>slides <strong>and</strong> presented my work<br />
at the 1st North American L<strong>and</strong>slide<br />
Conference in Vail, Col.; California<br />
Department of Transportation,<br />
investigated bridge support structures<br />
<strong>and</strong> was involved in bridge inspections;<br />
resident assistant, three years;<br />
research assistant at Michigan Tech.<br />
Career Goals: After completing my<br />
master’s degree, I intend to pursue a<br />
doctoral degree. I hope to work for a<br />
consulting firm, preferably working on<br />
unique structures, or obtain a research<br />
position. I foresee myself teaching one<br />
day so I can share my knowledge of<br />
engineering with others.<br />
Hometown: Littleton, Col.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Colorado State University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Colorado<br />
State University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Chi Epsilon<br />
secretary; Colorado State University<br />
CEE Structural <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Scholarship; Colorado Distinguished<br />
Scholars Award<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: Structural<br />
intern at S.A. Miro, Inc. in Denver,<br />
Col., from May 2007 to August 2008.<br />
Research <strong>and</strong> teaching assistantships<br />
at Colorado State University from<br />
January 2007 to August <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Career Goals: After gaining more<br />
experience as a practicing structural<br />
engineer, I would like to end up in<br />
academia as a professor, teaching <strong>and</strong><br />
leading research projects.<br />
Hometown: San Fern<strong>and</strong>o, Trinidad, <strong>and</strong><br />
Tobago / Miami, Fla. / Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Howard University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: U.S. Dept.<br />
of Education GAANN Fellowship,<br />
NSF Graduate Fellowship honorable<br />
mention, 2004, 2005; ASCE National<br />
Capitol Section, National Capitol<br />
Section Scholarship, 2003; Tau Beta<br />
Pi <strong>Engineering</strong> Honor Society lifetime<br />
member;<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Research<br />
assistant, Howard University Biological<br />
Processes Research Group; assistant<br />
engineer, Montgomery Watson Harza;<br />
petrochemical engineer intern, Trinidad<br />
<strong>and</strong> Tobago National Petroleum<br />
Marketing Co. Ltd.<br />
Career Goals: I wish to become an<br />
international consultant <strong>and</strong> a<br />
professor.<br />
50 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Lashun K. King<br />
Lori Koch<br />
Laura M. Kosoglu<br />
Hometown: Elaine, Ark.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Tennessee State University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Tennessee<br />
State University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
scholarship, Fall 2000-Spring 2006;<br />
dean’s list, Fall 2000-Spring 2006;<br />
U.S. Geological Survey Headquarters:<br />
Outst<strong>and</strong>ing Achievement Recognition,<br />
Spring 2006; Technical Research<br />
Symposium presentation winner,<br />
Spring 2006; Alabama American Water<br />
Resources Association symposium<br />
winner, Fall 2005; Tennessee American<br />
Water Resources Association<br />
symposium winner, Spring 2004;<br />
Campus Superstar: U.S. Black Engineer<br />
Information <strong>and</strong> Technology Magazine,<br />
Fall 2004.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: U.S. Geological<br />
Survey: S.C. Water Science Center,<br />
Summer 2006; U.S. Geological Survey:<br />
volunteer for science research, Fall<br />
2003-Spring 2006; Y-12 National<br />
Security Complex, Summer 2002-2005,<br />
National Nuclear Security Administration,<br />
U.S. Department of Energy (Q Level<br />
Clearance).<br />
Career Goals: Upon completion of my<br />
doctoral degree, I would like to pursue<br />
a career as a professor with research<br />
<strong>and</strong> teaching responsibilities. I strongly<br />
believe that a career in academia will<br />
provide me an opportunity to become<br />
directly involved <strong>and</strong> impact the lives of<br />
many motivated students.<br />
Hometown: Ocean City, N.J.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies: Penn<br />
State University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Clemson<br />
University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Member of Chi<br />
Epsilon<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: Project<br />
engineer, Smislova, Kehnemui, <strong>and</strong><br />
Associates, Rockville, Md., 2007-2008<br />
Career Goals: I want to pursue a P.E. <strong>and</strong><br />
teach at a university.<br />
Hometown: Cherry Hill, N.J.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Lehigh University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Lehigh<br />
University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: NSF IGERT<br />
Fellow; Sigma Xi: International<br />
Scientific Research Society; ADSC:<br />
International Association of Foundation<br />
Drilling Scholarship; Lehigh University<br />
President’s Scholar; John B. Carson<br />
Award; Tau Beta Pi; Chi Epsilon<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: American<br />
Water <strong>Engineering</strong> Co-Op in Voorhees,<br />
N.J., three rotations<br />
Career Goals: I plan to conduct university<br />
research <strong>and</strong> teaching in geotechnical<br />
engineering with international <strong>and</strong><br />
interdisciplinary collaboration.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 51
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
R<strong>and</strong>i Lieberman<br />
Marc J. Maguire<br />
Michael P. McGuire<br />
Hometown: Parkl<strong>and</strong>, Fla.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Florida<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University of<br />
Florida<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Association<br />
of Drilled Shaft Contractors (ADSC)<br />
National Scholar; Chi Epsilon; Cum<br />
Laude graduate; Golden Key honor<br />
society; Honors College undergraduate<br />
student; Florida Blue Key Leadership<br />
honor society; dean’s list (eight<br />
semesters); Ilene Silverstein Scholarship<br />
for Sisterhood (Delta Phi Epsilon)<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: <strong>Civil</strong> engineering<br />
analyst, Kimley-Horn <strong>and</strong> Associates<br />
(2006-2008); graduate assistant for<br />
the Center for Leadership <strong>and</strong> Service,<br />
University of Florida (2005-2006);<br />
geotechnical engineering intern, ESP<br />
(2005); undergraduate student teaching<br />
assistant, University of Florida (2004-<br />
2005)<br />
Career Goals: After obtaining my Ph.D., I<br />
hope to continue in academia enabling<br />
others to realize their goals through<br />
education. I would like to focus on<br />
continuing education <strong>and</strong> research in the<br />
field of sustainability <strong>and</strong> environmental<br />
engineering. In addition to traditional<br />
academic environments, I am passionate<br />
about education through experience, <strong>and</strong><br />
I aspire to travel to developing countries<br />
in an effort of international cooperation to<br />
achieve common goals of sustainability.<br />
Hometown: Lincoln, Neb.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Nebraska-Lincoln<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University of<br />
Nebraska-Lincoln<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: University<br />
of Nebraska-Lincoln Milton E. Moore<br />
Graduate Fellowship; R.&L. Harris<br />
<strong>Civil</strong> Undergraduate <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Scholarship.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: Nebraska<br />
Department of Roads, Bridge Division,<br />
Research <strong>and</strong> Rating Team – worked<br />
on bridge rating <strong>and</strong> design, as well as<br />
a number of research projects; Midwest<br />
Roadside Safety Facility, Lincoln, Neb.,<br />
undergraduate research assistant –<br />
test setup <strong>and</strong> analysis of full scale<br />
vehicular crash testing.<br />
Career Goals: Following graduation, I plan<br />
to attain professional licensure <strong>and</strong><br />
hope to acquire a research position in<br />
either industry or academia focusing on<br />
prestressed concrete structures.<br />
Hometown: Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Pennsylvania<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Geosynthetics<br />
Institute Fellowship; Geo-Institute<br />
Student Presidential Group; GAANN<br />
Fellowship; IREE grant; Tau Beta Pi;<br />
registered professional engineer in<br />
Virginia.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Geotechnical<br />
Outside Work Experience: Senior staff<br />
engineer, Schnabel <strong>Engineering</strong>, Inc.,<br />
2001-2004.<br />
Career Goals: I’d like to teach at the<br />
college level or return to consulting.<br />
52 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Jennifer H. Miller<br />
Caroline K. Nguyen<br />
John E. Petrie<br />
Hometown: Sayre, Penn; Tucson, Ariz.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Bucknell University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University<br />
of Arizona<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Licensed<br />
professional engineer (State of<br />
Arizona)<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Project<br />
engineer, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Tucson,<br />
Ariz., Sept. 2000 - May 2006; Water/<br />
Wastewater project engineer, MWH<br />
New Zeal<strong>and</strong>, Ltd., Wanganui, New<br />
Zeal<strong>and</strong>, July 2006 - June 2008.<br />
Career Goals: An academic career will<br />
offer me the opportunity to generate<br />
interest <strong>and</strong> aid in the development of<br />
future industry professionals, pursue<br />
my own research <strong>and</strong> professional<br />
development, <strong>and</strong> influence <strong>and</strong><br />
contribute to applied projects in the<br />
public or private water/wastewater<br />
sectors. I would like to continue in<br />
academics (research <strong>and</strong> teaching in a<br />
faculty position) <strong>and</strong> consult within my<br />
research area.<br />
Hometown: Graham, N.C.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies: N.C.<br />
State University-Raleigh, N.C.<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: National<br />
Science Foundation graduate<br />
fellowship, 2003-2005, 2007; NSF<br />
Computer Science, <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
<strong>and</strong> Mathematics scholarship, 2002-<br />
2003; W.C. Billy Creel Memorial<br />
Scholarship, 2002-2003; Progress<br />
Energy scholarship, 2001-2002; CP&L<br />
scholarship, 2000-2001.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Stearns &<br />
Wheler, environmental engineer, June<br />
2005 - June 2007; Hazen <strong>and</strong> Sawyer,<br />
intern, May 2001 - August 2003.<br />
Career Goals: I would like to obtain a PE<br />
license <strong>and</strong> become a professor at a<br />
research university.<br />
Hometown: Richmond, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Virginia Tech, New Engl<strong>and</strong><br />
Conservatory<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Sussman<br />
Foundation internship, 2008; VCUQ<br />
Faculty Development grant, 2007;<br />
VCUQ Faculty Research grant, 2005;<br />
Paul Torgersen Excellence in Research<br />
Award, 1999; Waste Policy Institute<br />
summer graduate fellowship, 1998.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Assistant<br />
professor of mathematics <strong>and</strong> physics,<br />
Virginia Commonwealth University<br />
School of the Arts in Qatar, 2004-2007.<br />
Career Goals: I plan to pursue an<br />
academic career <strong>and</strong> continue to be<br />
active as a researcher <strong>and</strong> an educator.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 53
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Lynsey D. Reese<br />
Emily A. Sarver<br />
James H. Stagge<br />
Hometown: Bellefonte, Penn.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Pittsburgh<br />
Location of Master’s Studies:<br />
Pennsylvania State University<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Graduated<br />
Summa Cum Laude <strong>and</strong> member of<br />
Chi Epsilon honors fraternity<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: Internship<br />
at the Pennsylvania Department<br />
of Transportation, Summer 2005<br />
<strong>and</strong> 2006; Teaching assistant at the<br />
Pennsylvania State University, August<br />
2007 – August <strong>2009</strong>.<br />
Career Goals: I would like to work for<br />
a consulting firm working on unique<br />
projects. Later I hope to become a<br />
professor <strong>and</strong> share the experiences<br />
<strong>and</strong> knowledge gained from years in<br />
the field.<br />
Hometown: Richmond, Va.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: National<br />
Science Foundation Graduate<br />
Research Fellowship Award; University<br />
of California at Berkeley Materials<br />
Science <strong>and</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Department<br />
William V. Power Graduate Award,<br />
Fall 2006; finalist, Hertz Foundation<br />
Fellowship Award, 2006; Paul E.<br />
Torgersen Graduate Research<br />
Excellence Award, 2006; Virginia Tech<br />
College of <strong>Engineering</strong> Outst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />
Senior of the <strong>Year</strong>, 2004;<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Phelps<br />
Dodge Process Technology Center,<br />
Morenci, Ariz., M.S. thesis project<br />
research on reaction kinetics involving<br />
activated carbon used as a catalyst in<br />
regenerating key ions in electrolyte for<br />
hydrometallurgical copper extraction.<br />
Career Goals: I have interests in mining<br />
<strong>and</strong> minerals processing, with an<br />
emphasis on environmental issues in<br />
these fields, <strong>and</strong> I would like to work in<br />
academia.<br />
Hometown: Timonium, Md.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Maryl<strong>and</strong>, College Park<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University of<br />
Maryl<strong>and</strong>, College Park<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Robert<br />
Morris Award for <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Leadership; Undergraduate Honors<br />
Research Project honorable mention;<br />
undergraduate engineering honors;<br />
undergraduate university honors<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Staff engineer,<br />
Roux Associates; civil/hydraulic<br />
engineer, The Bioengineering Group;<br />
environmental lab assistant, USDA<br />
Agricultural Research Center; surveyor,<br />
Johnson, Mirmiran, <strong>and</strong> Thompson<br />
(JMT) <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Career Goals: I hope to pursue a position<br />
as a professor or researcher, focused<br />
on hydraulic modeling of natural<br />
systems <strong>and</strong> their use as sustainable<br />
stormwater alternatives.<br />
54 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Melissa Stewart<br />
Matthew K. Swenty<br />
Christopher A. Wilson<br />
Hometown: Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Florida<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University<br />
of Florida<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: NSF IGERT<br />
Fellowship at Virginia Tech; Florida<br />
Alumni Fellow at University of Florida<br />
(Masters); GAANN Fellow at University<br />
of Florida (Master’s); National Merit<br />
Scholarship winner (undergraduate);<br />
member of Tau Beta Pi<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Water/<br />
wastewater engineering intern at<br />
Gainesville Regional Utilities in<br />
Gainesville, Fla., during Master’s<br />
degree studies; summer internship<br />
at Water Missions International<br />
in Charleston, S.C.; research/lab<br />
assistant at the University of Florida<br />
in the biological <strong>and</strong> environmental<br />
engineering departments; teaching<br />
assistant at the University of Florida<br />
in the environmental engineering<br />
department.<br />
Career Goals: I look forward to obtaining<br />
my doctorate <strong>and</strong> hope to obtain<br />
professional licensure as well. I<br />
would like to pursue a career as a<br />
professor, teaching <strong>and</strong> doing research<br />
that interacts with the professional<br />
engineering community.<br />
Hometown: Rolla, Mo.<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies: University<br />
of Missouri-Rolla<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: University of<br />
Missouri-Rolla<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: University of<br />
Missouri-Rolla Chancellor’s Fellowship;<br />
UMR <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Senior<br />
Achievement Award; ASCE Washington<br />
Internship for Students in <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
(WISE) intern; Missouri ACI graduate<br />
scholarship; member, Tau Beta Pi,<br />
Kappa Mu Epsilon, Phi Kappa Phi, <strong>and</strong><br />
Chi Epsilon honor societies; member of<br />
Chancellor’s Leadership Class.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: I worked for<br />
about a year at the HBE Corporation in<br />
St. Louis, Mo. I helped with the structural<br />
design of hospitals <strong>and</strong> financial<br />
institutions for design/build projects. I<br />
worked for over two years in the bridge<br />
division of the Missouri-Department of<br />
Transportation. There, I analyzed <strong>and</strong><br />
designed bridges for the state highway<br />
system.<br />
Career Goals: My goal is to obtain my<br />
Ph.D. in civil engineering, so I can return<br />
to academics. I enjoy the practical<br />
<strong>and</strong> theoretical sides of civil engineering<br />
<strong>and</strong> hope that my professional<br />
experiences along with my educational<br />
background will help me in teaching<br />
<strong>and</strong> research.<br />
Hometown: Struthers, Ohio<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
Bucknell University<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: Bucknell<br />
University, Michael D. LaGrega Award<br />
for Excellence in <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong>, 2004; Edna Bailey<br />
Sussman Foundation internship,<br />
2006; Virginia Water Environment<br />
Association (VWEA) Sonny Roden<br />
Memorial Scholarship; member,<br />
Water Environment Federation<br />
<strong>and</strong> Association of <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> Science Professors.<br />
Primary Area of Interest: <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Water Resources<br />
Outside Work Experience: Bucknell<br />
University, Lewisburg, Penn.,<br />
undergraduate research assistant, Fall<br />
2003-Spring 2004; MS Consultants,<br />
Inc., Youngstown, Ohio, environmental<br />
engineering intern, Summer<br />
2001-Summer 2004.<br />
Career Goals: I would like to continue<br />
my research in biosolids <strong>and</strong> residuals<br />
management, increasing the scientific<br />
knowledge of the biological process<br />
that drives advanced anaerobic<br />
digestion technologies. Upon<br />
graduation, my goal is to work as a<br />
professional engineer, integrating<br />
cutting edge research into the<br />
development of sustainable wastewater<br />
<strong>and</strong> biosolids management processes.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 55
VIA SCHOLARS<br />
DOCTORAL STUDENTS<br />
Michael Woodworth<br />
Hometown: Rocky River, Ohio<br />
Location of Undergraduate Studies:<br />
University of Cincinnati<br />
Location of Master’s Studies: Virginia<br />
Tech<br />
Awards <strong>and</strong> Recognitions: American<br />
Society of <strong>Civil</strong> Engineers; university<br />
honors; Cincinnatus Scholar; Chi<br />
Epsilon; <strong>Engineering</strong> Ambassadors<br />
Primary Area of Interest: Structures<br />
Outside Work Experience: VSL –<br />
Australia, July 2007–November<br />
2007; GOP Limited, September<br />
2004–September 2005; BBN<br />
Technologies, March 2003–June 2004.<br />
Career Goals: I plan to obtain a Ph.D.<br />
<strong>and</strong> find employment in industry or<br />
academia with a research component.<br />
I eventually wish to teach at the<br />
university level.<br />
56 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA ALUMNI<br />
Via Alumni: Where are they now<br />
UNDERGRADUATES<br />
Suzanne Ayres Angelo<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003; Master’s 2006,<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
Doran J. Bosso<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006; Master’s 2008,<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
Employer: Skanska Infrastructure Development,<br />
Alex<strong>and</strong>ria, Va.<br />
Chris English<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994; Master’s 1996,<br />
University of Illinois, Urbana<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, St. Louis, Mo.<br />
Previous Employer: 1996-97, Patrick <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
Springfield, Ill.<br />
Brian P. Felker<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Current Status: Unknown<br />
Kathryn Firich<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Employer: Brown <strong>and</strong> Caldwell, Alex<strong>and</strong>ria,<br />
Va.<br />
R. Andrew Goodwin<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1996<br />
Current Status: U.S. Army Engineer R&D<br />
Center, Portl<strong>and</strong>, Ore.<br />
Chris Kaldahl<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Employer: Appalachian Mountain Club,<br />
Gorham, N.H.<br />
Peter D. Kauffmann<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: <strong>2009</strong><br />
Employer: Currently pursuing a M.S.<br />
degree in civil <strong>and</strong> environmental engineering<br />
at Virginia Tech<br />
Stephen O. Meininger<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill - OMI, Clarksville,<br />
Md.<br />
Joshua Mouras<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Employer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates,<br />
Seattle, Wash.<br />
Joseph Schmitt<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Current Status: Unknown<br />
Paul Taylor<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Current Status: ExxonMobil, Houston, Tex.<br />
Henry J. Theiss<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
Jennifer Verwest<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Current Status: Currently pursuing a graduate<br />
degree at Texas A&M University,<br />
College Station, Tex.<br />
Elliott Robert Wheeler<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1996<br />
Employer: Operations Management International,<br />
Inc., Englewood, Col.<br />
Ryan Willey<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
The following students also received<br />
their undergraduate degrees while<br />
on a Via Scholarship <strong>and</strong> elected<br />
to pursue their master’s degrees at<br />
Virginia Tech, also as Via Scholarship<br />
recipients. Their complete listings can<br />
be found in the alumni student section<br />
of this publication. These students are:<br />
R<strong>and</strong>all Boe, William Scott Dewhirst,<br />
II, Charles M. Dietz, Jr., Greg Hensley,<br />
Jeffrey Kuttesch, Matthew Moore,<br />
John D. Riley, John Stephen Siczka,<br />
Jeffrey Snow, <strong>and</strong> Marcia Votour<br />
Prowell.<br />
GRADUATES<br />
CONSTRUCTION<br />
Frank Arcuri<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Fluor Corporation, New York,<br />
N.Y.<br />
Mary Jane Contos Bartlett<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1992<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: O’Brien & Gere <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
Morrisville, N.C.<br />
Janet Sparks Ch<strong>and</strong>ler<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Full-time mother<br />
Allan D. Chasey<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Del E. Webb School of Construction,<br />
Arizona State University,<br />
Tempe, Ariz.<br />
Kirsten Davis<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Boise State University, Boise,<br />
Idaho<br />
Benjamin Hays<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2002<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: L.A. Dept. of Public Works, Los<br />
Angeles, Calif.<br />
John Hildreth<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of North Carolina,<br />
Charlotte, N.C.<br />
Angel Ho<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth,<br />
Va.<br />
Jennifer Firman McConnell<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2002<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Schoor DePalma, Kulpsville,<br />
Penn.<br />
Joshua P. Middleton<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: American Infrastructure,<br />
Worcester, Penn.<br />
Juan C. Pińero<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Barrett Hale & Alamo, Consulting<br />
Engineers, San Juan, Puerto Rico<br />
Jeffrey Snow<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 2000 <strong>and</strong> 2002<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (2000)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (2002)<br />
Employer: American Infrastructure,<br />
Worcester, Penn.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 57
VIA ALUMNI<br />
Robert C. Williams<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s (2006) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ph.D. (2008)<br />
Employer: Vecellio <strong>and</strong> Grogan Inc., Beckley,<br />
W.Va.<br />
Terry L. Williams<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Alan A. Meyers, Inc.<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL &<br />
WATER RESOURCES<br />
Nancy Lade Anderson<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Full-time Mother<br />
Jason L. Beck<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Camp Dresser <strong>and</strong> McKee<br />
(CDM), Charlotte, N.C.<br />
R<strong>and</strong>all Boe<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1991 <strong>and</strong> 1993<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (1991)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (1993)<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Gainesville, Fla.<br />
Elizabeth Claire Booth<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Golder Associates, Denver,<br />
Col.<br />
Charles B. Bott<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Hampton Roads Sanitation<br />
District, Virginia Beach, Va. <strong>and</strong> Adjunct<br />
Professor, civil <strong>and</strong> environmental engineering,<br />
Virginia Tech<br />
J. Steven Brauner<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Parsons <strong>Engineering</strong>, Denver,<br />
Col.<br />
Bradley M. Coffey<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1990<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Metropolitan Water District of<br />
Southern California, Water Quality Division<br />
Joel Cohn<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Malcolm Pirnie, Norfolk, Va.<br />
Cynthia Crane<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Hydro Geologic, Herndon, Va.<br />
Andrea Crowe Hargette<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Black & Veatch, Inc., Greenville,<br />
S.C.<br />
Christina Clarkson Davis<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Ph.D. student, Virginia Tech,<br />
Northern Virginia Campus<br />
Jason Davis<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Corallo, Eagle, Idaho<br />
William Scott Dewhirst, II<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1993 <strong>and</strong> 1997<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (1993)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (1997)<br />
Employer: Newport News Water Works,<br />
Newport News, Va.<br />
Charles (Chuck) Dietz, Jr.<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1989 <strong>and</strong> 1993<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (1989)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (1993)<br />
Employer: Virginia Department of Conservation<br />
<strong>and</strong> Recreation, Dublin, Va.<br />
Daniel Dorsel<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s, ENE<br />
Employer: Cardinal Newman School, Columbia,<br />
S.C.<br />
Mark Dougherty<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.<br />
Laura Duncan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Arcadis, Knoxville, Tenn.<br />
Mary Facciolo<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Raleigh, N.C., consulting firm<br />
Ryan M. Fedak<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Hayes, Seay, Mattern, <strong>and</strong> Mattern,<br />
Roanoke, Va.<br />
Jamie Fettig<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s, ENE<br />
Employer: Parson Engr. Sci., N.Y.<br />
Scott A. Forsling<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Brown, Collins <strong>and</strong> Associates,<br />
Draper, Utah<br />
John Fripp<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, National<br />
Resources Conservation Service,<br />
Ft. Worth, Tex.<br />
Wesley Geertsema<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1992<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
Kevin R. Gilmore<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Bucknell University, Lewisburg,<br />
Penn.<br />
Aimee E. Greyshock<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Virginia Department of Health-<br />
Office of Drinking Water, Culpepper, Va.<br />
Matthew Gwaltney<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007 (posthumously)<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Deceased<br />
Orrick (Rick) Haney<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Haney Associates, Inc., Anderson,<br />
S.C.<br />
David Holbrook<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: National Institute of St<strong>and</strong>ards<br />
<strong>and</strong> Technology, Gaithersburg, Md.<br />
Edward Brian Houston<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Black & Veatch, Gaithersburg,<br />
Md.<br />
Kari Husovitz Foy<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: B.P. Barber <strong>and</strong> Associates,<br />
Inc., N. Charleston, S.C.<br />
Angela Iatrou Simon<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Tutor Perini, Framingham,<br />
Mass.<br />
58 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA ALUMNI<br />
Joshua A. Joseph, Jr.<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Atlanta, Ga.<br />
Richard T. Kelly, II<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Brown & Caldwell, Seattle,<br />
Wash.<br />
Rebecca Lattyak<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Malcolm Pirnie, West Lafayette,<br />
Ind.<br />
Katherine Linares<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: HDR <strong>Engineering</strong>, Inc., Norfolk,<br />
Va.<br />
Erika Lubkowitz Bailey<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1996<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: HDR, Inc., Raleigh, N.C.<br />
Donald C. Marikovich<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1990<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Draper Aden & Associates,<br />
Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Eduardo Mendez, III<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: U.S. Army<br />
Becki Marshall Rosenfeldt<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Hazen & Sawyer, Belcher<br />
Town, Mass.<br />
Katherine McArthur Leitch<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Merck & Co., Inc., West Point,<br />
Penn.<br />
Colleen McCloskey Rossmeisl<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Companion Animal Clinic,<br />
Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Brian McCormick<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Frostburg State University,<br />
Frostburg, Md.<br />
Laurie S. McNeill<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Utah State University, Logan,<br />
Utah<br />
Peter B. Merkle<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: S<strong>and</strong>ia National Labs, Albuquerque,<br />
N.M.<br />
Matthew C. Moore<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1992 <strong>and</strong> 1994<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (1992)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (1994)<br />
Employer: Sikl<strong>and</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Associates,<br />
Van Nuys, Calif.<br />
Christopher D. Muller<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Brown <strong>and</strong> Caldwell, Seattle,<br />
Wash.<br />
Jocelyn Fraga Muller<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of Washington, Seattle,<br />
Wash.<br />
Caroline Nguyen<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Ph.D. c<strong>and</strong>idate, Virginia Tech<br />
Julia Novak<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Deceased<br />
Jeff Parks<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Kristina Perri<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Atlanta, Ga.<br />
Carrie Adam Phipps<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Newport News, Va.<br />
Noreen Poor<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1996<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Public Health <strong>Engineering</strong>, University<br />
of South Florida<br />
Diana Rashash<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: North Carolina State University,<br />
Raleigh, N.C.<br />
Heather Veith Rectanus<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Battelle, San Diego, Calif.<br />
S<strong>and</strong>ra Robinson<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Redding, Calif.<br />
Jason Rushing<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2002<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Malcolm Pirnie, Fairfax, Va.<br />
Mary Rust Sadler<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Arcadis, Raleigh, N.C.<br />
Paolo Scardina<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Dipankar Sen<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Santa Clara Valley Water District,<br />
San Jose, Calif.<br />
Vickie L. Singleton<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Full-time mother, New Bern,<br />
N.C.<br />
Brad Shearer<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Redding, Calif.<br />
Holly Shorney<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: February 1992<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Black & Veatch, Inc., Kansas<br />
City, Mo.<br />
John S. Siczka<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1994 <strong>and</strong> 1997<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (1994)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (1997)<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Brown Deer, Wisc.<br />
Aaron B. Small<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: AES Consulting Engineers, Williamsburg,<br />
Va.<br />
Sheryl D. Smith<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Camp, Dresser <strong>and</strong> McKee,<br />
Raleigh, N.C.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 59
VIA ALUMNI<br />
Jeffrey A. Sparks<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Malcolm Pirnie., Richmond, Va.<br />
Jonathan Stathis<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Cedar City Corp., Cedar City,<br />
Utah<br />
Am<strong>and</strong>a E. Strickhouser<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Watson Wyatt, San Francisco<br />
Chris Tadanier<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Black & Veatch, Denver, Col.<br />
Dan Waddill<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Dept. of the Navy, Norfolk, Va.<br />
Diane Waters<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2002<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: City of Miami, Public Works<br />
Dept., Miami, Fla.<br />
Edwin W. Watkins<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Ogden <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>and</strong> Energy<br />
Services, Nashville, Tenn.<br />
David Whichard<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: International Paper, S.C.<br />
Krista Rule Wigginton<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Ecole Polytechnic Federale de<br />
Lausanne, Switzerl<strong>and</strong><br />
Christopher Wolfe<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Semcor, Washington, D.C.<br />
Jennifer Wright<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Department of <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Quality (DEQ), Richmond, Va.<br />
Kevin D. Young<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
60 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong><br />
Anna Zaklikowski<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: HDR <strong>Engineering</strong>, Portl<strong>and</strong>,<br />
Ore.<br />
Lauren Zuravnsky<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Greeley <strong>and</strong> Hansen, Richmond,<br />
Va.<br />
GEOTECHNICAL<br />
William Bassett<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1990<br />
Employer: Federal Highway Administration,<br />
Washington, D.C.<br />
Diane Yamane Baxter<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: GZA Geo<strong>Environmental</strong> Inc.,<br />
Providence, R.I.<br />
Craig Benedict<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Gannet-Flemming, King of<br />
Prussia, Penn.<br />
David Bentler<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993 <strong>and</strong> 1998<br />
Degrees Awarded: Master’s; Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Shaw Stone & Webster, Inc.,<br />
Denver, Col.<br />
Jeremy Britton<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,<br />
Portl<strong>and</strong>, Ore.<br />
Pete Chenevey<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Dames & Moore, Cincinnati,<br />
Ohio<br />
Jaime Colby<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Sanborn, Head & Associates,<br />
Inc., Westford, Mass.<br />
Megan Cole<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: GEI Consultants, Winchester,<br />
Mass.<br />
Jeramy Bruyn Decker<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Kewit Construction Co., Pacifica,<br />
Calif.<br />
Patricia (Trish) M. Gallagher<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: December 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Drexel University, Philadelphia,<br />
Penn.<br />
Russell Green<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
George Filz<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1992<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Brendan Fitzpatrick<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: GEOPIER Foundation Co.,<br />
Inc., Mooresville, N.C.<br />
Laura Henry<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Haley & Aldrich, N.J.<br />
Wayne Herring<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: ARM Group, Hershey, Penn.<br />
R<strong>and</strong>all Hickman<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: BP American, Inc., Houston,<br />
Tex.<br />
Michelle Hoy<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Oregon Dept. of <strong>Environmental</strong><br />
Quality, Portl<strong>and</strong>, Ore.<br />
Kenneth A. Huber<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Senior Pastor at Calvary Baptist<br />
Church, Riverhead, N.Y.<br />
Scott Mackey<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Central Connecticut State University,<br />
New Britain, Conn.<br />
Jessica R. Marshall<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1990<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Colorado Public Works Authority<br />
Christopher L. Meehan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of Delaware, Newark,<br />
Del.
VIA ALUMNI<br />
Clark Morrison<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: North Carolina Dept. of Transportation,<br />
Raleigh, N.C.<br />
Bob Mokwa<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Montana State University,<br />
Bozeman, Mont.<br />
Michael Navin<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,<br />
St. Louis, Mo.<br />
David Nevius<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Terra Costa Consulting, San<br />
Diego, Calif.<br />
James Parkes<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Gannett Fleming, Harrisburg,<br />
Penn.<br />
Maysill G. Pascal<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Haley <strong>and</strong> Aldrich Inc., Parsippany,<br />
N.J.<br />
Craig Petranka<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
Michael Pockoski<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Hayward Baker, Inc., Odenton,<br />
Md.<br />
Jonathan Porter<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991 <strong>and</strong> 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s (Via) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ph.D.<br />
Employer: U.S. Air Force, Tyndall AFB<br />
Marcia Votour Prowell<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1992 <strong>and</strong> 1993<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate <strong>and</strong><br />
Master’s<br />
Employer: Virginia Geotechnical Services,<br />
PC, Richmond, Va.<br />
Susan Rafalko<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Reinforced Earth Co., Vienna,<br />
Va.<br />
Alan Rauch<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott, <strong>and</strong><br />
May Engineers, Inc., Lexington, Ken.<br />
Nathan Reeves<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: S&ME, Inc., Raleigh, N.C.<br />
John D. Rice<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Utah State University, Logan,<br />
Utah<br />
Andrew T. Rose<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown,<br />
Penn.<br />
Jennifer A. Schaeffer<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Seattle, Wash.<br />
Matthew Sleep<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Ph.D. c<strong>and</strong>idate, Virginia Tech<br />
Edward R. Ware III<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Wurster <strong>Engineering</strong>, Greenville,<br />
S.C.<br />
Kord Wissman<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: GEOPIER Foundation Co.,<br />
Inc., Mooresville, N.C.<br />
STRUCTURES & MATERIALS<br />
Mary Sue Mouchka Abel<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: EMCS Design Group, Milwaukee,<br />
Wisc.<br />
Chad C. Al<strong>and</strong>er<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Goodkind & O’Dea, Carlisle,<br />
Penn.<br />
Nick Amico<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Figg <strong>Engineering</strong>, Tallahassee,<br />
Fla.<br />
Kirsten A. Baldwin Metzger<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Laurene & Rickher, P.C., Charlotte,<br />
N.C.<br />
Anthony Barrett, Capt., USAF<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: U.S. Air Force, Kunsan Air<br />
Base, South Korea<br />
James Wescott (Wes) Bott<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: HDR Alaska, Inc., Eagle River,<br />
Alaska<br />
Susan Bowers<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Whitman, Requardt & Associates,<br />
Baltimore, Md.<br />
Adam G. Bowl<strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Ph.D. c<strong>and</strong>idate, Virginia Tech<br />
J. Christopher Carroll<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: <strong>2009</strong><br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of Louisiana at<br />
Lafayette, Lafayette, La.<br />
Jason Cawrse<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CH2M Hill, Alex<strong>and</strong>ria, Va.<br />
Kevin R. Collins<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1989<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Lawrence Technological University,<br />
Southfield, Mich.<br />
Amy Dalrymple Ryan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Starzer, Brady, Fagan Associates,<br />
Inc., Atlanta, Ga.<br />
D. Brad Davis<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of Kentucky, Lexington,<br />
Ken.<br />
Kyle Richard Dominisse<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Walter P. Moore, Kansas City,<br />
Mo.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 61
VIA ALUMNI<br />
Richard Drumm<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1993<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: FHWA<br />
Keith Grubb<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: American Institute of Steel Construction,<br />
Chicago, Ill.<br />
Linda Morley Hanagan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Penn State University, State<br />
College, Penn.<br />
Matthew D. Harlan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Clark Nelsen, Norfolk, Va.<br />
Devin K. Harris<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Michigan Technological University,<br />
Houghton, Mich.<br />
Greg Hensley<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 2004 <strong>and</strong> 2005<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (2004)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (2005)<br />
Employer: Pinnacle <strong>Engineering</strong>, Charlottesville,<br />
Va.<br />
Anne Himebaugh<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Simpson, Gumpertz, <strong>and</strong><br />
Heger, Waltham, Mass.<br />
Hunter Hodges<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Lane Bishop York <strong>and</strong> Delahaye,<br />
Inc., Birmingham, Ala.<br />
William P. Jacobs, V<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2002<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Stanley D. Lindsey <strong>and</strong> Associates,<br />
Atlanta, Ga.<br />
Jared B. Jamison<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Hankins <strong>and</strong> Anderson, Glen<br />
Allen, Va.<br />
Bernard L. Kassner<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Ph.D. c<strong>and</strong>idate, Virginia Tech<br />
Ann E. Jeffers<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: <strong>2009</strong><br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: University of Michigan, Ann<br />
Arbor, Mich.<br />
Stephanie A. Koch<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Parsons Brinkerhoff-Ohio Inc.,<br />
Columbus, Ohio<br />
Adam R. Lease<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Cives Steel Company, Winchester,<br />
Va.<br />
Bryan J. Loflin<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Parsons Brinkerhoff, Raleigh,<br />
N.C.<br />
Justin D. Marshall<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2008<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.<br />
James David Martin<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Walter P. Moore, Tampa, Fla.<br />
Timothy W. Mays<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1997 <strong>and</strong> 2000<br />
Degrees Awarded: Master’s (1997) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ph.D. (2000)<br />
Employer: The Citadel, Charleston, SC<br />
Laurie Mazursky<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Sutton-Kennerly <strong>and</strong> Assoc.,<br />
Asheville, N.C.<br />
David McGowan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Dominion Generation, Glen<br />
Allen, Va.<br />
Sean Molloy<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Redwine Reizian Structural<br />
Engineers, Avon, Col.<br />
Michael Motley<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: The LPA Group, Inc., Tallahassee,<br />
Fla.<br />
Michael C. Neubert<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: King Guinn Associates, Charlotte,<br />
N.C.<br />
Charles (Chuck) Newhouse<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994 <strong>and</strong> 2005<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s (1994) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ph.D. (2005)<br />
Employer: Virginia Military Institute, Lexington,<br />
Va.<br />
Patricia Seay O’Neil<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Bechtel, Frederick, Md.<br />
Jason D. Perry<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: December 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Stanley D. Lindsey & Associates,<br />
Ltd., Nashville, Tenn.<br />
Jason Piotter<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s; Ph.D. pending<br />
Employer: Nuclear Regulatory Commission<br />
Robert T. Prince<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern,<br />
Inc., Roanoke, Va.<br />
Bruce Queen<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: President, QED Inc., Raleigh,<br />
N.C.<br />
Michelle Rambo-Roddenberry<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2002<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: FAMU-FSU College of <strong>Engineering</strong>,<br />
Tallahassee, Fla.<br />
Nicholas Redmond<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Magnusson Klemencic Associates,<br />
Seattle, Wash.<br />
Clint Rex<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994 <strong>and</strong> 1996<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s (1994) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ph.D. (1996)<br />
Employer: Stanley D. Lindsey <strong>and</strong> Associates,<br />
Atlanta, Ga.<br />
Cheryl Rottman<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1996<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Frontenac <strong>Engineering</strong>, St.<br />
Louis, Mo.<br />
62 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA ALUMNI<br />
John C. Ryan, Jr.<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: StructurTech Construction Systems,<br />
Charleston, S.C.<br />
Richard A. Saunders<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: KSI Structural Engineers, Atlanta,<br />
Ga.<br />
Donald P. Scholz<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: CVM Engineers, Wayne, Penn.<br />
Michael W. Seek<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: East Tennessee State University,<br />
Johnson City, Tenn.<br />
Bruce Shue<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Smislova, Kehnemui & Assoc.,<br />
Rockville, Md.<br />
Michael Sladki<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: SKA Engineers, Washington,<br />
D.C.<br />
Paul Spears<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Martin / Martin Consulting Engineers,<br />
Kansas City, Mo.<br />
Sean Robert Sullivan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: HNTB, East Lansing, Mich.<br />
Emmett A. Sumner<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: North Carolina State University,<br />
Raleigh, N.C.<br />
Anthony B. Temeles<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2001<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Modjeski & Master’s, Philadelphia,<br />
Penn.<br />
Angela Sellars Terry<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Self-employed<br />
Steven J. Tschetter<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1994<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Suncoast Post-Tension, Inc.,<br />
Woodbridge, Va.<br />
Christopher J. Waldron<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 2001 <strong>and</strong> 2004<br />
Degrees Awarded: Master’s (2001) <strong>and</strong><br />
Ph.D. (2004)<br />
Employer: University of Alabama at Birmingham,<br />
Birmingham, Ala.<br />
Joseph A. Wallenfelsz<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Traylor Brothers, Inc. <strong>and</strong><br />
Massman Construction Co., Golden<br />
Meadow, La.<br />
J. Ashley Warren<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: <strong>2009</strong><br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: The LPA Group, Inc., Falls<br />
Church, Va.<br />
Christopher Werner<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1997<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Stroud Pence, Norfolk, Va.<br />
Maurice W. White<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991 <strong>and</strong> 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s <strong>and</strong> Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
John Whitlow<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1995<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
Gregory Williamson<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2007<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: ExxonMobil, Fairfax, Va.<br />
Eric J. Wishart<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1991<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: <strong>Civil</strong> CADD Services, Inc., Lincoln,<br />
R.I.<br />
Mustapha Zmerli<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1992<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Deceased<br />
TRANSPORTATION<br />
INFRASTRUCTURE AND<br />
SYSTEMS<br />
Sudarshana C.S. Bhat<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1989<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: University of Texas at Austin,<br />
Austin, Tex.<br />
Douglas R. Bish<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Edgar David de León Izeppi<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2006<br />
Degree Awarded: Ph.D.<br />
Employer: Virginia Tech Transportation<br />
Institute, Blacksburg, Va.<br />
Joshua (Josh) Diekmann<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2000<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: A consultant in Seattle, Wash.<br />
Erin Walsh Donovan<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1999<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Unknown<br />
Anthony Ingle<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2004<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: DLZ Michigan, Kalamazoo,<br />
Mich.<br />
Jeffrey Kuttesch<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 2003 <strong>and</strong> 2004<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (2003)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (2004)<br />
Employer: Rummel, Klepper, <strong>and</strong> Kahl<br />
Engineers (RK&K), Baltimore, Md.<br />
John D. Riley<br />
<strong>Year</strong>s Graduated: 1997 <strong>and</strong> 1999<br />
Degrees Awarded: Undergraduate (1997)<br />
<strong>and</strong> Master’s (1999)<br />
Employer: Kimley-Horn & Associates, Inc.,<br />
Richmond, Va.<br />
Kevin M. Siegel<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 2003<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: PBS & J, Inc., Newport News,<br />
Va.<br />
Eric J. Siess<br />
<strong>Year</strong> Graduated: 1998<br />
Degree Awarded: Master’s<br />
Employer: Naval Surface Warfare Center,<br />
Dalgreen, Va.<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 63
VIA DONORS<br />
Donors to the CEE Department for 2008-<strong>2009</strong><br />
The donors recognized on the<br />
following pages made a contribution<br />
to the Via Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> (CEE)<br />
during fiscal year <strong>2009</strong> (7/1/08 –<br />
6/30/09). Although every effort has<br />
been made to ensure the accuracy<br />
of this report, we acknowledge that<br />
errors may have occurred. If your<br />
name has been omitted or listed<br />
incorrectly, please accept our sincere<br />
apologies <strong>and</strong> send in any corrections<br />
to the CEE Main Office at (540) 231-<br />
6635.<br />
CEE Alumni who<br />
contributed in 2008-<strong>2009</strong><br />
William A. Aden........................... 1967<br />
Chad C. Al<strong>and</strong>er.......................... 1996<br />
Michael A. Alto............................ 1983<br />
Lisa M. Alvey............................... 1994<br />
Thomas A. Ameel........................ 1984<br />
Carl S. Anderson......................... 1958<br />
S. Kendall Anderson................... 1962<br />
C. Howard Arnold........................ 1980<br />
Walter F. Bailey........................... 1972<br />
Kelso S. Baker............................ 1951<br />
Jessica M. Barbier...................... 1990<br />
Thomas E. Barstow..................... 1985<br />
S<strong>and</strong>ra G. Bartley.............. 1970/1973<br />
John P. Bassett........................... 1955<br />
Gary C. Beach............................ 1972<br />
Courtney A. Beamon................... 1995<br />
Ronald L. Beck............................ 1970<br />
Danelle M. Bernard..................... 1985<br />
Brian W. Bersch.......................... 1981<br />
Michael N. Biscotte..................... 1980<br />
Harold W. Bohannon................... 1968<br />
Michelle E. Bolding..................... 2005<br />
Dana M. Boyadjian...................... 1976<br />
Jerry D. Brammer........................ 1968<br />
Kenneth W. Brammer.................. 1976<br />
Kenneth P. Brannan.................... 1986<br />
Robert L. Briggs.......................... 1988<br />
William F. Brittle........................... 1969<br />
Roger L. Brockenbrough............. 1954<br />
Thomas W. Brockenbrough... 1942/1946<br />
Rollins P. Brown.......................... 1994<br />
Richard H. Brownley................... 1944<br />
Craig S. Bryant............................ 1971<br />
W. Barry Bryant.................. 1970/1971<br />
Steven B. Buchanan................... 1980<br />
Amy L. Buehler........................... 1994<br />
Guy W. Buford............................. 1952<br />
Douglas W. Burks....................... 1979<br />
Christopher T. Burner.................. 1995<br />
H.D. Campbell............................. 1969<br />
Joseph C. Campbell.................... 1968<br />
Valerie L. Carpenter.................... 1999<br />
Dennis W. Carter......................... 1967<br />
Derrick B. Cave........................... 1987<br />
Steven D. Chambliss.................. 1990<br />
Pah I. Chen................................. 1964<br />
R. Bradley Chewning......... 1964/1970<br />
Giles G. Childress....................... 1981<br />
Alfred R. Cline............................. 1958<br />
Stanley Cohen............................ 1949<br />
Kevin R. Collins........................... 1989<br />
Michael R. Collins....................... 1971<br />
Rodney E. Cox............................ 1952<br />
Thomas H. Cox........................... 1991<br />
Jeffrey T. Crate................... 1973/1976<br />
James F. Cruise.......................... 1974<br />
E. Stokes Daniels........................ 1957<br />
David D. Dee............................... 1987<br />
James B. Diamond...................... 1970<br />
Robert E. Dick............................. 1989<br />
Charles M. Dietz......................... 1972<br />
Richard M. DiSalvo..................... 1977<br />
O. Davis Ditman.......................... 1959<br />
Wayne A. Dixon........................... 1964<br />
Michael T. Donaldson.................. 1980<br />
Michael J. Dugas........................ 1987<br />
Betsy E. Dulin ............................ 1986<br />
Preston P. Dunavant................... 1968<br />
Scott C. Dunn.............................. 1992<br />
E. William East............................ 1980<br />
Anne M. Ellis............................... 1980<br />
Charles L. Ernest........................ 1970<br />
Douglas R. Fahl.......................... 1965<br />
Glendon J. Fetterolf.................... 1996<br />
George M. Filz............................ 1992<br />
Theron R. Fluker......................... 1999<br />
William D. France........................ 1995<br />
Robert W. Frantz......................... 1968<br />
Lindsey K. Gardner..................... 1960<br />
Kurt D. Geiger............................. 1979<br />
Anne M. Germain........................ 1989<br />
Ian A. Gibson.............................. 1991<br />
James W. Givens........................ 1970<br />
John V. Glazebrook..................... 1954<br />
Thomas B. Gray.......................... 1973<br />
Douglas W. Greene..................... 1977<br />
Dean S. Gregory......................... 1990<br />
Thomas A. Grogan...................... 1980<br />
Timrod A. Groover....................... 1979<br />
D. R<strong>and</strong>olph Grubbs................... 1971<br />
Charles D. Hall............................ 1970<br />
John B. Hall................................. 1955<br />
Raeann R. Hamon...................... 1985<br />
Gregory E. H<strong>and</strong>......................... 1971<br />
Charles L. Harowitz..................... 1948<br />
Belinda M. Harper....................... 1996<br />
Br<strong>and</strong>on C. Harrison................... 2006<br />
E. Franklin Hart........................... 1967<br />
Larry V. Hartbarger...................... 1974<br />
Gene W. Hatcher........................ 1977<br />
Max L. Heckman ........................ 1975<br />
Pablo A. Hern<strong>and</strong>ez.................... 1989<br />
David E. Hill................................. 1978<br />
Jack M. Hill.................................. 1949<br />
Don W. Holloway......................... 1957<br />
Charles S. Hughes...................... 1958<br />
Steven G. Hughes....................... 1986<br />
Robert W. Hungate............ 1986/1988<br />
Thomas N. Hunnicutt.................. 1959<br />
Robin A. Hylton........................... 1986<br />
Edward L. Janney....................... 1973<br />
Robert F. Jansen......................... 1980<br />
Benjamin C. Jarosz..................... 1999<br />
Jimmie D. Jenkins....................... 1970<br />
64 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA DONORS<br />
Paul B. Johnson.......................... 1973<br />
Patricia W. Jordan....................... 1978<br />
Paul A. Jordan............................. 1979<br />
William E. Junda......................... 2000<br />
Robert B. Kahler......................... 1981<br />
Christopher E. Kaldahl................ 1995<br />
Dennis Kamber........................... 1963<br />
Susan E. Keck-Truman............... 1968<br />
Thomas M. Kennedy................... 1987<br />
Michael A. Knott.......................... 1975<br />
Kevin T. Krupa............................. 1976<br />
Glenda P. La Rue............... 1991/1993<br />
Matthew R. Lane......................... 1995<br />
Kevin T. Laptos............................ 1988<br />
Matthew S. Lawrence................. 2006<br />
M. James Lewis.......................... 1981<br />
Willis H. Lewis............................. 1941<br />
James R. Link............................. 1958<br />
Stephen R. Long......................... 1983<br />
James F. Loudon......................... 1960<br />
R. Easton Loving......................... 1989<br />
Dennis L. Lundy.......................... 1973<br />
Gary S. Lynn............................... 1988<br />
Mercer R. MacPherson............... 1963<br />
Thomas S. Maddock................... 1950<br />
José A. Marcano......................... 2002<br />
Burton M. Marshall...................... 1958<br />
Donald L. Martin.......................... 1974<br />
Michael R. Martin........................ 1974<br />
Russell L. Martin......................... 1977<br />
Peter P. Mattejat................. 1984/1985<br />
Lisa J. McAdam.......................... 1983<br />
Robert F. McCarty....................... 1965<br />
Megan A. McCollough................. 2007<br />
David I. McCready...................... 1973<br />
Francis D. McCreery................... 1967<br />
Jeffrey A. McInnis........................ 1996<br />
Gregory B. McKenna.................. 1982<br />
Arthur W. McKinney.................... 1965<br />
Amy D. Meli................................. 1998<br />
Howard C. Melton....................... 1961<br />
Ronald L. Meng........................... 1996<br />
Sherry P. Meredith....................... 1988<br />
Joseph F. Miller........................... 1979<br />
Robert S. Miller........................... 1967<br />
Tracy L. Miller Jackson............... 1992<br />
Jeremy M. Mocny........................ 1997<br />
Peter J. Monaldo......................... 2006<br />
Colleen Rice Montgomery........... 1990<br />
Steven T. Moore.......................... 1982<br />
Anthony J. Moraco...................... 1984<br />
Joe M. Morgan............................ 1968<br />
Michelle E. Motchos.................... 1996<br />
Michael P. Mozingo..................... 1965<br />
David R. Myzie............................ 1986<br />
Teresa I. Nauss........................... 1982<br />
Charles D. Newhouse........ 1993/2005<br />
Albert L. Nichols.......................... 1962<br />
Kerry Nothnagel................. 1965/1968<br />
Raymond J. O’Donnell................ 1980<br />
Morris B. Oliver........................... 1987<br />
Robert A. Painter......................... 1948<br />
Stephen E. Patchett.................... 1990<br />
Gerald W. Peaks......................... 1969<br />
Carrie H. Pendleton.................... 2000<br />
John L. Peter............................... 1980<br />
Carl W. Peterson......................... 1960<br />
Daniel H. Phlegar........................ 1970<br />
Nancy Powell.............................. 1977<br />
Stephen C. Powers..................... 1987<br />
Robert T. Prince.......................... 1998<br />
Carl W. Pugh............................... 1985<br />
Michael J. Quillen........................ 1970<br />
Susan D. Ralfalko....................... 2005<br />
Brian L. Ramaley........................ 1974<br />
Vinton J. Rathburn...................... 1982<br />
Lauren A. Raup........................... 2007<br />
Walter J. Rawls.................. 1966/1968<br />
Glenn W. Rehberger................... 1969<br />
Linvil G. Rich............................... 1947<br />
James B. Richards...................... 1968<br />
Jack E. Rinker............................. 1961<br />
R<strong>and</strong>olph P. Rivinus.................... 1968<br />
Michael A. Robinson................... 1990<br />
Jeffrey A. Roby............................ 1985<br />
Joseph H. Rogers....................... 1965<br />
Richard B. Rountree................... 1963<br />
Aldelmo Ruiz-Santiago............... 1949<br />
Dallas W. Safriet......................... 1967<br />
Lester M. Safriet.......................... 1963<br />
Daryl E. Schauss........................ 1993<br />
Jonathan B. Scherer................... 2007<br />
G.P. Schrader.............................. 1938<br />
Kurt G. Schroeder....................... 1987<br />
R. Wayne Schwartz..................... 1962<br />
William C. Scruggs...................... 1960<br />
R. John Seabrook....................... 1984<br />
James L. Sellers......................... 1978<br />
Patrick N. Shaffner...................... 1961<br />
Edward J. Shea.................. 1997/1999<br />
Michael T. Siburt.......................... 2004<br />
John S. Siczka................... 1994/1997<br />
Clyde N. Simmers....................... 1971<br />
Howell Simmons................ 1960/1963<br />
Carol P. Sinclair........................... 1983<br />
J. Keith Sinclair........................... 1975<br />
Christopher S. Smith................... 1993<br />
Elizabeth F. Smith....................... 1986<br />
Richard L. Sobbott...................... 1982<br />
Bryan W. Stevenson................... 1996<br />
Jack H. Stewart........................... 1957<br />
Harvey E. Strawsnyder............... 1971<br />
Richard H. String......................... 1988<br />
William A. Stuart......................... 1959<br />
Todd W. Swanson....................... 1974<br />
Richard D. Swartout.................... 1969<br />
Boris O. Taran............................. 1967<br />
Robert S. Tate............................. 1992<br />
Robert J. Taylor........................... 1981<br />
Dominic M. Tiburzi....................... 1974<br />
J. Allan Tice................................. 1965<br />
William E. Tomlinson................... 1963<br />
Andrew S. Topp .......................... 1999<br />
J. Stephen Torell......................... 1993<br />
Dennis D. Truax.......................... 1976<br />
Steven J. Tschetter...................... 1992<br />
Kwong Tong Tse.......................... 1978<br />
Frederick J. Turner...................... 1959<br />
Rod E. Turochy........................... 1991<br />
Janna Unterzuber....................... 1994<br />
William L. Ward........................... 1995<br />
Thomas B. Washington............... 1953<br />
Robert B. Welton......................... 1959<br />
Edward C. Westerman................ 1993<br />
Robert H. White.......................... 1950<br />
James E. Williams....................... 1974<br />
Kord J. Wissmann....................... 1987<br />
Farley E. Wolford........................ 1958<br />
James M. Wright......................... 1960<br />
William R. Zollinger..................... 1997<br />
Michael T. Zuravel....................... 1984<br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 65
VIA DONORS<br />
Friends who contributed<br />
to CEE in 2008-<strong>2009</strong><br />
H. Pat <strong>and</strong> Nancy Artis<br />
Jayne K. Ayers<br />
Richard M. Barker<br />
Patrick C. Brooks<br />
Harold E. Burkhart<br />
Juny Kee Choi<br />
The Community Foundation<br />
Joan Cornwell<br />
W<strong>and</strong>a Croy<br />
Robert M. Diamond<br />
W. Samuel <strong>and</strong> Pamela Easterling<br />
Marc A. Edwards<br />
Patricia B. Foutz<br />
Robert C. Glass<br />
Henry G. Holtzman<br />
Robert A. Hudson<br />
Jamie F. Hughes<br />
John H. Jones<br />
J. Michael Kelly<br />
Tiernan Klunk<br />
Janet T. Linkous<br />
Harvey B. Manbeck<br />
Sarah E. McLeod<br />
James K. Mitchell<br />
Christopher R. Norris<br />
Joan H. Nunnally<br />
Kathleen M. O’Leary<br />
Linda S. Owczarek<br />
Terry W. Pearson<br />
Denise Sherman<br />
David W. Smith<br />
Susanne C. Snow<br />
F. William Stephenson<br />
Vecellio Family Foundation, Inc.<br />
Richard D. Walker<br />
Corporations <strong>and</strong><br />
Businesses who<br />
contributed to CEE in<br />
2008-<strong>2009</strong><br />
ABB<br />
AISC Education Foundation<br />
American Institute of Steel<br />
Construction<br />
Anderson & Associates<br />
Areva<br />
Areva NP, Inc.<br />
Atlantic Constructors Inc.<br />
Baker Properties Group<br />
Barrier Systems, Inc<br />
Bechtel Foundation<br />
Black & Veatch Corporation<br />
Bowman Consulting Group<br />
Brenneman <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Camp Dresser McKee<br />
Carollo<br />
CH2M Hill Foundation<br />
Draper Aden Associates, Inc.<br />
Engineered Construction Company<br />
Esmer & Associates, Inc.<br />
ExxonMobil Foundation<br />
Fluor Enterprises, Inc.<br />
Greenway, LLC<br />
Hankins & Anderson<br />
HDR, Inc.<br />
HSMM/AECOM<br />
Irongate, Inc.<br />
JPR <strong>Engineering</strong>, PC<br />
Kirkl<strong>and</strong> & Ellis LLP<br />
L. Edwards Associates, LLC<br />
L<strong>and</strong> Development Design Initiative,<br />
Inc.<br />
Metron Aviation, Inc.<br />
NanoSafe<br />
NUCOR<br />
Paciulli, Simmons, & Associates<br />
Primavera Systems, Inc.<br />
Quesenberry’s, Inc.<br />
Risa Technologies LLC<br />
Roanoke Branch of ASCE<br />
SMC Concrete Construction<br />
T.J. Willard & Associates, Inc.<br />
Tindall Corporation<br />
VMS, Inc.<br />
Wessex, Inc.<br />
Whiting-Turner Contracting Company<br />
Inc.<br />
Whitman, Requardt <strong>and</strong> Associates<br />
Wiley & Wilson, Inc.<br />
66 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
VIA DONORS<br />
The following organizations support CEE through their<br />
membership in the affiliates program for the Center for<br />
Geotechnical Practice <strong>and</strong> Research:<br />
Ardaman & Associates, Inc.<br />
<strong>Engineering</strong> Consulting Services, Inc. (ECS)<br />
Froehling & Robertson, Inc.<br />
Gannett Fleming, Inc.<br />
GeoConcepts <strong>Engineering</strong>, Inc.<br />
Geopier Foundation Co.<br />
GeoSyntec Consultants<br />
Hayward Baker – A Keller Co.<br />
Haley & Aldrich<br />
Kiewit Constructors, Inc.<br />
Langan <strong>Engineering</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> Services, Inc.<br />
Professional Services Industries, Inc. (PSI)<br />
Ray E. Martin, LLC<br />
S&ME<br />
Schnabel <strong>Engineering</strong> Associates<br />
Schnabel Foundation Company<br />
Charles J. Smith<br />
Treviicos Corporation<br />
URS Corporation<br />
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers<br />
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation<br />
Valentine <strong>Engineering</strong> Associates, Inc.<br />
Virginia Department of Transportation<br />
The following organizations support<br />
CEE through their Platinum <strong>and</strong> Gold<br />
sponsorship of the department’s L<strong>and</strong><br />
Development Design Initiative:<br />
Platinum<br />
AES Consulting Engineers<br />
Balzer <strong>and</strong> Associates, Inc.<br />
Bohler <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
Bowman Consulting<br />
Burgess & Niple, Inc.<br />
Draper Aden Associates<br />
Kimley-Horn <strong>and</strong> Associates, Inc.<br />
Gold<br />
Anderson & Associates, Inc.<br />
christopher consultants, Ltd.<br />
Dewberry<br />
Fairfax County<br />
Hurt & Proffitt, Inc.<br />
J2 Engineers, Inc.<br />
Koontz-Bryant, P.C.<br />
Tri-Tek <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
<strong>2009</strong> | VIA REPORT | 67
CREDITS<br />
Department Head................................................................................. W. Samuel Easterling<br />
Editor.................................................................................................................Lynn Nystrom<br />
Designer.........................................................................................................David Simpkins<br />
Photographers.......................................... Michael Kiernan, John McCormick, Jim Stroup<br />
CEE Coordinator......................................................................................Donna Sanzenbach<br />
CEE Academic Advisor <strong>and</strong> Alumni Relations Coordinator..............................Estela P. Moen<br />
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants<br />
on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, veteran status,<br />
national origin, religion, or political affiliation. Anyone having questions concerning<br />
discrimination should contact the Office for Equity <strong>and</strong> Inclusion.<br />
68 | VIA REPORT | <strong>2009</strong>
The Charles E. Via, Jr.<br />
Department of <strong>Civil</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong><br />
200 Patton Hall, Virginia Tech<br />
Blacksburg, VA 24060<br />
Non-Profit Org.<br />
U.S. Postage<br />
PAID<br />
Blacksburg VA<br />
24060<br />
Permit No. 28<br />
www.cee.vt.edu