Page 2 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering 2021 Annual Report

ANNOUNCEMENTS ANNOUNCEMENTS Photo credit: Gordon Warn
Greetings from the
Department Head
Dear Alumni and Friends:
Welcome to the
the
2021 annual report for the
the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
(CEE) at at Penn State We We send warm greetings and and and and best wishes for good health to you you and and and your family friends and and and colleagues during these challenging times Despite the
the
the
the
difficulty surrounding the
the
the
the
COVID-19 pandemic last year was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a great success for the
the
the
the
the
department We are in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a strong position charting an an an an exciting future and and and providing leadership to the
the
civil and and and environmental engineering profession Among our our many significant advancements this year we hired an an an an an an an outstanding new faculty member Xianbiao “XB” Hu Hu in in in in in in our our transportation engineering research area Hu Hu has expertise in in in in in in smart mobility systems including autonomous and and electric vehicles In addition there are are are five more faculty searches currently ongoing in in in in in in in in the
the
areas of construction engineering engineering engineering geotechnical and and and and materials engineering engineering engineering engineering structural engineering engineering engineering engineering and and and mechanics and and and water resources engineering engineering engineering Our Undergraduate Program Committee is completing a a a a a a a a a a a a multi- year effort to to modernize the
the
undergraduate curriculum to to better serve both students and faculty At the
the
graduate graduate level we are working with Penn State World Campus to to create several new online master’s degree degree programs making an an an an an advanced Penn State CEE degree degree available to to distance learners Many
new research grants were received by our faculty including several from the
the
National Science Foundation and and and the
the
Larson Transportation Institute continues to conduct outstanding research on on on on on on on on on transportation infrastructure and and and integrated asset management though our University Transportation Center Additionally the
the
department is is is excited to to announce the
the
near completion
of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fundraising campaign for a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a $3 million endowment to to reestablish and and permanently support a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a program in in in in in in construction engineering and and management (CEM) We’ve made great progress with over $2 4 million raised including a a a a a a a a a a a a a a large gift from from The Beavers Charitable Trust and and Allan Myers Inc and and commitments from from thirteen other construction companies as
program program stakeholders The The new CEM program program is is scheduled to launch in in fall 2022 and the
the
faculty search mentioned above is is is is currently underway The The first meeting of the
the
the
inaugural CEM advisory board was held in in in in May 2021 This program will will be a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a true university-industry partnership and will will strongly contribute to the
the
impact of our department Thank you you for for your interest and and support of of the
Department of of Civil and and Environmental Engineering
The following report provides more information on on on these and and other exciting developments including several new and and promising research directions that highlight the
the
the
many strengths in in in in our department The department is doing well here in in in Happy Valley proudly celebrating our 140th year of excellence at at Penn State!
Patrick J J Fox Ph D D D P P P E E E D D D GE F F ASCE
Department Department Head
and and and John A A and and and Harriette K Shaw Professor Department Department of Civil and and and Environmental Engineering
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Newsletter 2021 EDITION VOLUME 37 3 Announcements
8 Faculty
Research 20
Faculty
News 23
Larson Institute News 26 Pennsylvania Housing Research Center News 27 Giving
28 Lectures
30 Graduate Programs 32
Alumni News 38 Student Organizations
39
Student News 47 Staff News Cover photo: Above: “No left turn” sign beside traffic light below: crowded city traffic Civil and and Environmental Engineering
a a a a a newsletter for CEE alumni and and and friends is is published by the
College of of Engineering’s Department of of Civil and and Environmental Engineering
Engineering
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University 212 Sackett Building
University Park PA 16802
Writers: Rachel Fawcett Danica Laub A’ndrea Elyse Messer Tim Schley
Comments or or submissions may be sent to: Tim Schley
newsletter editor
Email: tps5592@psu edu Phone: 814-867-8130
For more information visit cee psu edu This publication is is available in alternative media on on request © 2021 The Pennsylvania State State University All Rights Reserved Penn Penn State State is is an an an equal opportunity affirmative action employer and is is committed to to to providing employment opportunities to to to all qualified applicants without regard to to to race color religion age sex sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin disability or or protected veteran status U Ed ENG 22-166
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CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 37 2021