Civil and environmental engineers build solutions to societal issues and foster a diverse community of perspectives that challenge conventional thinking. The activity of civil engineers addresses the need for well-constructed and functionally operating systems.
Congratulations are in order for CEE doctoral student Alexandra Pan on being named student of the year by the Telemobility University Transportation Center (UTC)! UTC is a consortium focused on Communications Technology and E-Commerce Effects on Travel Demand with Northwestern University, UC Berkeley, and the University of Texas, Austin.
Our Cal Construction team is back from Reno after competing in the annual Associated Schools of Construction student competition. The competition is visibly getting more challenging each year. About 1,700 students were there to compete in 17 tracks; of those, we had 80 CEE and Architecture Bears who competed fiercely in 11! The team's advisor is Professor Iris Tommelein.
In a sustainable future, a new UC Berkeley study led by CEE Professor Paolo D'Odorico reveals that it may not be every person for themself. Combining an online platform with a theoretical model, research from the UC Berkeley department of environmental science, policy, and management (ESPM) shows that cooperation toward a shared goal among individuals in a community can lead to the sustainable use of a "common-pool resource," a resource that is available to all despite its inherent scarcity.
In a recent San Francisco Examiner article, CEE Professor Susan Shaheen commented on the regulatory environment of autonomous vehicles (AVs) based on the current federal government and state-level policies governing the industry. States are currently adopting different approaches to AV vehicles, with Arizona and California being two of the most prominent autonomous vehicle testing states. The polarity highlights the uncharted path forward for AVs as states and cities attempt to strike a balance between innovation and information.
Accurately modeling the after-effects of an earthquake is possible, but to do so requires complex physics-based models that run on advanced supercomputers. The data from these models are helpful for both the earthquake research community and engineers building earthquake-resilient homes, businesses, and infrastructure. However, access to the powerful computers required has been minimal.
Congratulations to CEE Professor Kenichi Soga on his induction into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE)! Soga was elected for his achievements in geomechanics and computational modeling, as well as underground infrastructure simulation and monitoring. He is one of 106 new members and 18 international members elected to the academy. NAE membership is considered one of the highest professional distinctions given to an engineer.
The Cal Construction team is headed to Sparks, NV, to compete in the annual Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Regions 6 & 7 student competition! To prepare for the competition, members hold weekly work meetings during the fall semester in the following categories: Commerical, Design-Build, Heavy Civil, Integrated Project Delivery, Reconstruction, Project Management, Sustainability, and Virtual Design and Construction.
Congratulations to CEE Professor Susan Shaheen on her California Air Resources Board (CARB) appointment! Shaheen has been a Professor In-Residence in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering since 2019 and Co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center of the Institute of Transportation Studies since 2008.
We are delighted to share that Julio Ibanez was named a winner of the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) Educational Trust Scholarship in recognition of his research in geotechnical and foundation engineering and construction management fields! DFI highlights the potential of promising young engineers like Julio as the future leaders of the deep foundations industry.
