Fall 2024 Newsletter
From celebrating the 100th anniversary of ASCE at the University of Utah, to breaking boundaries in nuclear medicine, our faculty and students have made significant achievements in engineering excellence over the past year.
Join us in Welcoming our New Department Chair, Dr. Tong Qiu
After an extensive national search, Dr. Tong Qiu has accepted our offer to lead as our department chair, beginning July 1. An ASCE Fellow, Dr. Qiu is currently a professor of Civil Engineering at Penn State University where he has risen through the ranks since 2010.
Welcome, Dr. Qiu!
The Fall 2024 Newsletter is Out Now
From celebrating the 100th anniversary of ASCE at the University of Utah, to breaking boundaries in nuclear medicine, our faculty and students have made significant achievements in engineering excellence over the past year.
Recent News
Department of Energy Grant Secured to Advance Research on Enhanced Geothermal Systems
Dr. Shahrzad Roshankhah and collaborators were recently awarded a $4 million research grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop geothermal reservoir efficiency and better monitoring of reservoir conditions.
Celebrating 100 Years of our ASCE Student Chapter
On Sept. 16, 2024, the U's ASCE Student Chapter celebrated its 100th anniversary by hosting a banquet with distinguished guests, including Feniosky Peña Mora, ASCE national president, and Larry Magura, ASCE Region 8 director.
One of 12 U.S. Department of Transportation Grants Secured
Drs. Nikola Markovich and Abbas Rashidi secured one of 12 SBIR U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) $200K contracts. The USDOT initiative, Complete Streets AI Initiative, aims to leverage advancements in AI to improve transportation.
Fighting Forever Chemicals: Dr. Ramesh Goel Leads $1.6M EPA Research on PFAS
Dr. Ramesh Goel‘s groundbreaking environmental engineering research is supported by a nearly $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The project will address the PFAS crisis in agricultural, rural, and tribal communities.
Enhancing Construction Engineering Education with AI-Driven Mobile App
The intersection of technology and education is transformative, and at the forefront of this transformation is Dr. Abbas Rashidi, who's playing a key role in a $900,000 NSF initiative to developing an AI-driven mobile app designed to act as an on-demand educator.
Mapping Landslide Susceptibility using Physics-Guided Machine Learning
Traditional methods for predicting landslides often fall short due to the complexity of terrain and the inadequacies of landslide data. To tackle these challenges, researchers are utilizing the Physics-Guided Machine Learning (PGML) framework. Recently published in Acta Geotechnica, Dr. Tong Qiu, is innovating the field with PGML.Â
20th Annual Research Experience in Carbon Sequestration (RECS) Program
Ph.D. student Omar Bakelli participated in the 20th annual RECS program, held from July of 2024. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), RECS 2024 provided an immersive experience for emerging leaders in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and the broader energy transition.
Innovative Alzheimer’s Treatment Developed at the U Featured in Journal of Nuclear Medicine
Dr. Aidan Bender, a UNEP PhD graduate, spearheaded pioneering research on Alzheimer’s disease. His remarkable work is being published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine, the premier journal in the field.
Nominate a Distinguished Alumni
Do you know alumni of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering you'd like to see featured in our newsletters, website, or social media? Nominate them here.
Dr. Hong's Research, Recently Featured in @theU, is at the Forefront of New Nanobubble Technology
In collaboration with Dr. Lewis and Dr. Fleming of the University of Utah Health Sciences and fellow Environmental Engineering professor Dr. Jennifer Weidhaas, Dr. Hong has a patent pending for this new and innovative energy-efficient process.
Dr. Glenn Sjoden Joins the Elite Ranks of UtahAES
In late June, Nuclear Engineering Professor Dr. Glenn Sjoden was inducted into the Utah Academy of Engineering and Science (UtahAES). This prestigious honor recognizes Dr. Sjoden’s outstanding contributions to the field of nuclear engineering and its broader applications to engineering and science for the betterment of Utah.
Research at the U is Building Better Infrastructure in Utah
The Utah Asphalt Paving Association recently hosted the 2024 Utah Asphalt Conference. Recognized as the premier asphalt-related event in the state, the conference brought together the industry’s best minds, including Dr. Pedro Romero, who was honored with the prestigious Friend of the Industry Award.
NSF Awards $500,000 Collaborative Grant for Innovative Research Led by Dr. Weidhaas
Dr. Weidhaas’s research is pioneering preventative solutions to mitigate these preventable deaths: By analyzing air pollution metabolites found in urine, research shows that we can directly confirm human exposure to pollutants and the magnitude of health effects.
Over $10 Million from Department of Energy to Support Reducing CO2 Emissions in Uinta Basin
Dr. Ting Xiao and Dr. Brian McPherson are currently engaged in a comprehensive project focused on carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) hubs. Their work is part of the CarbonSAFE II: Storage Complex Feasibility initiative, which aims to determine the viability of commercial CO2 storage in Utah’s Uinta Basin.
~$600,000 Awarded to Launch Innovative Transportation Electrification Certificate Program
The program will address critical challenges in the transition to a clean and sustainable electric power sector, particularly focusing on the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy sources into the existing power grid.