Press Release from Student Award Foundation

The Student Award Foundation (SAF) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Pittsburgh Section, is proud to announce the naming of its primary student achievement award, which is presented annually in February at its Engineers’ Week Awards Banquet. This prestigious award will now and perpetually be known as the “SAF Italo V. (Ody) Mackin Achievement Award.” SAF student awards are given to outstanding students of civil engineering who reside in or attend an engineering school within the bounds of the ASCE, Pittsburgh Section.

It is the goal of SAF and the Mackin Engineering Company to make this award one of the most prominent and prestigious awards a student of engineering can receive (second only to the SAF American Bridge Leadership Award). 

This year, the amount of the SAF American Bridge Leadership Award was $6,000, and the amount of the Primary Achievement Award, now known as the “SAF Italo V. (Ody) Mackin Achievement Award,” was $1,500.

Ody Mackin was born in the Friuli region in the northeastern Italian Alps in the village of Pesariis, about 10 miles from the Austrian border. He migrated to the United States as a tot and has resided in Pennsylvania for all but five years of his life. Almost three of those years were service in the U.S. Army during World War II, 27 months of which were served in the Pacific Theater of Operations. Upon his discharge, Ody took advantage of the G.I. Bill to attend the Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie Mellon University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. 

Ody, an icon in the engineering field, is the ideal person to have his name associated with this achievement award because of all that he has achieved over his 62 years (and still counting) as a professional engineer. Ody has been a Registered Professional Engineer since 1953, having reached that distinction when he worked for Richardson Gordon Associates (RGA) in its Pittsburgh office. He served in various capacities in his 10-year tenure with RGA, where he worked in both the bridge and highway departments. Ody served as project engineer on the Point Park Portal Bridge (the only one of its kind in the United States) and the Delaware River Turnpike Bridge, which connects Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He also gained experience on both the Ohio and Indiana Turnpikes as well as with the Pennsylvania Department of Highways (PDH), now the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). 

It was because of this wealth of experience, enhanced by his field surveying exposure, that Ody decided, together with a colleague (George Davic), to form a partnership to provide bridge, highway, and surveying services, a partnership that lasted three years. The partnership was dissolved and Ody decided to provide those services as Mackin Engineering Company, a Subchapter S corporation. The date of that transformation was May 1963.

In 50 plus years of operation, Mackin Engineering has served a diverse set of clients, namely, PennDOT (all 11 engineering districts), the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the County of Allegheny, the City of Pittsburgh, several municipal governments throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and a litany of public and private clients. 

Ody served as President of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC/PA) in 1980, and he received the Distinguished Award of Merit, the most prestigious award of the organization, in 1999. He also received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Airport Corridor Transportation Association (ACTA) in 2012 and the Distinguished Service Award from the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE), Pittsburgh Chapter, in 2014.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Nationally founded in 1852, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) represents more than 145,000 members of the civil engineering profession worldwide and is America's oldest national engineering society. ASCE's vision is to position engineers as global leaders, building a better quality of life.

The National organization, headquartered in Reston, VA has three strategic initiatives:

• Infrastructure – Propose practical solutions to maintain and modernize our nation’s deteriorating infrastructure
• Raise the Bar – Increase education requirements for engineering licensure to better protect the public in the future
• Sustainability – Embrace and encourage civil engineers’ role as contributors to a sustainable world

For additional information, please contact:

Mr. James J. Lombardi

SAI Consulting Engineers

Tel: 412.392.8763

jlombardi@saiengr.com

Article by ASCE-PGH Awards Committee and ASCE-PGH Blog Editor

Dr. Mitchell J. Small is the recipient of the 2014 ASCE-Pittsburgh Professor of the Year Award.  Dr. Small is jointly appointed in the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CMU-CEE), and Engineering and Public Policy (CMU-EPP) at Carnegie Mellon University.

Dr. Small was born and raised in Pittsburgh, where he earned a BS in Civil Engineering at Carnegie Mellon in 1975.  After graduation, he worked at the New Jersey consulting firm, Hydroscience, Inc., and later went on to earn an MS (1979) and a Ph. D. (1982) in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering at the University of Michigan.

In 1982, Dr. Small returned to Pittsburgh, where he has been teaching at Carnegie Mellon University ever since. 

Dr. Small’s success in research may be attributed to his ability to turn chaos into insight.  “Working with Mitch is never a dull moment!” says CMU-CEE professor, Dr. Jeanne VanBriesen. “The very first time I met with Mitch to ask for his help with a problem, he listened intently, suggested a new direction, and casually mentioned he thought there was a journal article from several decades ago that would help on this.  Then he spun in his chair, rummaged in a pile of what looked like totally disorganized paper, and produced a copy of that article.  I thought I’d just seen a conjuring trick.” 

Dr. Small has made numerous contributions to advancing knowledge in civil and environmental engineering, and related areas of public health and public policy. He is widely recognized as a national leader in integrated assessment for civil engineering decision-making. His path-breaking research has focused on building and applying models that link contaminant fate and transport, human behavior, exposure, and risk to inform engineering decisions.

“Mitch is a unique, dynamic thinker. His perspective is often unusual, always on point, and insightful in ways that change the structure of the problem, creating new solution approaches,” says Dr. VanBriesen.  

Dr. Small is also recognized for his unique teaching style, for which he consistently receives high marks from his students. “Mitch Small is an outstanding educator who has influenced and inspired generations of civil and environmental engineering students at Carnegie Mellon,” says CMU-CEE professor and department head, Dr. Dave Dzombak.  “He combines his powerful intellect, knowledge of engineering and statistics, creativity, and comedic skills to be a very engaging lecturer.”  A hallmark of Dr. Small’s teaching is his ability keep his students engaged while learning about complex quantitative analysis in engineering, design, and policy.

 “One thing most people know about Mitch is that he is witty and very good at telling jokes, which creates good atmosphere,” says former Ph. D. student, Dr. Ya-Mei Yang. “His clever and hilarious teaching style melt downs the gap between him and the students.”  

Through Dr. Small’s teaching, students are equipped with quantitative tools in statistical and process modeling that enables them to excel in practice, academia, and government.  Dr. Small advises an average of 10 undergraduates and 10 graduate students each year. He has been a highly successful advisor of 50 Ph. D. and thesis-MS students; his students have gone on to careers in professional practice, academics, and government.

In 2005, Dr. Small completed a textbook, entitled Integrated Environmental Modeling: Pollutant Transport, Fate and Risk in the Environment, with two of his former PhD students, Dr. Anu Ramaswami and Dr. Jana Milford.  The book has been adopted by instructors in environmental engineering and science programs across the U.S. It defines the discipline of multimedia environmental modeling with a bridge to human exposure assessment, health effects, and regulatory decision support.

“Mitch is one of the brightest people I know, and you might think that would be intimidating.  But, Mitch goes out of his way to make everyone feel his or her contribution is important and valued,” says Dr. VanBriesen. “He gives away ideas like there will always be more of them, which I’m sure is true for him.”

But perhaps Dr. Small’s most recognized trait is his compassion for his collaborators and students. “In all of his work, Mitch always puts student development and well-being first.  He is a model for civil and environmental engineering educators everywhere,” says Dr. Dzombak.

“He is a very compassionate professor,” adds Dr. Yang. “He encourages students not only through the good times but also through bad times.  His warmth and support to students is always in our hearts.”

Article by ASCE-PGH Awards Committee

The 4225’ rock-bored Squirrel Hill Tunnel in the east end of Pittsburgh, PA is key element of I-376, the primary travel corridor from the East to and from the city. Although the tunnel has held up well over time, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) determined that many of the structural, electrical, ventilation, control, and fire life safety systems were in need of repair or replacement.

In 2010, PennDOT hired Gannett Fleming, Inc. to prepare rehabilitation contract documents for the 60+ year old tunnel. The resulting design modernized most of the existing tunnel systems to current AASHTO and National Fire Protection Association 502 “Standards for Road Tunnels, Bridges, and Other Limited Access Highways”. This construction involved full retrofit of multiple tunnel structural systems, upgrade of the fire life safety system, rehabilitation of the ventilation system (including removal of the tunnel slab ceiling), full replacement of the electrical and lighting systems, and other specialized upgrades.

This project had many challenges, specifically addressing aging structural systems, fire/life safety systems, the removal of the tunnel ceiling throughout the tunnel’s entire length, slab replacement retrofit of the “hidden bridge” at the West Portal of the tunnel, upgrade of the tunnel electrical systems, and other structural/architectural repairs required to extend the service of the tunnel. Much of the construction was performed during night-time, single lane closures and limited weekend shut-downs, adding more complexity to an already challenging project.

Gannett Fleming, Inc., operating out of its Pittsburgh, PA, office, was the prime consulting engineer on a team with URS Corp. and Tri State Design and Development. The project contractors were Wash Construction Corp., Sargent Electric, Independence Excavation, and W.G. Tomko.

From Geoprofessional Business Association

Silver Spring, MD:  Earth, Inc., a geotechnical-engineering firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, has completed a Geoprofessional Business Association (GBA) Peer Review, a rigorous, voluntary, quality-enhancement process.

“Participation in GBA Peer Review demonstrates a firm’s commitment to improving quality,” said GBA President Steven D. Thorne, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE. "While we cannot say that Peer-Reviewed firms are better than their competitors, we can say that a firm is better for having completed a Peer Review.”

Through GBA Peer Review, client representatives, employees, and a team of expert peers evaluate policies affecting the quality of a firm’s services and the effectiveness with which the firm implements those policies. The Peer-Review team identifies opportunities for improvement and suggests specific actions the firm can apply to turn opportunities into achievement.

“GBA Peer Review is not for the faint of heart,” said GBA Executive Vice President John P. Bachner. “A firm’s leadership has to be so committed to providing quality to its clients and employees that it’s willing to give unfettered access to outsiders who provide a ‘warts-and-all’ evaluation. Frankly, relatively few firms are willing to do that. It takes a genuine commitment to professional ideals and not just a little bit of courage.”

Established in 1983, Earth, Inc. employs ten people at its office in Pittsburgh, PA. The firm provides geotechnical-engineering and construction-materials engineering and testing (CoMET) services.

According to Earth, Inc. CEO Michael J. “Mike” Sydlik, P.E., “We’ve gained some excellent insights as a result of the Peer Review. We’re extremely pleased by the extent of the positive findings, and, just as we hoped, the Peer-Review Team identified several opportunities for improvement, and gave us some marvelous suggestions for making the firm even better. We’re already looking forward to our next Peer Review.”

For more information about Earth, Inc., visit its website (http://www.earthincorp.com) or contact Mr. Sydlik by telephone (412-327-1749) or e-mail (msydlik@earthincorp.com).

GBA established Peer Review in 1977, with the assistance of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In October 1999, celebrating its 125^th anniversary, McGraw-Hill’s Engineering News-Record magazine lauded GBA Peer Review as one of the 125 most significant construction-industry innovations of the prior 125 years. Peer Review was the only association program cited.

More information about GBA and its Peer Review program is available at www.gba.org, or by contacting the group by e-mail (info@geoprofessional.org) or telephone (301/565-2733).

By ASCE Awards Committe and ASCE Blog Editor

Chuck DiPietro is the 2014 recipient of the ASCE-Pittsburgh Service-to-People Award.  After 46 years on the job, Mr. DiPietro has recently retired as the Transportation Planning Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission (SPC) and as the Vice President of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation. “Chuck’s service throughout 46 years epitomized Service to the People,” says colleague, Daniel Cessna, from PennDOT. “It was his entire focus, and he lived it daily.”  From August 2000 to November 2001, Mr. DiPietro also served as Acting Executive Director of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and Acting President and CEO of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation.

Mr. DiPietro was responsible for the $6.8 million annual planning work program for our ten-county Metropolitan Planning Organization. The program activities include long-range transportation planning, short-range transportation programming, data systems and modeling, transportation corridor and sub-area studies, and operation of the regional ridesharing program, CommuteInfo.

Mr. DiPietro was also responsible for directing the year-long development process for the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), currently a $4.25 billion program of investments to upgrade Southwestern Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure. The TIP is a key responsibility of the Transportation Director, and requires a skillful balancing of federal, state and local funding coordinated closely with SPC’s many partner organizations.

“Chuck DiPietro dedicated 46 years of public service to advancing transportation programs and projects that have kept the Pittsburgh region vibrant and sustainable,” says Dominic D’Andrea from SPC.

“His [service] was not easy service,” adds Cessna, “It required thoughtful, diligent, and tactful approaches to make it all come together.” 

Mr. DiPietro has been recognized since the early 1970’s for his leadership in fostering broad public involvement in regional transportation planning decisions. He has actively served on numerous boards including both the Airport Corridor Transportation Association and the Oakland Transportation Association since their establishment in the 1990’s. He has also led SPC's involvement in the formation of Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities Program in 1995 as the first coordinator of this US DOE national initiative to promote and advance alternate fuel vehicles and supporting infrastructure.

“Working and collaborating with Chuck for over 12 years, I appreciated his ability to capture every detail from a conversation or situation – and be able to put that information to good use in his work and in helping others to grow in their work,” Cessna says. “And I enjoyed kidding Chuck, he was a good sport, with a great sense of humor.  But, he was the consummate professional, never losing his cool and always considering every angle of a situation, carefully choosing his words as to never offend, and always enlighten.”

“When I think about working with Chuck DiPietro, I think of these words: integrity, diplomacy, professionalism, and kindness,” says D’Andrea. “It was truly an honor to work with him.”

Chuck DiPietro and his wife, Kathleen DiPietro, are the parents of five children and reside in Allegheny County’s Hampton Township.

Article by ASCE Awards Committee

Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. is the 2014 recipient of the ASCE-PGH Employer Recognition Award.  More than 25 years ago, CEC was founded in Pittsburgh by four individuals who set out to create a firm that clients would look to when they had tough challenges. The founders also were determined to create a company where employees would want to spend their entire careers: a place where they could achieve their professional goals and a place they enjoyed coming to every day. CEC has since grown to 19 offices and more than 650 employees nationwide.

CEC is an employee-owned firm, allowing staff to share in the company success through stock ownership. The company’s continuing growth reflects client confidence in the work of CEC employees, who are guided by three main business principles: Senior Leadership, Integrated Services, and Personal Business Relationships. And while the firm has experienced tremendous growth, there has remained a strong commitment to maintain a small-firm culture.

One of the firm’s Core Values is to provide opportunities for professional growth. Employees are encouraged to be proactive in their professional development and to continuously engage in advanced education courses and seminars. To facilitate this, CEC has instituted the Do-Manage-Market-Lead employee career path model, which empowers employees by providing an outline of the skill sets and behavioral qualities needed to advance to the next level. Additionally, in 2014, CEC launched their annual Awards for Innovation program, which recognizes and celebrates employees who turn innovative ideas into reality and make a positive impact on the firm, the industries served, and/or the core practices. The award identifies and recognizes excellence in creating new products and services, and provides a learning vehicle for all CEC employees.

The management of CEC also recently instituted a firm-wide commitment to employee wellness.  This commitment encourages staff and their families to better manage their care and make healthy lifestyle choices. The CECFit wellness program emerged from this commitment, which incorporates regular lunch and learn sessions, voluntary health screenings, email blasts and coordinated events to increase health awareness and provide tools and support.

Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) provides comprehensive industry-focused consulting services that advance our clients’ strategic business objectives. CEC is recognized for providing innovative design solutions and integrated expertise in the primary practice areas of civil engineering, ecological sciences, environmental engineering and sciences, waste management and water resources. www.cecinc.com 

From ASCE National Government Relations

ASCE held its 15th Legislative Fly-In this week in Washington, DC, bringing 200 ASCE members from 46 states and the District of Columbia together to learn about issues affecting the civil engineering profession and then share the civil engineers’ viewpoint on those issues with their elected officials on Capitol Hill.

The program kicked off Tuesday afternoon with training sessions followed by a dinner.  At dinner, winners of the Outstanding Civil Engineering Advocate of the Year awards were recognized:  Darren Benoit of New Hampshire received the individual award, and the Louisiana Section received the group award.  The awards presentation was followed by a speech by Peter Rogoff, acting under secretary of transportation for policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Rogoff thanked the attendees for traveling to Washington to share their expertise with lawmakers. In his remarks, he warned that 32 short-term extensions have caused local and state leaders to “lose their vision” to plan long-term projects, which are what America needs most to be ready for future population growth and demographic trends. He continued by saying the DOT is focused on working with Congress to increase investment in transportation infrastructure, warning that "if we don't change course, it's dismal."

On Wednesday ASCE members first heard from Rep. Earl Blumenauer, who highlighted the need to fix the Highway Trust Fund, commenting that “No nation became great building its infrastructure nine months at a time.”  The group then headed to Capitol Hill to visit their United States senators and representatives, discussing key legislative issues including the Update, Promote, and Develop America's Transportation Essentials (UPDATE) Act, surface transportation authorization, and Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) implementation.

ASCE concluded the Legislative Fly-In week with the Dream Big: Engineering Wonders of the World reception in the Cannon Caucus Room, which promoted the forthcoming IMAX film.

Article by ASCE Awards Committee and ASCE-PGH Blog Editor

Mr. Len Boselovic of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is the recipient of the 2014 ASCE-PGH Journalism Award for his excellent journalistic work covering various infrastructure challenges. “The problem with infrastructure is that it's taken for granted. Many consider it to be boring,” says Mr. Boselovic. “I think it's important to make more people aware of the crisis America is facing because we have not taken care of our roads, bridges, ports, lock and dams, water systems and other infrastructure.”

Among his infrastructure articles is the outstanding four-part series “The P3 Dilemma,” about public-private partnerships (P3) and their role in infrastructure renewal.  With governments reluctant to raise taxes, public-private partnerships have emerged as a possible solution to acquire the estimated $3.6 trillion needed by 2020 for infrastructure rehabilitation and renewal. Mr. Boselovic’s series provided an in-depth exploration of P3 projects around the U.S., and the potential for P3 arrangements in Pennsylvania.

The P3 concept gathers support from the widespread perception that the private sector is more efficient and imaginative than the public sector. For government officials, the temptations of big upfront payments and a shift of responsibility to the private sector have been difficult to resist. Meanwhile, some private investors have invested outside the U.S. in private roads and other traditional government functions, and now eye what they consider to be the under-served U.S. market.

“Because no one likes to pay taxes, and most naturally assume the private sector is more efficient than government, P3s are being a looked at as a way to solve America's infrastructure problems,” says Mr. Boselovic. “But people need to know there are serious public policy and financial issues involved when major public assets are turned over to the private sector.”

Thus, despite pressing infrastructure needs, the U.S. has been slow to adopt P3s. Several high profile projects that did not live up to the promises made by P3 advocates have given government officials pause. Nevertheless, considering massive funding shortfalls and an enduring reluctance to raise taxes, P3s are expected to play an increasing role in addressing America’s infrastructure needs. Mr. Boselovic’s investigation makes it clear that the challenge is aligning the private sector’s profit motive with the public sector’s obligation to public welfare.

“The P3 Dilemma” appeared in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on August 10th -13th, 2014. Reporting on this topic was no small feat. 

“The topic of private-public partnerships for infrastructure development and operation is particularly complex,” says Dr. Dave Dzombak, professor and head of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University.  “Len invested months of effort researching different kinds of P3 arrangements, and evaluated objectively what has worked and what has not.  His resulting four-part series was informative, balanced, and helpful in illuminating the complexity of P3.” 

Since joining the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in 1993, Len Boselovic has covered many challenges of infrastructure renewal.  In 2012, he received the Pittsburgh Section Journalism Award for another excellent series on the state of U.S. inland waterway infrastructure, entitled “Locked and Dammed.” “Len's work has shed light on crucial infrastructure issues,” says Post-Gazette Projects Editor Lillian Thomas.  “His careful and extensive reporting allows him to write authoritatively about problems with infrastructure.”

Through this extensive reporting, Mr. Boselovic increases public awareness on Pittsburgh's infrastructure issues. "Len immerses himself in the topics he writes about,” says Post- Gazette Business Editor, Brian Hyslop. “Rarely have I seen a reporter work so diligently to understand subjects of such complexity and significance, and relay that understanding to readers."

Mr. Boselovic is a 1974 graduate of John Carroll University and received an MSJ degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1981. Other recognitions include being named a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting sponsored by the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University.

Article by ASCE Awards Committee and ASCE-PGH Blog Editor

Angela Mayer, E.I.T. is the 2014 recipient of the ASCE-Pittsburgh Young Civil Engineer of the Year.  Ms. Mayer recently joined Williams Companies, Inc. as an Integrity Engineer II working in the Pittsburgh Office. When asked how it feels to be the Young Civil Engineer of the Year, “I feel an immense sense of pride,” Ms. Mayer says.  “I have dedicated a large amount of time to ACSE, especially the Younger Members Forum; it is a wonderful feeling to be recognized by your peers for your accomplishments.”

Prior to joining Williams, Ms. Mayer worked in consulting for eight years as a Project Engineer. Her experience includes erosion and sedimentation control, land development, water resource and design engineering. She has experience in planning, design and bid document development, geotechnical, and value engineering, construction management, as well as assistance in forensic investigations.

Ms. Mayer worked as a Project Manager on the Monongahela Aquatorium Redevelopment project where she led internal co-workers in the planning, design, demolition, bid process, and construction of the Aquatorium. “There was a considerable amount of coordination with the Monongahela community,” says Ms. Mayer.  “The redevelopment is located near the city’s downtown district and is utilized for many community gatherings.  I was really pleased with how the project was completed per the communities’ requests.”  She coordinated between the City of Monongahela and their funding providers, RACW, to ensure the project outcome suited the needs of the community. “The Aquatorium is such a unique project, not many communities have an amphitheater on the river!”

Ms. Mayer also was a Project Manager for the Dark Hollow Recreation Facility, which was developed on a former industrial site in the community of Oakmont.  The Dark Hollow Recreation Facility was the first development where I was the Project Manager,” she says.  For this project, she was responsible to plan, execute, and finalize the project according to deadlines, client requirements, and budget. She facilitated communication between Edgewater Properties and the neighborhood of Oakmont to ensure the recreation facility met the needs of the Borough.  “At the end of the day, when the recreation facility was complete and I could physically stand on the baseball field and touch the concession stand, I had an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.”

Others remark on Ms. Mayer’s dedication.  “I am honored to have been able to watch Angela grow through her involvement with ASCE and other partner organizations,” says colleague, Lauren Terpak.  “I am proud of all that she has accomplished in regards to both her dedicated participation within the ASCE organization and her ongoing career development.”

Ms. Mayer’s success can be attributed to her enjoyment of learning.  “I am extremely grateful for my career in Civil Engineering, it is such a fantasizing occupation,” she says.  “Being an engineer one cannot be complacent; I love that I am constantly being challenged and applying my knowledge to my work.” 

Ms. Mayer has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the West Virginia University.  She is a past ASCE Pittsburgh YMF President, and has been an active ASCE member since 2009.

 

Article by ASCE-PGH Awards Committee and ASCE Blog Editor

James H. Garrett, Jr., Ph.D., P.E. is the recipient of the 2014 ASCE-Pittsburgh Civil Engineer of the Year Award.  “I am extremely honored to have been selected for this award by the ASCE Pittsburgh Chapter,” says Dr. Garrett.  “I was a student of, worked with, and taught some of the former awardees.  The list of engineers selected in the past to receive this award is impressive and humbling, and I am grateful to have been selected to join them.”

Dr. Garrett is the Thomas Lord Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and currently the Dean of Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). However, he started his engineering career at CMU long before joining the faculty, as a student. “I got a fantastic education at Carnegie Mellon.  CMU formed my interdisciplinary approach to problem definition and solution. They honed my ability to think critically and to look at problems from a systems perspective,” he says. 

Dr. Garrett has earned three Civil Engineering degrees at CMU: a BS in 1982, a MS in 1983, and a PhD in 1986. “Being department head of CEE and now Dean of the College of Engineering here at CMU was not something I would have predicted earlier in my career,” he says.  “I will say that it is exciting, rewarding and very challenging to serve the excellent students, faculty and staff as the dean of their college, and I greatly enjoy every day.”

Other professors also remarked on Dr. Garrett’s long-standing leadership roles.

“Jim Garrett has been a leader in professional service activities throughout his career, including when he was a student at Carnegie Mellon,” says colleague, Dr. Jeanne VanBriesen, professor at CMU CEE.  “When I was inducted into the Carnegie Mellon chapter of Chi Epsilon, the Civil Engineering Honor Society, several years after joining the faculty, I was surprised to see Jim Garrett’s name and signature among the very first in the chapter registry.  He was one of the founders of the chapter in 1982.”

When colleagues speak about Dr. Garrett and his work, they refer to his commitment and passion.  “Jim is a very open and collaborative person, which, combined with his broad knowledge in and passion for civil engineering, makes him a great colleague with whom I have much enjoyed working,” Dr. VanBriesen says.

Colleague, Dr. Irvine Oppenheim, professor at CMU CEE, also speaks about Dr. Garrett’s passion. “Everything Jim does professionally stems from his pride in being an engineer, and most especially a civil engineer,” says Dr. Oppenheim.  “He has devoted his career to raising the standing of the profession, the CEE Department at CMU, the engineering college at CMU, and CMU itself.”

After receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Garrett worked as a Project Engineer with Schlumberger Well Services in Houston, Texas from 1986-1987, and was an Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 1987-1990. Dr. Garrett joined the CMU Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty in 1990 and was promoted to Full Professor in 1996. He was appointed as Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering in June 2006 and led the department until December 2012. In January 2013 he was appointed as Dean of the College of Engineering.

Dr. Garrett has been a Fellow of ASCE since 2009 and is a licensed professional engineer.  He holds two patents, and is the author of more than 250 technical publications. Throughout his career, Dr. Garrett’s research and teaching have been focused on bringing advanced computing and information technologies to bear on civil engineering problems. His research interests have included:

•          The application of sensors and sensor systems to civil infrastructure condition assessments.
  
•          Designing mobile hardware/software systems for field applications.
  
•        Representations and processing strategies to support the usage of engineering codes, standards, and specifications.
  
•          Understanding knowledge-based decision support systems.
  

Since Dr. Garrett became the Dean of the College of Engineering, the college has created a new strategic plan, and launched a number of new initiatives in research such as advanced manufacturing, soft robotics, and smart infrastructure.  The college has also launched new initiatives in communications, faculty development and educational programs for innovation and entrepreneurship.

When asked about his accomplishments, Dr. Garrett describes his pride for the next generation of engineers. “I am very proud of the many students I have advised or taught over the years,” Dr. Garrett says. “Actually, I feel this way about all alumni I meet from CMU, not just the ones I have taught.  When they come back to visit and tell me about the great diversity of projects they are working and the impact they are having, I am filled with pride for them and their accomplishments.”

Dr. Garrett has another source of pride.  “I am most proud of my two children, both of whom graduated from CMU.”