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Untitled document
FLOYD AND JERI MELDRUM START CVEEN CAMPAIGN WITH $3.3 MILLION GIFT
The University of Utah today announced a $3.3 million lead gift for its department of civil and environmental engineering. The gift, from U alum Floyd Meldrum and his wife Jeri, of
Las Vegas, Nevada
, is the cornerstone in a $5 million campaign to strengthen civil engineering. Their gift will help fund a 14,500 square foot expansion of an existing laboratory and office building. When complete, the expanded building will be renamed the Floyd and Jeri Meldrum Civil and
Environmental
Engineering
Building
, in recognition of their total giving to the University which now exceeds $3.5 million. Floyd Meldrum received a BS in civil engineering from the
University
of
Utah
in 1962. He and his wife Jeri are the former owners of Southern Nevada Paving, an aggregate, asphalt and contracting business in
Las Vegas
, which they operated for 41 years prior to its acquisition in 2004 by a British company Aggregate Industries PLC. In making the gift, Meldrum credited the education he received at the
University
of
Utah
. “My career has its foundation in the department of civil engineering, and the lessons and experiences in these early days allowed me to build a general engineering construction business that helped many of my employees support families and build careers of their own.” Meldrum acknowledged the support and encouragement of his wife of 50 years and the people and profession that gave a start. “Jeri and I are pleased to contribute to the continuing growth and success of civil and environmental engineering at the U. We hope to assist you in inspiring others to join in this partnership to make it a nationally recognized program.”
CIVIL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR LEADS $88 MILLION DOE PARTNERSHIP
Dr. Brian McPherson, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Univeristy of Utah, will lead an $88 million research partnership on Carbon Seqestration for the U.S. Department of Energy. Dr. McPherson is the Principal Investigator and Director of the Southwest Partnership here at the University of Utah, working collaboratively with New Mexico Tech. The partnership has just been selected by the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to proceed to a deployment phase, which will involve injection of approximately 1,000,000 tons of CO2 into a geological formation in the Uinta Basin. The purpose of the deployment phase is to assess the efficacy of geological CO2 storage and to evaluate this as an approach for reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
U OF U GRADUATE STUDENT EARNS THE 2007 ROBERT OKEY AWARD
Ms Tania Datta, a graduate student in Civil & Environmental Engineering, received The Robert Okey Award from the Water Environment Association of Utah (WEAU). Ms. Datta was recognized at he WEAU annual conference at E-center. This Okey Award recognizes to top graduate student each year in the State Utah for his/her research contribution in wastewater area. Tania received this award as a result of her ongoing doctoral research on “Biological Phosphorus Removal and Ecology of Polyphosphate Accumulating Organisms in Aerated-anoxic” Activated Sludge Processes. The award is accompanied by a substantial cash scholarship.
U of U TEAM AWARDED NASA PROJECT ON THE IMPACT OF HUMANS ON CLIMATE
Dr. Steve Burian will lead the U of U team of researchers on a newly awarded NASA project, entitled "Impact of Humans on Precipitation Variability, Climate, and the Water Cycle." The three-year effort brings together an interdisciplinary team of water and atmospheric scientists from the University of Georgia, the University of Maryland, and the University of Utah to study regional impacts of urban areas on the water cycle. While the University of Georgia will be the lead university on the grant, the University of Utah team will create a regional-scale water budget modeling framework driven by satellite precipitation observations to analyze urbanization effects on the water cycle in data poor regions of the earth.
STUDENT CHAPTERS OF ASCE AND AGC WORK WITH ALUMNI ON 4TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
The student chapter for the American Society of Civil Enginering and the Associated General Contractors partnered with alumni to host the 4th Annual Civil and Environmental Engineering Golf Tournament at Thanksgiving Point. 128 golfers entered the scramble tournament with major prizes for a closest to the hole, hole in one, longest drive and a raffle for participants...including an ATV; powertools, constuction equipment; pro golf equipment and much more. 18 industry sponsors covered the holes with donations to the student activity fund and gave students a chance to meet industry leaders and Ute Alumni.
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TO INVESTIGATE CYANOTOXINS AND CYANOBACTERIA VARIATIONS IN
GREAT
SALT
LAKE
Dr. Ramesh Goel, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the U of U, has been awarded a contract with Central Davis Sewer District to investigate the concentrations of cyanotoxins and types of cyanobacteria in
Great Salt Lake . The project will establish new infrastructure to measure these toxic compounds. The preliminary results of this project will help Utah Department of Water Quality to understand the critical issues like biotoxicity and bioaccumulation of cyanotoxins in
Great Salt Lake .
DR. RAYMOND LEVEY NAMED TO ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
The Secretary of Energy recently named Dr. Raymond Levey, Research Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Energy and Geoscience Institute at the University of Utah, along with 22 other national experts to the US Department of Energy's Unconventional Resources Technology Advisory Committee (URTAC). The URTAC will advise the Secretary of Energy on carrying out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of technologies for onshore unconventional natural gas and other petroleum resource exploration and production, as well as addressing the technology challenges for small producers, safe operations, and environmental mitigation (including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration of carbon).
DR. GOEL TO LEAD TEAM OF RESEARCHERS TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED WITH WATER FOR OIL SANDS.
Dr. Ramesh Goel, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the U of U, has been awarded a $130,000 contract with
Utah
Heavy
Oil
Center to establish new approaches to treat produced water and perform water availability impact assessments for US
oil sands and oil shale development. Dr. Goel will lead a team of researchers from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Dr. Steven Burian and Dr. Andy Hong) and the Energy and Geosciences Institute (Dr. Greg Nash and Dr. Beth Dudley Murphy) at the
University of
Utah .
DEPARTMENT AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 07-08 YEAR
The Civil and Environmental Engineering (CVEEN) Department at the University of Utah has identified more than 40 students and offered nearly $80,000 in scholarships and tuition grants for the 2007-2008 Academic Year. The benevolence of many alumni and other donors has made this possible. In addition the
College of
Engineering has identified one of the department’s students for the
Wayne
Brown
College scholarship, and the American Concrete Institute recently recognized two students in awarding their scholarships. The alumni and friends of the department donate because of both their experiences in the CVEEN department and their respect for the faculty and staff. They deserve at hearty “Thank You” for representing the program well and for the many letters of recommendations they have written in support of the department’s scholarship’s efforts.
DR. BURIAN OF THE U OF U TO LEAD TEAM FOR DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY PROJECT
Dr. Steve Burian, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering at the U of U, has been awarded a $440,000 contract with the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) to advance meteorological modeling in urban environments. Burian will lead a team consisting of Co-PIs Dr. Marshall Shepherd from the University of Georgia and Dr. Menglin Jin from the University of Maryland, plus coordinate efforts with researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The project will develop new techniques to create land surface databases, create a new approach for urban aerosol insolation adjustment in meteorological models, and enhance an existing meteorological model to assimilate the new databases. The outcome of the project will be the capability to produce more accurate atmospheric transport and dispersion simulations.
U OF U SENIOR AWARDED TOP PRIZE BY THE AMERICAN WATER RESOURCES ASSOCIATION
Senior Jay Yazzie was selected to receive the $500 first place award in the undergraduate division for his research paper and presentation made at the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) Utah Chapter student conference held April 10, 2007 in Salt Lake City. His undergraduate research focused on comparing the water use patterns and influencing factors between Salt Lake City and the Navajo Reservation.
DR. CHAMBERS LEADS STUDENTS ON TOUR OF STEEL FABRICATION FACILITY
This Spring students enrolled in Steel Design II toured the SME steel fabrication shop in
West Jordan, Utah . The class emphasizes steel connections and students enjoyed seeing that connection details they study in class are real. SME is one of the largest steel fabricators/erectors in the inter-mountain west. Students reviewed the 40 ton plate girder for the future Las Vegas City Center. Many thanks to James Smelser and former U of U CvEEN grads, Mark Daniels and Andy Hinchman, for conducting the tour.
DR. STEVEN BURIAN RECEIVES THE 2007 EARLY CAREER TEACHING AWARD
Dr. Steve Burian is the recipient of the 2007 Early Career Teaching Award from the
University of
Utah . Dr. Burian was selected from candidates throughout the university for his outstanding presence in the classroom, and his mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students. The award recognizes his ability to engage students in the classroom and bring complex engineering concepts to undergraduate and graduate students. This is the
University of
Utah ’s highest teaching award for new faculty. The award carries a substantial monetary cash prize and he will be recognized on 4/26/07 at the
Sill
Center .
DR. PAUL TIKALSKY NAMED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTOR OF THE INTERMOUNTAIN CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE
Dr. Paul Tikalsky, P.E., Chair and Professor the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Intermountain Chapter of the American Concrete Institute. Dr. Tikalsky is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute and serves on the National Board of Director for the 17,000 member professional organization. ACI provides world leadership in standards of design and construction of concrete structures, bridges, dams, and buildings.
CIVIL ENGINEERING STUDENTS AWARDED $1000 SCHOLARSHIPS BY AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE
Shannon Hansen, an undergraduate in Civil Engineering at the University of Utah, and Jun Ho, a graduate student in Civil Engineering at the University of Utah, were awarded the $1000 scholarships by the Intermountain Chapter of the American Concrete Institute. The scholarships are highly competitive awards that recognize the advanced study and commitment of Shannon and Jun to concrete technology and design. Shannon is conducting research with Dr. Paul Tikalsky on the mitigating effects or ternary cementitous combination on alkali silica reaction in concrete, a major form of concrete distress in structures and pavements. Jun is a graduate student working with Dr. Pedro Romero on the ability of airport pavements and aprons to resist the effects of potassium acetate deicing solutions. Both students were recognized at the annual ACI Awards dinner as great examples of the high academic achieving students with a desire to improve the built environment.
UTAH SEWER DISTRICTS COLLABORATE TO FUND NUTRIENT AND PHARMACEUDICAL PRODUCT REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER
Sewer districts from Utah’s Central Davis, North Davis and
Central Valley have joined together with Dr. Ramesh Goel of the U of U’s Department Civil and Environmental Engineering on three different research projects to investigate the dynamics of polyphosphate accumulating organisms, nitrifying population and filamentous bacteria in full scale wastewater treatment plants. These projects are developing and implementing new technologies to improve the effluent from wastewater treatment facilities and help local agencies economically address wastewater treatment for a the growing population of
Utah.
PTV AMERICA ANNOUNCEMENCES PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UTAH TRAFFIC LAB
PTV America, a leading multi-disciplinary transportation software and consulting firm and a subsidiary of PTV AG in Karlsruhe, Germany has announced a new partnership with the U of U's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering's Utah Traffic Lab. PTV America has donated software with a commercial value of $560,000 for training the next generation of transportation engineers. Dr. Peter Martin of the University of Utah is working with PTV America to implement the newest PTV Vision Suite of integrated transportation planning and operations analyses software into the academic curriculum and research endeavors of the U of U. The software is the leading tool in more than 75 countries and allows U of U students and faculty to work with some of the most advanced technologies in the world.
UNIVERSITY OF
UTAH PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN 86TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH BOARD
U of U researchers presented their research to the Transportation Research Board in Washington DC in January. The interdisciplinary work is advancing a national agenda to improve the transportation operations and infrastructure through the implementation of new technology.
Performance Assessment of
Concrete
Bridge Deck Applying Simulation-Based Reliability
Assessment and Finite Element Modeling with Regard to Chloride Ingress (07-3330) - B5
Petr Konecny,
Technical
University
Ostrava, Czech Republic
Paul J. Tikalsky,
University of
Utah
David G. Tepke,
Pennsylvania
State
University
VISGAOST: VISSIM-Based Genetic Algorithm Optimization of Signal Timings (07-0466) - C19
Aleksandar Stevanovic,
University of
Utah
Peter T. Martin,
University of
Utah
Jelka Stevanovic,
University of
Utah
Dynamic Microassignment Modeling Approach for Integrated Multimodal Urban Corridor
Management (07-2128)
Xuesong Zhou,
University of
Utah
Hani S. Mahmassani,
University of
Maryland ,
College Park
Kuilin Zhang, University of Maryland, College Park
URS CORPORATION FUNDS NEW INTERNSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP TO U OF U ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS
URS, a leading national civil and environmental engineering firm, will fund an annual scholarship and fully paid internship for a top environmental engineering student from the University of Utah. The scholarship/internship allows students to work in the company's local office and field sites to put classroom experiences into consulting practice. The scholarship assists students in paying tuition and the internship allows them to work side by side with professional engineers in solving environmental engineering challenges through the State of Utah. The first award will be made this spring with the selected student interning with URS in the Summer of 2007.
ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS AWARD $5,000 IN SCHOLARSHIP TO CIVIL ENGINEERING STUDENTS AGC of Utah awarded eleven University of Utah Civil Engineering students scholarships to continue their studies in civil engineering. The top recipients were Ryan Oberg, Tracy Munson and Corin Piacenti. Ryan Oberg is one of the driving forces behind the U of U AGC Student Chapter and an project management intern with the Clyde Companies. AGC of Utah consists of a consortium of qualified construction contractors and industry related companies dedicated to skill, integrity, and responsibility. Others recieving AGC Scholarships are Ben Hunter, Britney Ward, Devan Allred, Joseph Woodward, Morgan Humpheries, Nathan Rogers, Nicolas Massie, and Robbie Pope. Paul Tikalsky, the Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineeirng at the University of Utah, stated that "The members of AGC have demonstrated a strong committement to helping students complete their studies in civil engineering, so they can better serve the building industry in Utah. This committment is a continued sign of the value of a strong partnership between the U of U and AGC."
Western Oil Sands awards Civil and Environmental Engineering at U of U contract to develop reclaimed petrochemicals.
Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty has received a $256,000 research contract from Western Oil Sands to investigate resource recovery from petroleum wastes. Professor Andy Hong will lead the research team working with the sponsor on new processes that convert petroleum byproducts into high-value chemicals. The University and Western Oil Sands have an Intellectual Property agreement in place and will mutually benefit from the outcomes of the work.
Ivana Vladisavljevic Receives Student Paper Award (posted 10-24-06)
 Ivana Vladisavljevic of the Utah Traffic Lab, at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah, receives Daniel B. Fambro student paper award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers
AUGUST 6, 2006,
Ivana Vladisavljevic of the Utah Traffic Lab, at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Utah, receives Daniel B. Fambro Student Paper Award at the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) 2006 Annual Meeting and Exhibit, being held August 6-9, 2006 in Milwaukee, WI, in recognition of her paper entitled “Impact of Cell Phone Conversation While Driving on Car Following Behavior.â€
The purpose of the Daniel B. Fambro Student Paper Award is to encourage ITE student members to conduct and report on independent and original research and investigation of transportation engineering subjects and to provide a means for recognizing outstanding accomplishments in this area.
The Institute of Transportation Engineers is an international educational and scientific association of transportation professionals who are responsible for meeting mobility and safety needs. Through its products and services, ITE promotes professional development of its members, supports and encourages education, stimulates research, develops public awareness programs and serves as a conduit for the exchange of professional education
Founded in 1930, ITE serves as the gateway to transportation knowledge and advancement through meetings, seminars and publications, and through its network of more than 17,000 members working in more than 92 countries.
For more information visit http://ite.org/awards/winners/index.asp
Congratulations Ivana!!!
PAPER ABSTRACT
In consideration of the growing number of wireless phone subscribers and drivers who are using cell phones, it is important to examine the effects that having a cell phone conversation while driving has on traffic flow. The goal of the study was to investigate integrating a driver simulator and a traffic simulator in order to understand cell phone impact on traffic flow. The simulation software VISSIM is the most appropriate for experiments because it uses the psycho – physical driver behavior model developed by Wiedemann. The most challenging step was replication of deterministic conditions in the stochastic simulator. A freeway simulation model was used to examine the impact of the different percentages of drivers who are talking on the cell phone on travel time, delays, and average speed.
Nuclear Program Working on Anti-radiation Pill (posted 10-20-06)
Faculty from the Center for Excellence in Nuclear Technology, Engineering and Research (CENTER) are participants in a $675,000 federal grant to develop a pill to supplant the existing injection countermeasure for radiation exposure. Dr. Scott Miller, Director of the Radiobiology Division, School of Medicine, will lead the effort with Dr. Krahenbuhl, Director of the CENTER, Dr. James Gawenis and other researchers from Radiobiology, Radiology, Pharmaceutics and Geology and Geophysics.
The grant's three goals are as follows: (1) to determine the bioavailability of the pill in comparison to the current injectable therapy, (2) to determine the binding stabilities of the new compound with a range of metals, and (3) to determine the ability of the pill to eliminate metals in vivo. Dr. Krahenbuhl noted that "The ideas is that it is more likely that people will take pills for several weeks rather than going in for a shot every day."
U of U Civil Engineering Professor to lead USGS Study on Earthquake Damage Assessment (posted 10-19-06)
The United States Geological Survey under the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program has awarded a grant to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering to develop probabilistic methods to calculate and map liquefaction damage caused by major earthquakes. Liquifaction is the tendency of certain soils to liquify due to vibrations or earthquakes. Salt Lake Valley has been selected for this pilot mapping project. Dr. Steven Bartlett (U of U) will be working with Dr. Travis Gerber (BYU) are co-PIs on this project and the maps are expected to be completed by Dec. 2007. Attached is an example map for the return period of initiating liquefaction in the Salt Lake Valley. The maps to be develop this year show the expected amount of horizontal and vertical displacement caused by the liquefaction.
October 3, 2006. The following article was published in the Utah Daily Chronicle:
New program bridges gap between engineering, business
Julie Jay - Posted: 9/29/06
The U civil and environmental engineering department and industry sponsors have created a new program to bring business techniques into the engineering classroom.
The new engineering program management track will offer students four courses related to engineering law and project management.Senior undergraduate and graduate students taking these classes will be exposed to the business aspect of building and managing large engineering projects.Paul Tikalsky, chairman of civil and environmental engineering, said the "major advantage of creating a program like this is to get the business end of construction and civil engineering into the classroom with the students.
"Tikalsky said these courses will cover concepts that are not typically taught to engineering students but are vital for managing a successful construction or engineering business.
An endowment for the courses is currently being created as well.Two large Utah construction and civil engineering companies have already contributed. Floyd and Geri Meldrum have donated $100,000; W.W. Clyde and Co. has donated $50,000 and intends to contribute an additional $50,000 within the next year.Each endowment will allow the department to host a senior practitioner from the construction industry as a course instructor.Students taking this semester's engineering law course are spending class discussing the intricacies of construction contracts and professional liability with Craig Coburn, a practicing attorney. Dave Johnson, a senior in civil engineering, said "(Coburn) is very knowledgeable because he has worked in the private sector for 26 years."The new course "is interesting because it provides a stark contrast to the technical number/equationbased classes I usually take," Johnson said.He also said he enjoys the opportunity the new curriculum provides to "learning how engineering fits into the private world and the risks associated with being a practicing engineer."
Ben Hunter, a senior in civil engineering, said the management curriculum is a "great way of preparing us for what may be out there."Studying engineering law is especially important for the engineering profession because "the safety of everyone in the community is affected by things we design," Hunter said. "I think extra precautionary measures need to be taken by engineer professionals to protect themselves, and indirectly, protect other people, especially with legalities."The new engineering law class provides this opportunity, unlike the usual technical theory-based coursework, Hunter said.The department is looking to complete the endowment for two of the four classes in the new program.
Clyde Companies pledge to endow construction management course as part of $100,000 gift.
The University of Utah College of Engineering today announced a from the Clyde Companies, Inc. with the hopes it will help inspire more engineering students to pursue degrees in the construction and consulting engineering industry.
The donation will be used for equipment, technology infrastructure and furnishings in the $30 million John E. and Marva M. Warnock Engineering Building and an endowment for a new course in Construction Management in the Department of Civil Engineering. W. W. Clyde – the founder of W.W. Clyde & Co. was a 1913 graduate of the University of Utah College of Engineering in Civil and Electrical Engineering. Clyde Companies, Inc. was formed in 1998 to consolidate the various separate business entities owned and operated by the Clyde family of Springville, Utah. Those businesses included, Geneva Rock, Sunroc, Gorge Rock, and Beehive Insurance. The Clyde business ventures started in 1926 with the formation of W.W. Clyde & Co. named after its founder and remains a Utah-based company today in Springville. The company’s principal business is highway construction, construction materials and building materials.
Wilford W. Clyde, current President of Clyde Companies, Inc. and third generation family member, stated, “The construction industry forms the basis of a significant part of the overall economy of Utah and provides high paying wages and salaries for many people. No other industry gives you the chance to see on a daily basis the results of your work as much as the construction industry. We are pleased to be able to support the College of Engineering and the students who will be trained here.” The endowed construction management courses are part of 4 course series that brings modern construction business and management techniques to upper division and master's level students. These tools better prepare engineers and managers for the competitive construction and design/build environment.
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