People: Hall of Distinction http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/AllItems.aspx RSS feed for the Hall of Distinction list. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:48:33 GMT Windows SharePoint Services V3 RSS Generator 60 People: Hall of Distinction /people/_layouts/images/homepage.gif http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/AllItems.aspx Dr. Mehmet T. Tümay http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=25 Picture:
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Dr. Mehmet T. Tümay, Fellow and a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, is the Georgia Gulf Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Louisiana State University. He has been an active LSU Faculty 1976-2005, and has served the LSU College of Engineering as the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, and as Director of the Donald W. Clayton Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Engineering Science, 1997 –2004. Dr. Tümay received his B.S.,

M.S., and Ph.D. from Robert College School of Engineering, University of Virginia, and Istanbul Technical University, respectively. His academic, research and consulting affiliations include universities, research institutions, and industry in the U.S., The Netherlands, France, Turkey, Korea, Norway, Taiwan, Poland, Brazil and People’s Republic of China.

 

Dr. Tümay is currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Korean Advanced Institute for Science and Technology (KAIST) in Deajon, S. Korea, and an Adjunct Professor at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey.

 

Dr. Tümay’s major field of interest is geotechnical engineering. He has done extensive research for the past 40 years in the areas of in-situ evaluation of engineering properties of soils, soil physico-chemical behavior, and novel methods of soil improvement. He has earned national and international recognition from the consulting and academic communities for his pioneering research accomplishments, mainly in electronic cone penetration and computer-aided data collection/reduction systems for evaluation of the engineering behavior of geomedia.  He was recently recognized “for outstanding contributions to the profession, research and education in geotechnical engineering,” at the GeoShanghai 2006 International Conference in Shanghai, China, June 2006.

 

Dr. Tümay has served as Project Director / Principal Investigator of numerous grants from prestigious national and international agencies, a major international consulting company from the Netherlands, established the Fugro Post-Doctoral Fellowship at LSU dedicated to the advancement of in-situ testing under Dr. Tümay’s supervision.

 

During 1990-1994 Dr. Tümay served as the Director of the Geomechanical, Geotechnical & Geo-Environmental Systems (G3S) program at the National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C

 

In 1994, Dr. Tümay was appointed as the Director of Research at Louisiana Transportation Research. During his tenure as Director of Research, LTRC was awarded research grants and contracts from National Science Foundation, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, Federal Highway Administration, Priority Technologies Program, U.S.C.E. Waterways Experiment Station, and private industry.

 

Dr. Tümay has done extensive design and consulting for state, private, national and international agencies. And he has conducted special workshops and seminars worldwide. He has served as Maitre de Conference en Mechanique des Sols, Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees, Paris, France, and as an Advisory Professor to Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China, and Federal University of Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is active in various professional organizations.  He has served and continues to serve as chairperson or as a member of  a number of national and international technical committees as well as  member of editorial  boards of professional journals.

 

Dr. Tümay served as a charter member of the Academic Research Council of the Civil Engineering Research Foundation 1995-2002, and represented LTRC on the National Council for Civil Engineering Research. He was a member of The Engineer and Surveyor Selection Board, City of Baton Rouge Parish, 2004 –2006. He was selected as Louisiana State University’s recipient of the Louisiana Engineering Foundation Faculty Professionalism Award for 2001. His scholarly activities include more than 150 published scientific articles, and contributions to numerous conferences and symposia. He has presented invited papers worldwide on technical topics and general research, education and policy issues in geotechnical engineering, and general civil infrastructure.

 

Year Inducted: 2009
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/25/TUMAY_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:02:20 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=25 Dr. Frank J. Germano http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=23 Picture:
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Frank J. Germano was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, where he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering and the Ph.D. of civil engineering degree in 1934. Upon graduating, he worked as an assistant design engineer for the Metropolitan District of Hartford, Connecticut.

He joined Louisiana State University in 1936 as an instructor in the Engineering Mechanics Department, realizing his ambition to teach. "Students are my life," was a favorite quote of Dr. Germano. In 1937 he was promoted to assistant professor and became an associate professor in 1943. He attained the rank of professor of engineering mechanics in 1948 and the following year was selected to head of the Department of Engineering Mechanics and remained in that position until 1953. He became only the third person in the history of the Civil Engineering Department since 1894 when he assumed the position of head in 1953. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1976, at which time he received the title Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering.

During his academic career, Dr. Germano achieved notoriety as author and co-author of several fundamental textbooks in the fields of fluid mechanics and strength of materials. He also served as a consultant to a number of private engineering firms, including the Ford Foundation, and worked in the Caribbean area with the late Dr. Richard Russel of LSU, a world renowned geographer and authority on beach morphology.

Dr. Germano was Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a member of the American Society for Engineering Education as well as the Louisiana Engineering Society. He was inducted into Tau Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon societies as well as Sigma Xi and Phi Kappa Phi.

Dr. Germano continued to carry a half-time teaching load during his years as department head. The professor's interest in his students extended beyond the classroom, and he took an active interest in many student organizations within the LSU College of Engineering. Moreover, he constantly served as counselor, advisor, and close personal friend to countless students. Dr. Germano received three major awards for his teaching performance. These include the LSU Foundation's Distinguished Faculty Fellowship, the Halliburton Award fro Teaching Excellence, and a Certificate of Meritorious Service from the Louisiana section of the American Society of Civil Engineers for his contributions to engineering education. He was often overheard saying, "(There is) never a day that don't look forward to going into the classroom." After his retirement in 1976, Dr. Germano returned to the classroom, becoming the first retired faculty member on the LSU campus to resume regular teaching without pay. Fluent in Italian and Spanish, he was an exchange Fulbright Professor and lectured for one year at the Politechnico de Milano in Milan, Italy. He was also visiting professor at the University of Nicaragua.

Dr. Germano passed away on October 27, 1983, and is survived by his wife, Mrs. Alma Germano, of Baton Rouge, who received her bachelor's degree in home economics from LSU, and his children, Charles Germano with IBM in New Orleans, Andria Hathorn with IBM in San Francisco, and Carolyn Schneider with Concord Risk Services in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Dr. Germano was a premier teacher, motivator, and a builder of character. He loved teaching both the fundamentals and the practical aspects of engineering. He molded and motivated hundreds of students across all engineering disciplines with his teaching, his wit, and his enthusiasm, as well as his genuine warmth. He was committed to students and to their preparation as engineering professionals. All those whose lives he touched through classroom, social or professional associations speak of him with the highest regard.

The College of Engineering has established the Frank J. Germano Design and Computation Center to pay tribute to this great man. Appropriately, former students made the first gifts that led to the computer-design laboratory created mainly for undergraduate students in civil engineering. The Center located at 2412 Patrick F. Taylor Hall, was formally dedicated on November 16, 1989.

Year Inducted: 2008
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/23/GERMANO_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:59:38 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=23 John A. Graves http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=24 Picture:
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Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, moved to Opelousas, Louisiana, at age six where he attended elementary and high school.  Graduated from what is now Opelousas Catholic in a pre-college curriculum. Extracurricular activities included football, basketball, track and student government.  Mr. Graves lost his father as a junior in high school which necessitated his having to provide 100% of his college expenses.  Having been inspired by President Kennedy’s challenge to put men on the moon, John was drawn to Aeronautical Engineering at LSU and enrolled as a freshman in the fall of 1959.  Aeronautical Engineering was replaced by Civil Engineering as John believed he would not like the work environment for AE and might prefer more outdoors as offered by civil.  Larry McKee gave John his first job in the engineering business as a rodman in a field survey crew.  Maintaining a full time job while attending school he graduated from LSU in the spring of 1965 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering.  With his sights set on being in the consulting engineering business John spent the next year or so taking selective, mostly graduate level course work in Business Administration.

 

Mr. Graves’ first regular full time job was with Edward E. Evans & Associates in 1968.  Mr. Evans, a former LSU professor of structural engineering, founded the firm in 1953.  John credits Mr. Evans as an excellent “teacher” from whom he learned a great deal beginning with structural work on the LSU Maravich Assembly Center.  In the early 70’s believing that he had serious health problems, which he didn’t, Mr. Evans effectively turned over the day to day operation of the firm to John.

 

In 1986 Mr. Graves acquired full ownership of the firm at which time the name was changed to the current Evans-Graves Engineers, Inc. Mr. Graves has over 40 years experience in private consulting as a Civil Engineer, Surveyor and Administrator.  Over 35 years of that period has been spent as a Principal of Evans-Graves Engineers, Inc., responsible for plan production and management of all phases of projects undertaken by the firm; from preliminary planning and feasibility studies, through final engineering design and construction.  His work experience includes property and engineering assessments for site selection, project management, transportation planning and analysis, boundary and topographic site surveys, and civil site engineering.  Mr. Graves has worked on a multitude of engineering projects for clients representing the petrochemical industry, national retail companies, industrial parks, recreational facilities, hospital and institutional complexes, residential development, utility companies, as well as local, state and federal government.  Mr. Graves frequently serves as a court expert providing research and testimony in his field of expertise.

Year Inducted: 2009
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/24/GRAVES_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Fri, 04 Sep 2009 18:01:10 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=24 Robert A. “Bob” Deason http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=22 Picture:
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Robert A. “Bob” Deason, President and Chief Executive Officer of J. Ray McDermott, is a native of Natchitoches, Louisiana. He graduated from Natchitoches High School in 1963 and he attended Northwestern State College his freshman year.  He then transferred to Louisiana State University as a chemistry major.  In 1966 he left LSU and joined the U.S. Marine Corp.  After serving a tour in Vietnam he returned to LSU and received a B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering in 1970.  He also received an Executive MBA from the University of Michigan.

 

After graduation Deason joined Texas Eastern Transmission Company involved in development of natural gas and petroleum pipelines throughout the U.S.  Between 1975 and 1985 he worked for several companies involved in engineering and project management for the upstream oil and gas industry.  During this period he also served as the Deputy Project Manager responsible for Operating and Maintenance for the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserves.

 

In 1985 he joined Fluor, a major EPC contractor, helping develop their pipeline services business.  During his 18 years at Fluor Bob had increasing responsibility in Fluor’s Upstream Oil and Gas business, their Chemical, Plastic and Fibers business, and their Refining and Petrochemical business. 

 

He was responsible for numerous major EPC projects throughout the world.

Since leaving LSU Bob has had responsibility for petroleum-related projects in many places around the globe.  In addition to the US these include Nigeria, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Russia and Azerbaijan, just to name a few.

 

Bob joined J. Ray McDermott in 2003 returning to his offshore roots.  J. Ray McDermott is a pioneer in offshore oil and gas development with strong roots in Louisiana.  JRay was suffering through a period of poor project performance and disastrous financial results.  The ability of this 60 year-old company to survive was in doubt. 

 

After joining JRay Bob implemented strict controls and project management discipline.  The organization was upgraded.  During Bob’s tenure the company returned to its previous leadership position in the offshore industry with significant growth, with current revenue in excess of $3 Billion.  Today JRay has significant operations in the U.S., Middle East, Asia Pacific and the

Caspian and operates numerous offshore construction vessels around the world.

 

Deason is active in several industry related organizations and serves on the Boards of National Ocean Industries Association and International Pipeline and Offshore Contractors Association.  He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Louisiana.

 

Mr. Deason is married to the former Dagmar Sauce also of Natchitoches and they have three children and five grandchildren.  Bob and Dagmar reside in Houston, Texas.

Year Inducted: 2008
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/22/DEASON_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:58:15 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=22 Recep Yilmaz 2007 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=21 Picture:
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Recep Yilmaz is a world-renowned expert in Cone Pentrometer  Testing (CPT) and geotechnical drilling and is a Senior Vice President for Fugro Consultants, Inc., a 500+ employee geotechnics company and part of the Fugro Group of Companies. As Senior VP, Mr. Yilmaz leads the company’s Louisiana, Houston Exploration, and Los Angeles operations. 

Receiving his Masters of Science from Louisiana State University in 1981, Mr. Yilmaz’s geotechnics passion and experience began during his studies here. He has performed extensive research for the development and applications of quasistatic and piezometric cone penetration in Louisiana. He also investigated the application of Cavity Expansion and the SHANSEP theory for cone penetration results. Mr. Yilmaz was responsible for the supervision of in-situ testing, correlation of field and laboratory results and the computer software development for North Louisiana Salt Dome investigations. His work also included research for the Division of Engineering Research, United States Department of Energy, and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

In 1981, Mr. Yilmaz began his career at Fugro Gulf, Inc. as a staff engineer and quickly progressed to Supervisory Engineer. His responsibilities included coordination of CPT field activities and interpretation of results. He worked on the design of embankments, slope stability analysis and supervised construction of evaporation ponds; geotechnical investigation for proposed Onne Fertilizer Plant in Nigeria; growth faults and geotechnical investigation for major industrial complexes in Houston; developed computer programs and plot routines to minimize labor requirements. Mr. Yilmaz also worked on the design of various foundation types related to onshore and offshore structures.

In 1984 Mr. Yilmaz joined Fugro Geosciences, Inc. a leading CPT testing and geotechnical and environmental exploration company within the Fugro organization and became President. Under his leadership, Fugro Geosciences became one of the premier U.S. companies in CPT and geotechnical exploration.

In 2006, Fugro Geosciences, Inc. merged with Fugro Consultants, Inc. at which time Mr. Yilmaz was named as a Senior Vice President to lead the company’s Louisiana, Houston Exploration, and Los Angeles operations. He provides oversight for all Louisiana operations including engineering consulting, laboratory testing and field services. Exploration services include In-Situ Cone Penetrometer Testing and Geotechnical Drilling Services. Under his direction, Fugro’s field exploration capabilities have expanded to include cone penetrometer testing, Geoprobe, and a full range of geotechnical drilling services.

Mr. Yilmaz has lead the development and growth of Fugro’s drilling and subsurface exploration capabilities, sampling methods, and qualifications which now include soil drilling and sampling, rock coring, angle drilling, low-clearance drilling, groundwater sampling, piezometer installations, inclinometer installations, environmental soil sampling, environmental gas sampling, monitor well installations, development and sampling and recovery well installations. 

Mr. Yilmaz has developed, executed, and supervised numerous field exploration programs for a wide variety of projects using hollow stem auger and rotary wash drilling methods, wireline sampling and coring techniques utilizing truck, ATV, buggy and skid-mounted CME (55, 75 and 750), Failing 250 and 1500s and Mayhew 200 drill rigs.  Fugro’s equipment is capable of drilling to depths in excess of 500 feet and the Fugro exploration fleet is extensive and is usually adequate to accommodate any exploration program or completion schedule.

Accolades credited to Mr. Yilmaz include his recent integral role in securing a $100 million dollar indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract with the Corps of Engineers to assess and rebuild the levees in the New Orleans area. By providing field exploration, laboratory testing and engineering design to support the Corps of Engineers efforts, Mr. Yilmaz’s supervision has allowed for an unprecedented coordination of over 20 drill rigs and 5 cone penetrometer testing rigs operating simultaneously. 

Another significant recent accomplishment to Mr. Yilmaz’s credit is his role in securing a $2.5 million dollar contract with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development for the Interstate Highway 10 – Twin Span Bridge Replacement project for the damage sustained during Hurricane Katrina. His leadership and extensive knowledge were provided during field exploration, laboratory testing and engineering design where two near shore CPT operations performed simultaneously to provide crucial data under an accelerated schedule to facilitate design and construction of the bridge replacement.

Mr. Yilmaz and wife Barbara now reside in Houston, Texas. Their son Timur Yilmaz is a Petroleum Engineer. Daughter Barbara Yilmaz is an LSU graduate from the Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, and currently the Vice President of the Technology Division of British Petroleum Worldwide.

 
Year Inducted: 2007
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/21/YILMAZ_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:54:16 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=21 J. Tinsley Oden 2007 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=20 Picture:
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J. Tinsley Oden is Associate Vice President for Research and Director of the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES) at The University of Texas at Austin. He was the founding Director of that Institute, created in January of 2003 as an expansion of the Texas Institute for Computational and Applied Mathematics, also directed by Oden for over a decade. He holds the Cockrell Family Regents’ Chair in Engineering and the Peter O’Donnell, Jr. Centennial Chair in Computer Systems at The University of Texas at Austin.
 
In 1959, Dr. Oden earned a B.S. degree in civil engineering from LSU. He then earned a Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from Oklahoma State University in 1962.
 
Dr. Oden began his research in computational mechanics and applied mechanics in the 1960’s. His treatise, Finite Elements of Nonlinear Continua is cited as having not only demonstrated the great potential of computational methods for producing quantitative realizations of the most complex theories of physical behavior of materials and mechanical systems, but also established a new discipline built upon concepts in mathematics, computer sciences, physics, and mechanics. Computational Mechanics has since become a fundamentally important discipline throughout the world, taught in every major university, and the subject of continued research and intellectual activity. Dr. Oden has published extensively in this field and in related areas over the last three decades. 
 
Dr. Oden is the author or editor of 500+ scientific books, book chapters, essays, articles, and conference papers, including 50 books and monographs. He is also an editor of the series, Finite Elements in Flow Problems and of Computational Methods in Nonlinear Mechanics. Among the 49 books and book chapters he has authored or edited are Contact Problems in Elasticity, a six-volume series: Finite Elements, An Introduction to the Mathematical Theory of Finite Elements, and several textbooks, including Applied Functional Analysis and Mechanics of Elastic Structures, and, more recently, A Posteriori Error Estimation in Finite Element Analysis, with M. Ainsworth.
 
Dr. Oden’s current research focuses on the development of computational methods for multi-scale modeling, with applications to semi-conductor manufacturing and on computer models for the adaptive control of laser therapies for cancer.
 
Dr. Oden is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering and National Academics of Engineering in Mexico and Brazil. He serves as Co-Chairman of the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI) Panel for Sandia National Laboratories. He is a member of the IUTAM Working Party 5 on Computational Mechanics and serves on numerous organizational, scientific and advisory committees for international conferences and symposiums. He is an Editor of the international journal Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering and serves on the editorial board of 27 scientific journals.
 
Dr. Oden has received numerous awards for his accomplishments. He is an Honorary Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and is a Fellow of IACM, AAM, ASME, ASCE, SES, and BMA. He is a Fellow, founding member, and first President of the U.S. Association for Computational Mechanic and the International Association for Computational Mechanics. He is a Fellow and past President of both the American Academy of Mechanics and the Society of Engineering Science. Among the numerous awards he has received for his work, Dr. Oden was awarded the Computational Mechanics Award from the Japanese Society of Mechanics Engineers, A.C. Eringen Medal, The Worcester Reed Warner Medal, the Melvin R. Lohmann Medal, the Theodore von Karman Medal, the John von Neumann medal, the Newton-Gauss Congress Medal, and the Stephan P. Timoshenko Medal. He was also knighted as “Chevalier des Palmes Academiques” by the French government and holds four honorary doctorates, Honoris Causa, from The Technical University of Lisbon in Portugal, the Faculte Polytechnique in Belgium, Cracow University of Technology in Poland, and the Ecole Normale Superieure de Cachan in France. Dr. Oden has been awarded a Presidential Citation for his outstanding contributions to the University of Texas at Austin, the equivalent of an honorary doctorate. He is listed by the Institute for Scientific Information as one of the  most highly cited researchers in the world from 1981-1999 in refereed, peer-reviewed journals.

 

Year Inducted: 2007
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/20/ODEN_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:52:56 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=20 Ronald “Ron” Rodi 2006 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=19 Picture:
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Ronald "Ron" Rodi was born and raised in New Orleans. He attended Louisiana State University and received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering in 1978. During this time at LSU, Mr. Rodi served a term as President of the ASCE Student Chapter, not realizing the future network he was building with the engineering community beyond the campus.

Upon graduation in 1978, Mr. Rodi remained in Baton Rouge. Not long thereafter, he landed the job of his dreams.  As a young engineer, Mr. Rodi had the opportunity to work under the tutelage of C. Carter Brown, one of the pillars of the Louisiana engineering profession.  The years Mr. Rodi spent there as an EIT and PE not only furthered his engineering skills but instilled in him a distinct sense of professionalism and business acumen. As icing on the cake, Brown & Butler frequently designed projects for LSU, and Mr. Rodi would soon be immersed in many small yet intriguing campus projects that would continue till this day. It was also during this time that Mr. Rodi became deeply engaged with the Louisiana Engineering Society.  One of the former advisors to the ASCE Student Chapter, Jim Porter, recommended Mr. Rodi for the “highly esteemed” position on the public relations committee. Little did he realize that his initial commitment in this organization would lead to nearly 30 years of active involvement, including being honored as their 1984 Outstanding Young Engineer, presiding as State President for the Society’s Centennial and continuing to this day to serve as the State’s Society’s Legislative Chairman.

Shortly after Mr. Brown retired, Mr. Rodi resigned from Brown & Butler, and in 1985 began his private practice.  The friendships he had made at LSU and the professional relationships he had built over his short career helped to sustain Mr. Rodi in the early years of his fledgling practice. Over the next few years, Mr. Rodi had a brief stint of civil engineering graduate courses, and served one semester as an Adjunct Instructor in the LSU CEE Department…. all at the time of trying to support a young family. Despite the sagging Louisiana economy, it was an exciting time, including the advent of personal computers, which enhanced the ability of young engineers to compete with the more established firms.  Mr. Rodi became more invested in the Baton Rouge community during that period, particularly in the Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce serving for nearly five years on the Chamber’s Drainage Task Force. This experience reunited Mr. Rodi with his LSU hydrology professor, Raphael Kazmann.  This forum and the opportunity to work side-by-side with Prof. Kazmann further instilled in Mr. Rodi that the sound practice of engineering requires both professional inquiry and scrutiny.

Twenty years ago, two young engineers decided to become partners. In 1988, Michael Songy (a 1979 LSU CE) and Mr. Rodi began Rodi & Songy Inc. From one employee to twenty in four years, they were both beginning to see the fruits of their joy and labor. Then in 1992, they took what most considered an unlikely venture…. Rodi & Songy merged with Chenevert-Soderberg Architects to become one of the area’s few jointly-owned A/E firms, CSRS. Today, the firm has grown to 65 full-time employees providing civil engineering, land surveying, architecture and program management to clients throughout Louisiana.

Mr. Rodi’s professional memberships include the Louisiana Engineering Society, of which he has had nearly 30  years of active service including serving as Baton Rouge Chapter President, State Private Practice Group Chairman, State President and State Legislative Chairman. He is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Water Environment Federation. Mr. Rodi is a registered engineer in two states.

Throughout his career, Mr. Rodi has had the privilege and good fortune of working as both a consulting engineer and on a volunteer basis for LSU. His engineering experiences for the Baton Rouge campus and other institutions of the LSU System span nearly 30 years. For the past eight years, he has served on the College of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board and is currently serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council. On the departmental level, he is currently serving on the Civil & Environmental External Advisory Board and CEE Campaign Steering Committee. The former provides vital input to the Department regarding important developments in business and industry and gives suggestions for  visibility, planning and function for the Department. The CEE Campaign Steering Committee, of which he is now heading, is responsible for planning to raise at least $4 million for the Department over the next four years as part of the Forever LSU Campaign. 

Mr. Rodi’s active and committed involvement in the College of Engineering and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering here at LSU is an awesome evidence of his love for this university and his enthusiastic dedication to  it’s continued success. 

Mr. Rodi and wife Renee have two sons, James and Matthew and reside in Baton Rouge. Both are currently pursuing degrees at LSU.

 

Year Inducted: 2006
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/19/RODI_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:50:46 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=19 John "Jack" Donahue, Jr. 2006 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=18 Picture:
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John “Jack” Donahue, Jr.  is a local product who earned his Civil Engineering degree from LSU in 1967, and then pursued graduate work in advanced foundation design at Tulane University. In 1970, Jack and his father teamed to form Spartan Building Corporation (SBC) where Jack rose to the post of president. After nearly ten years with SBC, Jack left to start his own company, Jack Donahue Contractors, Inc., in 1979. He opened the doors with three employees and a $500 acoustical ceiling job. In 1986, he partnered with long time friend Robert F. Favret to found what was to become DonahueFavret Contractors, Inc. (DFC). Today DFC has 60 employees, is one of the largest in the state and the North Shore’s number one construction company, with annual sales of over $70 million.

 

Over the years, clients have consistently selected DFC because of its reputation for quality work, timely completions, honesty and dependability. DFC has earned the opportunity and honor to build for such national corporations and government entities as State Farm, Hospital Corporation of America, Albertson’s, Copeland’s, Pep Boys, Target, Best Buy, Circuit City, Lowe’s, Office Depot, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Sav-A-Center, Rite Aid, U.S. Postal Service, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. DFC has been recognized twelve times with the prestigious national awards for excellence in construction, the premier competition acknowledging outstanding construction projects. The company has received awards from the Vieux Carre Commission for ever-mindful restoration of some of New Orleans’ most historically significant structures. DFC has consistently earned the Platinum Step Award, awarded by contractors for contractors, recognizing one of the industry's highest ratings for safety.

 

Jack has earned recognition as past president as well as a founding member of local and state chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors, and he was an ABC National board member. Jack continues as chairman and CEO of DFC, with his son John as president, partner Robert Favret as executive vice president as well as vice president of estimating, and wife Maura as vice president of business development.

 

Jack is profoundly commitment to his community. He has long been an active supporter of a long list of worthy programs, such as the American Heart Association, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, and Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, to name a few. After the most devastating storm in American history, Jack generously opened DFC’s doors to the Red Cross, allowing them to open St. Tammany’s first Red Cross Hurricane Katrina financial aid center right there in his office. During those first days after the storm, as Jack made sure all of his 53 employees were safe and secure, his office was the distribution point for more than $2 million dollars of aid to over 2,000 people who lined up at his door. And he didn’t stop there. Jack went on to create an organization called Suited for Success where DFC distributed business clothes free of charge to people who had lost their business clothes and needed to get back to work. Jack was featured in a January 2006 CNN special Hurricane Katrina report called "The Silver Lining". The report detailed stories about area business leaders whose selfless commitment to the community was highlighted by both care for their employees and a dedication to rebuilding Louisiana’s communities.

Jack has been a Commissioner of the Causeway Commission, a chairman and board member on the Public Affairs Research Council, a board member for Center for Development and Learning and Louisiana Association of Business, and member of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation. The St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce has named Jack Business Person of the Year for being a leading St. Tammany business professional.

In the arena of political involvement, Jack has served on the St. Tammany Economic and Industrial Development District, St. Tammany Economic Development Foundation, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s (LABI) Southpac, and along with three other businessmen, created the Business Congress of Louisiana (BCL).  He was recently inaugurated into the Louisiana State Senate representing District 11. 

Year Inducted: 2006
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/18/DONAHUE_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:47:59 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=18 Larry A. McKee 2005 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=17 Picture:
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Larry A. McKee received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1958.  Upon graduation, he began his professional career working for private engineering consulting firms in the Baton Rouge area.  After gaining twelve years experience, he acquired 100% ownership of Professional Engineering Consultants (PEC) on May 1, 1970.

 

Upon the leadership and direction of Mr. McKee, and in the pursuit of excellence, PEC enjoyed stable and continuous growth and became recognized throughout the southeastern United States for its expertise in all phases of public works planning and development. 

 

Mr. McKee has strived throughout his career to improve the engineering profession.  He has served as president of the Louisiana Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers as well as president and national director of the Louisiana Council of Engineering Companies.  He is one of only two engineers, from Louisiana, to serve as National Vice President of American Council of Engineering Companies.

 

Mr. McKee was appointed, by Governor Buddy Roemer, to the Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board where he served for six years and chaired the Board for one year. Mr. McKee also has served as an adjunct professor of Civil Engineering at Louisiana State University where he is an honorary member of Chi Epsilon and a member of the College of Engineering Dean’s Club.

Year Inducted: 2005
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/17/MCKEE_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:41:08 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=17 Dr. Kenneth L. McManis 2005 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=16 Picture:
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Dr. McManis received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette in 1963.  He then went on to earn his Master of Science and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department in 1966 and 1975. 

 

Upon completion of his graduate research at LSU, he was awarded the Michael Claus Memorial Award for Outstanding Graduate Research.

 

After years of practice and teaching, Dr. McManis joined the University of New Orleans (UNO) as an Associate Professor.  He was then selected as chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.  He remained in this position for twenty-six years until his retirement as Professor Emeritus in 2004.  He then accepted a position as professor and department head of the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, Louisiana, which he presently serves. 

 

In 2000, he was appointed to serve a six year term on the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board by the Governor. 

 

Some of Dr. McManis’s awards and honors include the College of Engineering Distinguished Service Award, University of New Orleans (2004); Contractors Educational Trust Fund Professorship (1994-2004); Who’s Who in Science and Engineering (1994); LEF Engineering Faculty Professionalism Award, Louisiana Engineering Foundation; and Who’s Who in Engineering (1980).  He is also a member of Chi Epsilon, Sigma Chi, and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.  Dr. McManis is a registered Professional Engineer and a Professional Land Surveyor in the state of Louisiana.

 

Dr. McManis continues to provide service to the Civil Engineering profession.  His leadership and enthusiasm make him respected by all.

Year Inducted: 2005
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/16/MCMANIS_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:40:53 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=16 Dr. Kam K. Movassaghi 2004 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=15 Picture:
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Dr. Kam K. Movassaghi is currently President and CEO of Movassaghi Group, PEC, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has experience in civil engineering in the areas of consulting, academia, and government. Dr. Movassaghi received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette in 1963. He then went on to earn his Master of Science and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University’s CEE Department in 1965 and 1971, respectively.

 

Dr. Movassaghi served as an engineer in several engineering firms in his early career. He then joined the faculty at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette (formerly Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette).  He was then selected as head of the

Department of Civil Engineering. Under his direction the department expanded programs in research, developed a design computation laboratory, developed a graduate engineering management program, and received very successful ABET accreditation reviews.

 

In 1998 Dr. Movassaghi was appointed by then Governor M.J. “Mike” Foster as Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. With this position, Dr. Movassaghi was able to increase the annual construction project lettings by 78 percent with no net increase in annual revenues. He also implemented a comprehensive management plan to expedite completion of the TIMED program, the largest construction program in the history of the department. Dr. Movassaghi accomplished these and many among other notable feats in the 6 years as he served the state in this role.

 

Some of Dr. Movassaghi’s awards and honors include the President Award of Merit, Louisiana Engineering Society (2004); Highway Safety Award, Louisiana Highway Safety Commission (2004); National Government Engineer of the Year, American Society of Civil Engineers (2002); Engineering Faculty Professionalism Award, Louisiana Engineering Society (1997); and Outstanding Civil Engineer of the Year, Louisiana Section of American Society of Civil Engineers (1995). He is also a member of American Society of Civil Engineers, Louisiana Engineering Society, Phi Kappa Phi, Chi Epsilon, and Sigma Xi. Dr. Movassaghi is a registered Professional Engineer and a Professional Land Surveyor in the state of Louisiana.

 

In addition to his many contributions to the engineering community, he has given to his local community through various avenues of community service Dr. Movassaghi is a loving husband and father of two children.

Year Inducted: 2004
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/15/MOVASSAGHI_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:40:14 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=15 Dr. George Munfakh 2004 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=14 Picture:
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Dr.  George A. Munfakh presently serves as Senior Vice President of Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade & Douglas engineering firm at which he is in charge of the Geotechnical and Tunneling Division.  He is considered one of the leading innovators in the field of geotechnical engineering. Dr. Munfakh received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Aleppo, Syria, in 1967. He received both his Master of Science and his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University in 1970 and 1973, respectively.

 

Dr. Munfakh has 30 years of experience with Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade, & Douglas.   As the manager of the Geotechnical and Tunneling Division,  96  staff in eighteen offices report to Dr. Munfakh. His project experience includes underground facilities, marine facilities, and surface facilities. Dr. Munfakh is considered a worldwide recognized expert in ground improvement and has given many keynote conference speeches on the subject.

 

Some of Dr. Munfakh’s professional affiliations include the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Chi Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi. He was also the past chairman of the Met Section Geotechnical Division. Some of the awards and honors that Dr. Munfakh has received are the American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s Globe Award for Environmental Excellence (2002), presenting the prestigious ASCE Martin S. Kapp Lecture (1999), Parsons Brinckerhoff Professional Publication Award for the technical paper entitled, “Ground Improvement Engineering – The State of the Practice” (1996) and the Michael Claus Memorial Award for Excellence in Engineering Research from LSU (1973). Dr. Munfakh has professional registration in Syria.

 

Dr. Munfakh has published over 35 works during his career. He is a highly respected engineer who has continued to share his expertise with the profession through papers, lectures, and seminars.

 

Year Inducted: 2004
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/14/MUNFAKH_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:40:00 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=14 Ann Forte Trappey 2003 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=13 Picture:
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Ann Forte Trappey, born in Plaquemine, Louisiana, is presently CEO and President of Forte and Tablada, Inc, a consulting engineering and land surveying firm.  Ann received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1982.  After graduation, Ann worked for eight years at the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development in three departments: the Planning Section, the Computer Graphics Section and Road Design.  In 1991, she began her employment at Forte and Tablada, Inc., as Chief Civil Engineer.  As a design engineer, she oversaw major road, drainage and sewer improvement projects, new utilities and utility relocation projects, bridge and other structural projects for various local municipal and state government agencies.  After assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer in January 1993, she continued her work as a design engineer along with the tasks of managing the firm.  Ann’s experience in the planning and designing of infrastructure improvements has been extensive.  Ann is a registered Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering both in Louisiana and Mississippi along with being a Registered Professional Engineer in Environmental Engineering in Louisiana.

 

Ann is the first female to be elected to numerous seats on the American Council of Engineering Companies/Louisiana (ACEC/L) and the American Council of Engineering Companies/Louisiana (ACEC/L) and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC – national parent organization of ACEC/L) beginning in 1995.  She has served on the LSU College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Committee since 1999 and will become the Chairman in 2005-2006.  In 1985 she was the State Young Engineers Chairman of the Louisiana Engineering Society.  After this position, she served other capacities being the first woman elected to the position of State Director in 1993-1995.  She has held numerous chairmanships of the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Louisiana Engineering Society.   In addition, she is President (2003-2005) of the Louisiana Engineering Foundation having served on that Board since 1991.   She is a member of the Society of American Military Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, and National Society of Professional Engineers.

 

Along with the time that Ann dedicates to professional service, she spends an enormous amount of time participating in community service.  As a member of the Baton Rouge Rotary, from 1994 to present, she has served in the role of volunteer and chairperson on numerous committees.  She has also been a member of the Baton Rouge Junior League since 1994 serving in many capacities.  Ann has served on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scout Audubon Council during 1998, 1999, and 2001 to present.  While on the board of the Council, she has assisted in developing a Strategic Plan for the Audubon Council and served as the 2002 Nominating Committee Chairman.  Ann also commits her time to the YMCA, serving on the Metropolitan Board of Directors from 1998-present and serving as Board Vice-Chair for the 2003-2004 term.  In her capacity with the YMCA, she has assisted in the development of the maintenance priority program for YMCA branches. 

 

Her recent valuable assistance in making possible the acquisition of the LSU River Modeling Building, which houses a small scale physical model of the Mississippi River Delta, is a perfect example of the time, effort and funds she freely donates to projects that are of great value to the engineering profession, civil engineering in particular.

 

In 1995, Ann was honored by the Baton Rouge Business Report with the “Class of Top 40 Under 40 Award” for “stepping up the ladder of success, making a difference in their company, industry, profession and/or community.”  Again in 1996, she was presented with the “Alumni Order of Omega Award” given to a fraternity alumni chosen from all Greek organizations here at LSU as a woman who has displayed “outstanding community service, service to her fraternity and service to LSU.”

 

Ann is married to Dr. Fred Trappey and has two children, Francois and Elise.  She is a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

Year Inducted: 2003
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/13/TRAPPEY_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:39:49 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=13 James M. Coleman 2003 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=12 Picture:
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James Coleman received his Ph.D. in geology from Louisiana State University in 1966.  He is currently Boyd Professor for the Coastal Studies Institute of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College and formally served as Executive Vice Chancellor of LSU.  Dr. Coleman’s research interests focus on relationships between process, form, and sedimentary characteristics, especially in deltaic and offshore regions.  He is the former chairman of the Marine Board, a member of the Ocean Sciences Board of the National Research Council, a member of the National Academy of Engineering since 1990, a recently elected member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and awarded the Kapitsa Medal of Honor for his contributions to the field of Petroleum Sciences.  In 2001, he was appointed as a member of the Presidential U. S. Ocean Policy Commission.

 

Few of the many awards that he received are listed below:

Awarded Honorary Life Membership in the American Association Petroleum Geologists, 2001

 

Awarded the Einstein Medal by Russian Academy Natural Sciences for contributions to science

 

Awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa in Earth sciences by the International         University of Dubna, Moscow, Russia for achievements in the field of Earth Sciences, August, 2000

 

Designated LaBorde Chair of Marine Science, March, 2000

           

He served on numerous National Committees and Boards. Few of them are listed below:

Named by Governor Foster to Advisory Commission on Coastal Restoration and Conservation, ’02-‘08

 

Named by President Bush to serve on U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, 2001 (elected chair of Research, Education, and Marine Operations Committee)

 

Member of Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council – 1999-2003

 

Chair of the Engineering & Technology Subcommittee – 1999-2002

 

Elected to Executive Committee of Ocean Studies Board – 2000-2003

 

Minerals Management Service Advisory Board Outer Continental Shelf Scientific Committee: Vice Chair - 1995-1997; Chair Elect - 1998; Chair – 1998-2000

 

Appointed by Secretary Interior to permanent discretionary membership, 2000 Steering Committee, International Workshop on Offshore Lease Abandonment and Platform Disposal, April 1996

Year Inducted: 2003
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/12/COLEMAN_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:39:38 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=12 Wm. Clifford Smith 2002 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=11 Picture:
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William Clifford Smith was born on April 21, 1935 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  His wife is the former Jo-Anne Toups from Schriever, Louisiana, and they have seven children.

 

William Clifford Smith attended the public school system in Terrebonne Parish and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Louisiana State University in 1958.  Since he had grown up in his father’s footsteps in the civil engineering field, he immediately became a partner in his father’s firm, and the name was changed to T. Baker Smith & Son, to illustrate his formal entrance into the profession.

 

Following his father’s death in 1962, he reorganized and operated the company as President and sole owner.  Today, he is Chairman of the Board of the cooperation.

 

He has been a registered civil engineering and land surveyor in Louisiana since 1958 and a registered civil engineer in Mississippi since 1985.  His professional organizations in the engineering field are the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, American Society of Civil Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, Louisiana Engineering Society, Louisiana Society of Professional Surveyors, and National Society of Military Engineers.  He also received the A. B. Patterson Medal for Engineer-in-Management on February 7, 1986, presented by the Louisiana Engineering Society. 

 

The social, civic, and business organization of which he is a member include the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce, Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society, Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation, member of the Mississippi River Commission, and member of the Board of Regents.

Year Inducted: 2002
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/11/SMITH_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:39:28 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=11 Dr. Dipak Roy 2002 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=10 Picture:
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Dipak Roy received his PhD in Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois and joined LSU in 1979.  He has 23 years of teaching experience, 28 years of research experience, and has supervised 7 PhD and 50 M.S. students.  He has supervised more the 40 research projects worth over three million dollars.  In 1995 he joined Polytechnic University in New York to develop their program.

 

Dr. Roy has received awards and honors as Fulbright Fellow.  He was named researcher of the Year in Civil Engineering at LSU in 1992.  He received the Halliburton Foundation Faculty Development Award.  Roy was also listed in Men & Women of Science in America, Who’s Who in Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Personalities of the South.  He was awarded the Oak Ridge Associate University Faculty Participation Award.  Roy has also been interviewed by ABC, FOX and PBS.

 

Dipak Roy’s research interests include mathematical modeling of natural environmental systems, fate and transport of contaminants, and biotechnology application in environmental engineering.  He holds three patents based on his work at LSU.

 

Dr. Roy is a member of several professional associations, which include the Water Pollution Control Federation, the American Chemical Society, Phi Kappa Pi, and Chi Epsilon.  He is also a professional registered engineer in civil and environmental engineering in Louisiana. 

Year Inducted: 2002
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/10/ROY_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:39:17 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=10 Verdi Adam 2002 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=9 Picture:
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Verdi Adam is presently President and Principal of GEC, Inc., a comprehensive consulting firm based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana with offices in New Orleans, Jacksonville, Florida, Chicago, Illinois, and Lafayette, Louisiana.  Since receiving his M.S. in civil engineering degree in 1954 from LSU, Mr. Adam has been involved in all phases of highway and transportation engineering.  His career began with the then Louisiana Highway Department.  Mr. Adam is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of paving and structural materials and pavement design with particular emphasis on asphalt pavements.  He served as Chief Engineer for the Offices of Highways and of Aviation, director of Construction and Maintenance Division, and Materials and Research Engineering of the Department of Transportation of Louisiana.

 

Mr. Adam, in the 1960s, was one of the lead highway engineers in the country in the development, debugging and implementation of stochastic approach to end-result highway specifications.  He has made numerous presentations in the United States and in several foreign countries, and he has assisted transportation departments of a number of states in developing statistically based quality assurance programs while reducing the need for manpower and unnecessary testing.

 

Mr. Adam also served as the Chief of Paving and Structural Materials Group of the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Adam in this latter capacity assisted the U.S. Congress, Department of Transportation and various highway and transportation departments in formulating overall transportation policies.

 

Mr. Adam established the Environmental Division at DOTD in response to the State and Federal environmental regulatory needs of highway design and construction.  Beginning in the early sixties until early nineties, with the exception of a two year break when he was in Washington, Mr. Adam taught the highway engineering course for the Department of Civil Engineering at LSU as an Adjunct Assistant and later as an Adjunct Associate Professor.  In 1982 he was appointed to the Louisiana Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors by Governor Treen for a six year term.  He served as a member and Chairman of the Board.

 

Verdi Adam has won awards such as the Louisiana Highways and Transportation Hall of Honor in 1998.  He has also been awarded the Industry Recognition Award, which is given for his outstanding contributions to the asphalt pavement industry during 1970 in recognition of development of statistically based end-result specifications for asphalt pavements, which are now nationally implemented, and development of concepts and specifications for the use of consistency at service temperatures for asphalt cements.

 

Mr. Adam has been very active in research organizations and professional associations and has written many research papers, reports and articles.  He has served as Vice-Chairman of the Highway Transport Subcommittee and Chairman of the Bituminous Materials Technical Section of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Year Inducted: 2002
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/9/ADAM_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:39:04 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=9 Bingham C. Stewart 2001 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=8 Picture:
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Bingham Cushman Stewart was born in Cheneyville, Louisiana on February 24, 1905. He moved to Baton Rouge, where he attended Louisiana State University and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1926.
 
He worked for his father's construction company until 1932, when he became employed by the Louisiana Highway Commission. In 1936, he moved to New Orleans to work with W. R. Aldrich & Co., General Constractor, and in 1938, he was hired by Henry and Arthur Boh as general superintendent of Boh Bros. Construction Company.
 
In 1960, when Boh Bros. became incorporated in the state of Louisiana, Mr. Stewart was named Vice President and Director and served in that capacity until 1989, when he was named Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors. In 1998, Mr. Stewart celebrated his 60th anniversary with the company.
 
On November 17, 1993, Mr. Stewart was named to the Louisiana Highway Hall of Honor and was honored as an outstanding citizen for his involvement in the state, highway, street, bridge and transportation systems.
 
Mr. Stewart served as Chairman of the Building Committee of the New Orleans Federation of Churchs and of the Rayne Memorial Methodist Church, of which he was a member. He also served as President of the Board of Trustees of Methodist Hospital and was a member of the New Orleans Rotary Club, the Louisiana Engineering Society, and the New Orleans Country Club.
Year Inducted: 2001
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/8/STEWART_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:38:53 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=8 L. Lane Grigsby 2001 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=6 Picture:
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L. Lane Grigsby, a native of Louisiana, is Chairman of the Board of Cajun Contractors. Grigsby graduated with a BSCE degree from LSU in January 1967 after having transferred from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Initially, Grigsby went to work with Pyburn and Odom Consulting Engineers in Baton Rouge, but "decided that technical engineering didn't fit his personality." He joined Crown Builders as a field engineer in civil construction and progressed to Executive Vice President in 1970. Crown Builders was subsequently acquired by merger with a German engineering group and became Lurgi-Knost, Inc. Grigsby opened the east coast office of Lurgi-Knost in Jacksonville, FL, but returned to Baton Rouge as Manager of Purchasing until the firm dissolved in April 1973.
 
At that time, Grigsby started Cajun Contractors and Engineers, Inc., in partnership with Bob Mixon. Over the ensuing yeras, Cajun has grown to become one of the largest construction companies in Louisiana. Since 1990, Cajun Constructors has been listed among ENR's Top 400 Constractors.
 
Grigsby is founder and stockholder of the Atlantic Company of America, a nationally recognized historical restoration business that was responsible for the restoration of the Washington Monument. He is also the founder of the Mapp Construction, Inc., a commercial contractor based in Baton Rouge.
 
Grigsby has been active in the Associated Builders and Contractors having served in every elected position and twice received ABC's Man of the Year Award. He has also served in leadership roles in a variety of organizations including the Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce; the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI); the Baton Rouge Metro Airport Commission; and the Medical Center Board of Directors. Since 1994, he has served on the Board of Directors of the Shaw Group, the 3rd largest EPC firm in the world. He has also been active in a variety of fund raising efforts to benefit LSU.
 
Grigsby currently serves on advisory boards of the LSU College of Engineering and the Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Management.
 
Grigsby is married to Bobbi Fickes and they have three children, Tami, Todd, and Tricia.
 
Mr. Grigsby was inducted as a member of the LSU Engineering Hall of Distinction in 1997.
Year Inducted: 2001
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/6/GRIGSB_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:38:26 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=6 Elvin Dantin 2001 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=5 Picture:
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A native of Golden Meadow, Elvin Dantin received a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Civil Engineering from LSU in 1949 and 1952 respectively. He then served the department as an assistant professor for 6 years, before moving west to pick up a Ph.D. from Stanford University. In 1962 he returned to his home state to resume his service to the LSU CEE Department, a career that would span for 30 years.
 
Dr. Dantin was one for the forward-looking faculty in the College. He not only found time to contribute to the fine undergraduate program that the Department is known for, but also broke new ground expanding the Department's research output. An early director of the College's Division of Engineering Research (1961-63), Elvin was the founding director for the Louisiana Water Resources Research Institute (1981-84). He laid taproots that nourished the young incoming faculty as the University made the difficult transition towards a Research I status. In 1984 he "retired", received a nice chair from the Department and moved to sunny Florida.
 
Retirement, hardly, Elvin then became a Founding Dean and set about the creation of the College of Engineering at the FAMU/FSU campus in Tallahassee. During a ten year period Elvin added the establishment of three ABET accredited departments, hired thirty faculty, and established approved Masters degree programs in four departments. Slowing down a bit, in 1993-94, Elvin settled back as chairman for the FAMU/FSU Department of Civil Engineering for over a year before finally accepting his second retirement. The college honored Elvin's contributions through the establishment of a Named Professorship (The Elvin Dantin Professor of Engineering) in his name.
 
Somewhere along the way, the sounds of the waves slapping along the Grand Isle coast line has drawn Elvin and his wife Ruth back to their roots. The Department welcomes Elvin and Ruth back to Louisiana and looks forward to Elvin's advice and hopefully a bunch of invitations to the newly planned Grande Isle "retirement" camp.
Year Inducted: 2001
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/5/DANTIN_web.jpg
]]> CEE Web Admin Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:38:11 GMT http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=5 Ara Arman 2001 http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/DispForm.aspx?ID=4 Picture:
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Ara Arman, born in Istanbul, Turkey, is Senior Vice-President of Gulf Engineers and Consultants, Inc. Arman received his Bachelor of Science degree from Robert College School of Engineering, Istanbul, Turkey in 1955, and Master of Science from University of Texas, Austin, Texas in 1956, all in civil engineering. Upon graduation, he joined Louisiana Department of Highways as an Assistant District Laboratory Engineer of the Testing and Research Section, and was promoted to District Laboratory Engineering in 1958, and Soils Design Engineer in 1961. In 1963, he started his stellar career at Louisiana State University as an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1967 and full Professor in 1970. He also served as the Assistant Director of the Division of Engineering Research 1965-1976.
 
In 1976, Arman became the Chairman of the Department of Civil Engineering. He was appointed Associate Dean for Instruction and Undergraduate Studies in 1980, a position he served for seven years. He effectively participated in the legislative establishment in 1986 of the Louisiana Transportation Research Center, LTRC, jointly sponsored by Louisiana State University and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Arman served as the founder and director of LTRC until 1989 when he retired from LSU to join Woodward-Clyde Consultants as Senior Consultant and Vice-President, and later as Vice-President and Principal until 1998.
 
Arman is a professional civil engineer registered in the state of Louisiana with over 40 years of experience in the field of environmental, civil, geotechnical, and geosynthetics engineering. He is a member and officer of many national and international professional and honorary engineering organizations. He has in excess of seventy publications in the field of geotechnical engineering, chemical stabilization of soils, use of geosynthetics as applied to transportation, ports, airports, industrial sites and other facilities. They have been published in technical journals and books in several countries including the USA, Great Britain, France, Turkey, Switzerland, Sweden, USSR, Germany and Japan.
 
Arman is a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is the 2001 recipient of the prestigious A.E. Wilder, Jr. Award for Outstanding Service of the American Consulting Engineers Council.
 
In 1963, Arman was married to former Claudia Carr of Bogalusa, Louisiana, and they have two children Eric and Michelle. Arman presently resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Year Inducted: 2001
Attachments: http://www.cee.lsu.edu/people/Lists/hd/Attachments/4/ARMAN_web.jpg
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