Two Ph.D. students from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering were honored at the 2025 ITE Mountain District Annual Meeting, held June 4–6 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Shouzheng Pan received the Best Paper Award for his work titled “Strategic Bi-Objective Optimization for Electric Vehicle Fleet Replacement Leveraging Shared Charging Facilities.” His research explores how shared charging infrastructure—such as bus depots—can support cost-effective, sustainable fleet electrification. The project was applied to the University of Utah's own campus fleet and offers a framework for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while optimizing operational efficiency. Pan also presented a poster on this research and had the opportunity to engage with fellow researchers and professionals across the region.

Fengze Yang was awarded a $1,000 scholarship to support his participation in the conference, recognizing his commitment to advancing transportation research.

Both students are advised by Dr. Cathy Liu, recipient of the 2023 ITE Mountain District Outstanding Educator Award, which honors exceptional contributions to student mentorship and engagement in the transportation field.

Congratulations on both of your continued successes in transportation engineering, Shouzheng and Fengze!

Alzheimer’s Disease affects nearly six million people in the U.S. today, a number expected to more than double by 2050. While current FDA-approved treatments can slow progression, they don’t reverse the disease—and come with serious side effects, including brain swelling. The question researchers are racing to answer is: Can we develop a safer, more effective way to break up the plaques that progress Alzheimer’s, and possibly reverse its course?

Dr. Tara Mastren is tackling this challenge head-on with a new approach: targeted alpha therapy (TAT). This method, often used in cancer treatment, delivers high-energy particles directly to harmful proteins—in this case, the amyloid beta (Aβ) aggregates that form plaques in the Alzheimer’s-affected brain. Dr. Mastren is working with University of Utah collaborators Dr. Andrew Roberts, Associate Professor of Chemistry and Dr. Donna Cross, Professor of Radiology to develop appropriate targeting compounds and study them in genetically engineering mice with Alzheimer’s.

Their research just received a major vote of confidence. The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) has awarded Dr. Mastren and her team $100,000 from its prestigious Mars Shot Fund, which supports bold, potentially game-changing ideas in nuclear medicine.

“We’re exploring whether we can use an alpha-emitting compound to not only break apart the protein clumps in Alzheimer’s, but also stimulate a protective immune response that reduces inflammation in the brain,” said Dr. Mastren.

Her early proof-of-concept studies have already shown promise. Lab tests demonstrated that TAT can reduce Aβ in mouse brain tissue, and a follow-up study using the compound [²¹¹At]3’-At-PIB-OH showed reduced plaque levels in genetically engineered mice with Alzheimer’s. The Mars Shot grant will fund the next stage of research, which will focus on evaluating long-term efficacy and safety of the treatment.

If successful, the implications could extend well beyond Alzheimer’s. The same strategy could potentially be applied to a host of neurodegenerative diseases caused by protein aggregation, including Parkinson’s, ALS, and Huntington’s disease.

In addition to her spearheading consistent breakthroughs in nuclear medicine, Dr. Mastren was recently promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, effective July 1, 2025—a milestone that reflects her growing leadership in nuclear medicine research.

Dr. Mastren is helping redefine what nuclear medicine can do—not just for cancer, but for brain health and beyond. We’re excited to see her work continue to grow as an Associate Professor in the Utah Nuclear Engineering Program (UNEP).

The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CvEEN) is excited to announce that Dr. Fei Ding will be joining the University of Utah this August as an Assistant Professor specializing in Structural Engineering. Dr. Ding brings a unique blend of deep theoretical knowledge and cutting-edge computational research that addresses some of the most pressing challenges in wind engineering today.

Adding to the excitement of her upcoming appointment, Dr. Ding was recently honored with the Robert Scanlan Award, one of the most prestigious recognitions in the field of wind engineering. Presented every four years by the American Association for Wind Engineering (AAWE), the award recognizes her best doctoral thesis related to theoretical advances in the mechanics of wind or wind-structure interaction in the Americas Region of the IAWE (International Association for Wind Engineering).

Her award-winning dissertation, titled “Morphing Structural Profile Under Winds,” explores new strategies for adapting structures to wind hazards using advanced computational modeling and artificial intelligence.

“Infrastructure exposed to wind undergoes complex interactions, which precludes a functional relationship between wind and its load effects,” Ding explains.

Her work addresses a key challenge in the field: while Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) holds great promise as a tool for simulating wind-structure interaction, its widespread adoption is limited by computational intensity and inherent uncertainty. Dr. Ding’s research advances the state of CFD by improving predictive capabilities through multi-fidelity modeling and uncertainty quantification—including propagation of both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties.

Her work doesn’t stop at analysis. Dr. Ding has also introduced new mitigation strategies, including aerodynamic shape sculpting of buildings and autonomous morphing of structural forms to dynamically respond to changing wind loads—innovations aimed at creating more sustainable and resilient urban environments in the face of climate variability.

As a new CvEEN faculty, Dr. Ding will continue her research in computational wind and structural engineering, focusing on integrating data-driven methods with physics-based modeling to better understand and mitigate wind hazards.

“My research is about building smarter, more resilient infrastructure,” she says, “by merging advanced computational tools with a deep understanding of physical systems.”

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ding to the U and look forward to the transformative impact her work will have on infrastructure resilience and the future of structural engineering.

Ever wish the bus knew exactly where you needed to go—and skipped the stops you didn’t?

That’s the kind of question Md. Hishamur Rahman, a Ph.D. student at the University of Utah, is working to answer. His latest research explores how a smarter bus system—one that only stops when riders request it in advance—could make public transit faster, more efficient, and a lot more convenient.

Recently published in Transportation Science, Rahman’s research proposes a dynamic routing method where riders provide advance notice of their intended bus stops. The result would allow buses to skip unrequested stops and even take shortcuts when possible. The result? Transit routes that accommodate a higher density of stops without extending the overall tour duration.

The idea is simple in nature—just let buses skip stops no one needs and take shortcuts—but making it work in a real-world transit system is far from easy. To bring this concept to life, Rahman uses advanced optimization techniques and mathematical modeling, including mixed-integer linear programming, to design efficient bus routes that respond dynamically to rider requests while ensuring service reliability and minimizing overall travel time.

This innovation holds particular promise for improving service in low-density areas where traditional fixed-route transit may struggle to meet mobility needs.

“By providing practical strategies to optimize bus routes, this research will help bridge the gap between traditional transit and fully flexible systems, making public transportation more efficient, particularly in underserved areas,” Rahman explains.

A final year Ph.D. student in Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rahman chose the University of Utah for its strong emphasis on innovative transportation research and its collaborative academic environment. “The opportunity to work with prominent faculty like Dr. Nikola Markovic been instrumental in shaping my research,” he adds.

Rahman’s work exemplifies how forward-thinking research can directly contribute to more accessible and sustainable transportation systems. To see his concept in action, check out this short animation: Watch the YouTube Video

📖 Read the full paper in Transportation Science:

For Mina Golazad, engineering has always been about more than data and design—it’s about people. Whether she’s using machine learning to improve Utah’s public transit or mentoring a young student with dreams of civil engineering, Mina brings both heart and vision to her work. That rare combination recently earned her the 2025 Matt Riffkin Legacy Scholarship, awarded by the WTS Northern Utah Chapter to one exceptional student from the Utah region.

A Ph.D. student in Civil & Environmental Engineering (CvEEN) at the University of Utah, Mina recently received the highly competitive award, recognizing not only academic excellence but also leadership, community engagement, and a commitment to advancing the transportation field. Applicants are required to submit two essays: a personal statement and a transportation challenge analysis.

In her personal statement, Mina shared her journey from a childhood fascination with infrastructure in Iran to her current research in AI- and GIS-driven transportation solutions. She emphasized the role of community involvement in her work, highlighting her mentorship of a high school student, Frances Hodson.

Mina’s mentorship of France’s engineering curiosity began during the Hi-Gear summer camp hosted by the University of Utah’s Price College of Engineering. Designed to expose students to various fields of engineering, the camp featured daily sessions on disciplines ranging from chemical and mechanical to electrical and civil engineering. During the civil engineering session, a demonstration led by Dr. Abbas Rashidi and his Ph.D. students, Mina Golazad and Abbas Mohammadi, immediately captured Frances’s attention. The team showcased the use of photogrammetry—a technique that creates 3D models from photographs—to model buildings, sparking Frances’s interest in civil engineering and setting the foundation for a year-long mentorship.

“Throughout the school year, Mina met with me several times to advise me on my project. She did everything from explaining basic bridge design to outlining how to write a research paper,” said Frances. “I could not be more grateful that the University of Utah welcomed my amateur research ideas with open arms and encouraged my curiosity.”

Mina’s guidance helped Frances finalize a research paper and presentation. Her experience working with Mina and the University of Utah played a meaningful role in shaping her college plans, and she is now set to study civil engineering at Cornell University.

At the same time, Mina was preparing the technical component of her WTS scholarship application, where she addressed a major transportation challenge facing Utah. Mina’s essay outlined her work on enhancing Utah’s public transit system through machine learning, GIS mapping, and resilience planning. Her innovative vision reflects the core values of the Matt Riffkin Legacy: creating effective, data-driven solutions for sustainable mobility.

Please join us in congratulating Mina on this well-deserved recognition!

The University of Utah’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CvEEN) now offers a fully online Master of Science in Construction Engineering. Designed for working professionals and recent graduates alike, this flexible, industry-focused program delivers advanced training in project management, sustainable construction, cost estimating, and more.

Learn from faculty with deep industry ties while balancing work, life, and school. Whether you’re looking to move into leadership or sharpen your technical edge, this program is built to meet the needs of tomorrow’s construction engineers—today.

👉 Explore the program details and apply: civil.utah.edu/ms-construction-engineering

Ryan Johnson, Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CvEEN) at the University of Utah, has co-authored a new study published in Environmental Modelling & Software. Titled “Quantifying regional variability of machine-learning-based snow water equivalent estimates across the Western United States,” the research explores how machine learning models can enhance the estimation of snow water equivalent (SWE) across diverse regions in the Western U.S.—a critical factor for water resource management in snow-dependent areas.

This publication marks a milestone in what has been a standout first year for Dr. Johnson as a faculty member at the U. Not only is he a proud Ph.D. graduate of the Civil & Environmental Engineering program, he was also recognized by students as this year’s CvEEN Student-Choice Professor of the Year—a reflection of his excellence in both research and teaching.

Dr. Johnson’s work focuses on integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning into hydrological modeling to advance operational water resource management, particularly in the face of climate variability and change. His latest study provides key insights into improving predictive models to better support water supply forecasting.

📰 Read the full article on ScienceDirect: A post-processing machine learning framework for bias-correcting National Water Model outputs by accounting for dominant streamflow drivers.