Course One - Spring 2017

Course One Newsletter | Spring 2017

Climate Change and the Nile River Getting their Hands Dirty page 7

TREX offers undergraduates the opportunity to get out in the field.

At the intersection Tracing One of the of industry and implications of strongest, lightest the development of materials known academia page 21 new technologies page 39 Infrastructure, Smart Cities and Transportation Workshop sheds light on collaboration opportunities between MIT and Parsons Corporation.

page 33

After a fifty year tenure, Professor Joseph Sussman reflects on his career at MIT.

Porous, 3-D forms of graphene can be 10 times as strong as steel but much lighter.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

cee.mit.edu

CEE has a new look

cee.mit.edu

Letter from Markus

01

Community Updates

03

TREX 2017

07

Nile Faces Greater Variability

13

Faculty Updates

15

Infrastructure, Smart Cities and Transportation Workshop

21

John Ochsendorf named AAR Director

27

Research Highlights

29

Joseph Sussman Profile

33

Designing the strongest, lightest material

39

In the Department

41

Alumni Updates

43

Looking Forward

45

A Note From Markus

“In CEE we encourage our students to see the world as their classroom, and to see global challenges as problems they are equipped to solve.�

1

Dear CEE Alumni and Friends, I hope this spring edition of the CEE newsletter finds you well and provides an overview of all that our students, researchers and faculty have accomplished since our last issue. We have seen some truly inspiring and remarkable research stem out of our department in the past few months, and we are looking forward to the new places our research will take us. In CEE we encourage our students to see the world as their classroom, and to see global challenges as problems they are equipped to solve. Current and former CEE students continue to demonstrate the remarkable impact civil and environmental engineers have on the world.

In January, a group of students participated in Traveling Research Environmental eXperiences (TREX) in Hawaii, where they studied cost-effective air and soil monitoring solutions. On campus, our unique mini-UROP program offered chance for freshmen to experience CEE labs and research over IAP. A number of these students continued their research into this semester. In a few months, Professor Admir Masic will lead a program on Materials in Art, Archaeology and Architecture (ONE-MA3) in Italy. A number of these opportunities were featured at the fourth annual CEE Video Competition that challenged members of the community, to show what Course 1 means to them and how CEE research has a global impact.

Our faculty and researchers continue to conduct innovative and critical research, from the impact of climate change on the Nile River to bio-inspired materials that could control soft robotics. I encourage you to read about their recent publications in this newsletter, and I invite you to get a first-hand look at the ongoing research in CEE at the Alumni Research Breakfast on June 8.

A number of our faculty have been given high honors and awards, including Professor Dara Entekhabi, who was elected to the National Academy of Engineers. We also have a few faculty changes to announce for the upcoming year. Professor John Ochsendorf was selected to serve as the 23rd director of the American Academy of Rome, and will be spending the next three years in Italy. Following this exciting opportunity, John will return to MIT. Additionally, longtime professors Joseph Sussman and Harry Hemond will be retiring from MIT following distinguished careers with CEE. I sincerely thank Joe and Harry for their dedication to the department.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the new layout of this edition of the CEE newsletter, and I encourage you to explore the latest happenings in our growing department. As always, please stop by the department and say “hello� if you have the chance. One of the things I enjoy most is connecting with our alumni and friends and hearing of your accomplishments, so please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Markus J. Buehler

2

Community Updates ODGE graduate honors

Graduate students Julia Hopkins, Fatima Hussain and Judy “Qingjun” Yang were honored as 2017 Office of the Dean for Graduate Education (ODGE) Graduate Women of Excellence on April 24.

Hussain and Hopkins were recognized for starting the mini-UROP program, which gives freshmen

the opportunity to get hands-on research in CEE labs over IAP. Judy “Qingjun” Yang was recognized

for her work on sustainability at MIT and her passion for communicating environmental science to the general public.

3

Annual CEE Research Speed Dating Day highlights diversity of research

The 7th Annual CEE Research Speed Dating Day brought together undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, research scientists, and faculty members to share their research and to inspire new ideas. This year, additional community members were able to participate through electronic poster sessions, including freshmen who completed the mini-UROP program over IAP. The event was organized by Professors Tal Cohen and Serguei Saavedra.

Read More Here

Through the lens of CEE students: MEng student wins IAP Photo Contest

Masters of Engineering (MEng) student Jingwen Wang won the CEE Independent Activities Period photo contest with this picture of a glass oculus located at the Fulton Center in New York City. Wang captured the photo while on the MEng class trip to NYC.

4

mini-UROP gives 20 freshmen a glimpse into CEE

A group of 20 freshmen spent their Independent Activities Period (IAP) conducting research in CEE Labs. A number of participants continued their work into the spring semester. A select number of students were also invited to present their research at CEE Research Speed Dating, an annual showcase highlighting the diverse research conducted across the department.

Read More Here

Senior Julia Heyman wins 2017 Carroll L. Wilson Award, will conduct research in Indonesia

Senior Julia Heyman was recently awarded the 2017 Caroll L. Wilson Award, a prize that funds a year of research. She will travel to Indonesia after graduation and will be pursuing a project on the implementation of wheelchair sensors.

Read More Here

5

Video Competition

The Fourth Annual CEE Video Competition highlighted the wide range of approaches CEE students

take to solving the world’s most challenging problems and the creative ways they share their research.

This year’s entries ranged from women in science, a lab tour, humanitarian aid trips and fieldwork

experiences. Junior Alexa Jaeger (center) won first place and People’s Choice for her video, UAVs

in Precision Agriculture. Senior Kathy Dieppa (left) won second place for her entry, Back to Basics:

Improving Access to Water and Sanitation in El Salvador. Graduate student Tiziana Smith (right) won third place for her video, Research for a Hungry World.

Read More Here

Graduate students work to develop a waterless toilet for homes without power or plumbing

PhD students Yongji Wang and Yunteng Cao are members of change:WATER Labs, a group seeking to create a compact, evaporative toilet that can be used in houses without water or plumbing. The toilet has numerous potential uses, but change:WATER Labs has identified refugee camps as their initial use.

Read More Here

6

Getting their hands dirty

7

Students experience fieldwork in Hawaii TREX program offers undergraduates the opportunity to get out in the field.

In CEE, students are encouraged to apply material from class and to get hands-on experience in the field. From monitoring air quality and conducting chemical analysis of soil samples, to learning about Hawaiian culture, a group of undergraduate students gained this real-world experience through a unique program that takes them to the Island of Hawaii (“the Big Island”) over the month-long Independent Activities Period (IAP) in January.

Traveling Research Environmental eXperiences (TREX) is a fieldwork experience that takes a group of undergraduates from CEE and other departments, along with CEE professors and teaching assistants, to the Big Island to monitor air quality and to study plant health. The two-week adventure involves creating air sensors, installing them in various locations on the island, and coupling chemical analysis with images from drones to monitor plant health from multiple locations. The research is supplemented with adventures such as visiting live volcanoes, seeing a lava pond and going to the beach.

“Field subjects like TREX are an integral part of the CEE undergraduate curriculum, as they offer deep exposure to a real-world setting in which theory and practice meet. TREX supports our department’s focus on the environment and infrastructure; the research experience demonstrates how the world is our classroom,” said CEE department head and McAfee Professor of Engineering Markus Buehler.

8

Professors prepare students for fieldwork TREX has been taking students out of the classroom and into the field since 2000. They have studied in international and domestic settings, but this year was the 12th year the trip has returned to Hawaii.

TREX 2017 was led by assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering Ben Kocar, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and chemical engineering Jesse Kroll, and associate department head and Mitsui Career Development Associate Professor Colette Heald.

The professors were supported by two teaching assistants, David Hagan and Jon Kaneshiro, both graduate students in CEE. TREX revolves around two research projects that evolve and build off of

9

each other year after year. Kroll leads one project, started in 2015, that measures sulfur dioxide by building and installing low-cost portable sensors in public spaces around the Big Island. Kocar leads the other project that looks at soil nutrients and plant health by collecting soil and plant tissue and supplementing those samples with images from an unpiloted aerial vehicle (UAV).

A week before the group departed for Hawaii, everyone met daily to learn about the two projects and to research and present on the geography, history and demographics of the

“One thing I learned from TREX is that

fieldwork is not perfect.�

-Alexa Jaeger

Big Island. The group received a tutorial from CEE postdoc Will Porter on the programming language R, which was essential for analyzing the data collected. The students are encouraged to take the lead on these projects, so they participated in paper

discussions to understand UAV and remote-sensing techniques that they would need in the field. But it isn’t easy to create a method for an environment that the students haven’t seen. “They started the methodology almost on the fly, which is part of what we want. We want to immerse them and then say, ‘alright, this is your project,’” Kocar said.

“Fieldwork requires resourcefulness” From January 13 to 27, the group adjusted to Hawaii and was able to both create and execute methods for their projects. From gathering soil samples to installing portable sensors on school houses with zip-ties, the students got a taste of the nature of fieldwork. Although met with some setbacks — such as accidentally mixing soil samples and waiting too long for reactions to occur during chemical analysis — students came away from the trip with a deeper understanding of a fieldwork experience.

“One thing I learned from TREX is that fieldwork is not perfect. Sometimes things don’t work, or you don’t have something that you need because you aren’t in a lab. Fieldwork requires resourcefulness and a lot of critical thinking to get the work done with the materials at hand,” said Alexa Jaeger, a third-year student in CEE and the Department of Earth,

Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences.

On the first few days of the trip, the students presented their research and

findings to MIT alumni. Despite being only a few days into their research, the group was able to present what they were studying and details of the projects, Kocar recalls. “MIT alumni know what MIT students’ strengths and weaknesses are, and they’re able to ask questions relating to both of those things. The alumni ask them thought-provoking and intelligent questions, but are supportive at the same time,” Kocar said.

The TREX students got a glimpse of not only the research environment in Hawaii, but also got to interact with local residents. Richard Ha, the owner of a local farm where one group collected data on a sweet potato farm, gave a tour of his land and showed

10

how he creates his own electricity.

They also toured the Hawaii Volcano Observatory, observed a lava pond, and hiked to see Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Every year, TREX culminates with a presentation to the community that highlights the key findings of their research. This year, the group presented their measurements and findings at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority Gateway Energy Center. The students presented their findings to an audience of community members, including David Fuertes, one of the farmers who let the students study his land, and a few retired scientists.

The projects produced impressive results. Since Kroll and his students started the low-cost air quality sensor project in 2015, the sensors have improved. Now, they are able to collect data that mirrors data from the Hawaii Department of Health, but at a much lower cost. The students also saw 11

in their SO2 sensor data that there is potential to get much more detailed spatial information, by monitoring SO2 with the UAV. Kocar’s project, which examines soil and plant health on various farms, demonstrated wide variability in soil properties essential for supporting crops, even within a seemingly small 7-acre field. These properties include soil moisture, nutrient content, and other chemical parameters such as pH; the soil samples they collected will be further analyzed for additional nutrients in the spring semester.

Continuing research at MIT TREX may only be few weeks long, but the students continue their research during 1.092 (Traveling Research Environmental eXperience: Fieldwork Analysis and Communication), a spring subject that follows the trip. The students researching air quality with Kroll will “examine the calibration of the sensors and learn how to convert signal (voltage) to SO2 concentration, and how this calibration may change over weeks to months. They will also

try to use the SO2 data to understand what controls the distribution of SO2 across the island, and to what extent people in different areas/communities are exposed to it,” Kroll said.

Kocar’s group will seek to improve their image processing capabilities, which will aid their interpretation of UAV remote sensing data. They will also analyze the soil samples they collected and link these measurements with UAV data, with the goal of deciphering soil properties that may be limiting crop growth in different areas of a field. “Important plant nutrients that are applied are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. We’ll be analyzing the soil and plant tissue samples for those nutrients and also how plant-available they are in the soil in different locations throughout the field area,” Kocar said.

TREX research doesn’t end at the end of the semester, either.

Sometimes, going on TREX results in students getting published in

academic journals. In 2015, research collected from Kroll’s project on TREX was published in Environmental Science and Technology for a paper on “Atmospheric Evolution of Sulfur Emissions from Kilauea.”

“There are two reasons that TREX is really amazing. Scientifically, the students get to really dig in to fieldwork in a short amount of time. Every year the students collect so much data and do so much analysis in two weeks, and 99 percent of them love it; they love to dig in full force and get these amazing results,” Kocar said. “They’re also doing fieldwork in an amazing place.

From the sweet potato farm that we were on, you could see Mauna Kea on one side and the ocean on the other. The diversity of the plant life, the culture of Hawaii is just incredible to soak in.”

12

Nile faces greater variability Climate change could lead to overall increase in river flow, but more droughts and floods, study shows.

13

The unpredictable annual flow of the Nile River is legendary, as evidenced by the story of Joseph and the Pharaoh, whose dream foretold seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine in a land whose agriculture was, and still is, utterly dependent on that flow. Now, researchers at MIT have found that climate change may drastically increase the variability in Nile’s annual output.

Being able to predict the amount of flow variability, and even to forecast likely years of reduced flow, will become ever more important as the population of the Nile River basin, primarily in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, is expected to double by 2050, reaching nearly 1 billion. The new study, based on a variety of global climate models and records of rainfall and flow rates over the last half-century, projects an increase of 50 percent in the amount of flow variation from year to year.

The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, was carried out by professor of civil and environmental engineering Elfatih Eltahir and postdoc Mohamed Siam. They found that as a result of a warming climate, there will be an increase in the intensity and duration of the Pacific Ocean phenomenon known as the El Niño/La Niña cycle, which they had previously shown is strongly connected to annual rainfall variations in the Ethiopian highlands and adjacent eastern Nile basins. These regions are the primary sources of the Nile’s waters, accounting for some 80 percent of the river’s total flow.

Read More Here

14

Faculty Updates

Professor Dara Entekhabi

Professor Cynthia Barnhart

Professor Markus Buehler

Water

Cynthia Barnhart, MIT chancellor, Ford

Markus Buehler, Head of CEE and

Foundations Professor of CEE and

Foundation Professor of Engineering,

McAfee Professor of Engineering, was

Earth,

Planetary

and professor of civil and environmental

elected President of the Society for

Sciences Dara Entekhabi was elected

engineering, was recently elected to

Engineering Science (SES). Buehler

to the National Academy of Engineering

the American Academy of Arts and

will serve as Vice President in 2018,

(NAE) for his leadership in the hydrologic

Sciences. Barnhart is one of eleven MIT

as President of SES in 2019, and Past

sciences.

professors elected to the academy this

President in 2020. SES encourages

year.

collaboration

Bacardi

and

Stockholm

Atmospheric

Read More Here

and

Read More Here

15

between

various

disciplines in engineering, sciences, and mathematics.

Professor Carolina Osorio

Professor Saurabh Amin

Professor Carolina Osorio was promoted to Associate

Professor Saurabh Amin was recently promoted to Associate

Professor without Tenure (AWOT), effective July 1, 2017.

Professor without Tenure (AWOT), effective July 1, 2017.

Osorio is currently an Assistant Professor and works at the

Amin is currently the Robert N. Noyce Career Development

intersection of urban transportation and operations research.

Assistant Professor and works in the area of cyber-physical infrastructure systems.

16

Faculty Updates

Professor Penny Chisholm

Professor Elfatih Eltahir

Institute Professor Penny Chisholm was featured on MIT

Breene M. Kerr Professor Elfatih Eltahir is launching a new

News for her environmental children’s book series. Chisholm

collaborative project with the Massachusetts Department

partnered with award-winning children’s book author and

of Public Health to study Aedes mosquitos, the carriers

illustrator Molly Bang to create the “Sunlight Series,” a

of Dengue and Zika. The project is sponsored by the US

collection of four books that explain the Earth’s processes.

Center for Disease Control (CDC). Eltahir delivered a

The latest book is entitled Rivers of Sunlight: How the Sun

related lecture on the “Impact of Climate Change on Public

Moves Water Around the Earth.

Health: A Global Perspective” at the winter meeting of the

Read More Here

17

Massachusetts Infectious Diseases Society.

Professor Benedetto Marelli Cambridge Crops, a company inspired by research from Paul M. Cook Career Development Assistant Professor Benedetto Marelli, won first place at the second annual Rabobank-MIT Food and Agribusiness Innovation Prize competition for their edible, tasteless coating that can be applied to crops to extend their shelf life and delay spoiling. Cambridge Crops consists of a team from MIT and Tufts University.

Read More Here

Professor Lydia Bourouiba Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Career Development Assistant Professor Lydia Bourouiba was featured in the third episode of Science Friday and Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s series “Breakthrough: Portraits of Women in Science.” The Science Friday and HHMI series on Women in Science features six distinguished scientists and their research.

The aim of the series is to increase the public’s access to science and inspire and increase the numbers of minorities in STEM. Click below to watch the third episode highlighting Bourouiba’s research and her path to MIT, “Breakthrough: Connecting the drops.”

Watch Here

18

Faculty Updates

Professor Ruben Juanes

Professor Dennis McLaughlin

Associate Professor and Director of the Henry L. Pierce

H.M. King Bhumibol Professor Dennis McLaughlin received

Laboratory for Infrastructure Science and Engineering

the Frank E. Perkins Institute Award at the MIT Awards

Ruben Juanes, along with researchers from Harvard

Convocation on May 1. The Frank E. Perkins Award is given

University, delivered a report to the Minister of Energy

to a professor who demonstrates excellence in graduate

of Spain that confirmed gas injection at an offshore gas

advising and mentorship.

storage platform was the cause of a series of earthquakes in 2013. The Spanish government requested the report from MIT and Harvard.

Read More Here

19

Professor Harry Hemond

Professor Joseph Sussman

Professor Harry Hemond is retiring after 39 years at MIT. He

Joseph Sussman, of CEE and the Institute for Systems, Data

joined the CEE faculty in 1978 after earning his PhD at MIT in

and Society (IDSS) is retiring after 50 years in CEE. Sussman

1977. Hemond dedicated his career to studying the Earth’s

joined MIT faculty in 1967 after earning a PhD in Civil

biochemical cycles, and has made numerous seminal

Engineering Systems at MIT. During his tenure as a faculty

contributions to the biogeochemistry of heavy metals, the

member, Sussman served as Head of the Department of Civil

cycling of carbon and nitrogen, and the mechanisms of pH

and Environmental Engineering and as Director of the Center

control and methane emissions in natural waters. A beloved

for Transportation Studies. In his research, where he applies

advisor and mentor to students and colleagues, much of

a systems approach to transportation, he has worked in rail

his research entailed the concurrent development of novel

freight transportation operations, intelligent transportation

in-situ sensors and instruments, such as a miniaturized

systems, regional strategic transportation planning, and

cycloidal mass spectrometer for deployment on robotic

passenger rail, emphasizing high-speed rail. In 1991,

underwater vehicles. Hemond served for 10 years as

Sussman was named MIT’s first JR East professor and played

director of the R. M. Parsons Laboratory, and is a recipient

an instrumental role in building a strong relationship between

of the Bose teaching award, the Maseeh teaching award,

MIT and the East Japan Railway. A revered advisor and

and the Irwin Sizer Award. He is also lead author of the

mentor to students and colleagues, he led several generations

widely-used textbook, Chemical Fate and Transport in the

of graduate students in the study of complex, sociotechnical

Environment, and has received numerous awards from

systems. Sussman is the author of a graduate text entitled

professional societies.

Introduction to Transportation Systems and is the recipient of the 2017 CEE Distinguished Service and Leadership Award, as well as many awards from professional societies.

20

At the intersection of industry and academia

Infrastructure, Smart Cities and Transportation Workshop sheds light on collaboration opportunities between MIT and Parsons Corporation.

21

In an effort to solve pressing issues faced by

connect the theory of our research with applications

the engineering industry and by the world more

within and outside of academia. Today is the

broadly, researchers from across MIT joined forces

perfect example of that connection,� said graduate

with representatives from Parsons Corporation, a

student Adam Rosenfield on behalf of the MIT

technology-driven engineering services firm, for a

Transportation Student Group, a student society of

day of collaboration.

the Interdepartmental Program in Transportation.

The Infrastructure, Smart Cities and Transportation

The day-long event brought together faculty

Workshop, co-hosted by the Department of Civil and

members and leaders from cross-cutting initiatives

Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Parsons, was

and programs from across MIT, leadership

held on March 8. The event opened doors to future

representatives from Parsons, and students and

opportunities for MIT researchers and members of

postdocs from many corners of MIT to explore

the engineering industry to work together.

parallels between ongoing research and current

“As students we can easily get caught up in the

industry needs. The event highlighted how

weeds of our technical research, so we find it

combining resources from academia and the

rewarding to hear from experts who can help us

engineering industry can solve major infrastructure

22

and transportation problems and ultimately create a

an environment where students from all over the

more sustainable world.

world can come and work together to tackle big

Overlaps between Parsons and CEE run deeper

problems, that kind of culture is also important to us

than research topics. Head of CEE Markus Buehler,

at Parsons.”

the McAfee Professor of Engineering and organizer

Empowering with data

of the workshop, explained that Ralph M. Parsons,

“We can wake up, check a few apps, and decide

Parsons’ founder, donated the funds needed to

in real-time at what time we are going to leave for

double the size of the old CEE hydrology laboratory.

work, what mode we will take, and what route we will

In 1970, the renovated and remodeled lab was

take,” said Carolina Osorio, assistant professor in

renamed the Ralph M. Parsons Laboratory for

CEE. This is just one example of smart mobility.

Environmental Science and Engineering.

The concepts of smart mobility and smart cities

“MIT’s commitment to address the most challenging

were central to the discussions at the workshop.

issues in infrastructure and environment and the

By deeming something “smart,” one is referring the

focus of Parsons to solve the toughest problems

use of data and networked systems to create more

are an incredibly exciting mix that can lead to new

efficient and sustainable alternatives to established

paradigms of innovation and impact,” Buehler said.

“Many of the ideas discussed at the workshop could define the future of civil and environmental engineering professionals. Changing the world to become a better place has never been more urgent and tangible.”

Biff Lyons, executive vice president of Parsons’ Security and Intelligence Division, furthered this idea by commenting on the innovative culture at MIT. “The unique nature of what you do here, to create

23

norms. These types of “smart� innovations are

behavior laboratory, Future Mobility Sensing, and a

already embedded into the world; smart mobility

computer simulation laboratory, SimMobility, to make

could refer to apps like Uber and Lyft, which allow

inferences about user preferences and to evaluate

users to track in real-time where their taxi service is

smart mobility solutions using real data and under

located, such as the situation that Osorio referenced.

various scenarios. Ben-Akiva gave an overview of

Likewise, a smart city might utilize an app that

his numerous research projects, including real-time

shows the exact route of a snow plow, suggested

toll optimization in Texas, Autonomous Mobility On-

Lester Yoshida, senior vice president of Intelligent

Demand in Singapore, Flexible Mobility On-Demand

Transportation Systems at Parsons. The value of

in Japan, and Tripod, a system of sustainable

smart cities and improved infrastructure became

travel incentives with prediction, optimization and

increasingly apparent during numerous talks

personalization capabilities in Boston. He concluded

throughout the day.

his talk by discussing the impacts of smart mobility

Transportation is central to the design and function

and new technologies on the future of urban

of smart cities, especially in urban settings. Bringing

mobility.

together scholars from across multiple departments

Data are extremely valuable in transportation

resulted in an interdisciplinary approach to an oft-

research. Yoshida stressed the importance of origin

studied field. Combined with industry expertise from

and destination pairs, data points that show the

Parsons, intelligent transportation was another major

routes autonomous vehicles (AVs) use on their trips.

topic of interest throughout the workshop.

By looking at this information, Yoshida suggests the

Moshe Ben-Akiva, the Edmund K. Turner Professor

developers of AVs can more effectively understand

of CEE, began the dialogue about smart mobility,

the impact of AVs on traffic and infrastructure. The

speaking specifically about the use of optimization

insight can allow for further consideration of how to

and behavioral modeling techniques to design

create more efficient systems to take advantage of

efficient and personalized smart mobility solutions.

the existing infrastructure and to not congest certain

Ben-Akiva’s group has developed an app-based

areas.

24

25

“The key feature in transportation that’s really

transportation technology to shape travel behavior

changing the field is all this data that we have

and design mobility systems.

available,” said Osorio, who develops methods to

Zhao also pointed out the social function of the

inform the design and operations of large-scale

sharing economy, particularly ride-sharing. He

mobility systems, while accounting for the intricate

explained that with public transit, “even though it is

real-time interactions between the system and

public, it does not induce social behavior. People

its users. “We now have travelers that are better

look down and avoid making eye contact with

equipped with data and have a better understanding

each other. But in the back of a car, it’s different.

of the system and what their options are.”

That’s where conversation happens.” The nature

While this is empowering to travelers, it puts

of shared car rides is impromptu, captive for a

increasing demand on the operators, designers and

considerable duration, and remarkably more

stakeholders that collect the information, since they

intimate, representing a unique juxtaposition of

now need to predict how individual users will react

spontaneity and intensity. He also noted that the

in real-time and how that will impact traffic patterns

opportunity for social interaction in ride-sharing

throughout the city, Osorio noted.

can reduce the anxiety during commuting, enable

Hype and hacks of autonomous transportation

passengers to use the time more productively, and

and smart infrastructures

fertilize innovative mobility system design. But Zhao

Jinhua Zhao, the Edward H. and Joyce Linde

also warned the potential for social prejudice to be

Assistant Professor of City and Transportation

reflected in the ride sharing context and called for

Planning in the Department of Urban Studies

regulatory innovations.

and Planning (DUSP), spoke about the social

While there is lots of excitement surrounding

and emotional aspects of transportation that are

autonomous vehicles, Ali Jadbabaie, the JR East

often ignored in transportation research, and

Professor of CEE and Institute for Data, Systems

how behavioral science can be integrated with

and Society (IDSS) and associate director of IDSS,

pointed out the vulnerability of self-driving cars to

to ensure security.

cyberphysical attacks. Jadbabaie described this as

What’s next?

“hype and asymmetry,” an imbalance between the

Transportation is constantly evolving, from the rise of

excitement about AVs versus the ease of attack and

Uber and ride-sharing, to self-driving cars taking to

difficulty of defense. He furthermore pointed out the

the roads. Smart cities will also continue to evolve as

importance of understanding the social behavior

transportation and other new technologies change.

of drivers and how the self-driving cars and regular

Even though smart cities and autonomous vehicles are

vehicles can coexist in the near future.

at the top of many peoples’ minds, Gibran Hadj-Chikh,

Assistant Professor of CEE Saurabh Amin

director of innovative transport at Parsons, reminded

similarly presented on cyber-physical infrastructure

the audience that “we never know what’s coming,” and

security. He studies network control and resilient

that it’s vital to think outside of the box at what other

infrastructures, and spoke about the use of

alternatives there are that could enter the market.

algorithms to detect and respond to both random

Osorio echoed this uncertainty of the future; “When

and adversarial incidents in a network, such as

we think about the next generation of systems, there’s

in electrical power distribution and urban water

a lot of uncertainty about what it’s going to look like.

systems. He and researchers from the Resilient

Very disruptive technologies like Uber and autonomous

Infrastructure Networks Lab create algorithms that

vehicles are going to keep presenting themselves, and

anticipate and plan for malicious attacks on systems,

they’re going to change how users interact with the

such as the hacks alluded to by Jadbabaie.

system and what types of new mobility services need to

Cybersecurity is also one service Parsons provides.

be provided,” she said.

Jay Williams, vice president of critical infrastructure

Fortunately, the innovation and successful

protection at Parsons, spoke briefly about when

entrepreneurship that stems from MIT is well-positioned

cyber-attacks converge with physical spaces and he

to address the future of transportation and infrastructures

described the multi-faceted approach Parsons uses

as they progress and advance over time.

26

American Academy in R John Ochsendorf as 23

MIT professor in architecture and engineering will serve three-y

27

Rome appoints 3rd director

year term.

MIT Professor John Ochsendorf has been named as the 23rd director of the American Academy in Rome (AAR). Ochsendorf, a professor with dual appointments in the departments of Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering, will serve a three-year term beginning July 1, after which he will return to MIT. Ochsendorf is the Class of 1942 Professor of Architecture and Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. A structural engineer with multidisciplinary research interests including the history of construction, masonry mechanics, and sustainable design, Ochsendorf conducts research on the structural safety of historic monuments and the design of more sustainable infrastructure.

In 2008 Ochsendorf was named a MacArthur Fellow for his pioneering work using comparative cultural and historical studies to explore pre-industrial engineering traditions.

Beyond his teaching and research, he has been an active presence on the MIT campus, living as a head of house with his family in the Warehouse, a graduate residential community, and serving as the faculty chair of MIT’s 2016 Campus Centennial Celebration.

Read More Here

28

Research Highlights

New research shows tiny marine organism holds clues to the evolution of entire ecosystems Research carried out by Rogier Braakman, a CEE Postdoc affiliated with the labs of Institute Professor Penny Chisholm and Professor Mick Follows of CEE and the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and

Planetary Sciences (EAPS), shows that the evolution of Prochlorococcus, the smallest and most abundant photosynthetic cell, can provide insight into the evolution of ecosystems. The research was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

29

Read More Here

Professor Xuanhe Zhao creates hydrogel robots

Associate Professor of CEE and Mechanical Engineering Xuanhe Zhao and Mechanical Engineering graduate

student Hyunwoo Yuk have created gel-based robots that move when water is pumped in and out of them. The

robots are almost invisible when in water, and can have many potential uses, such as assisting in surgical operations and evading underwater detection.

Read More Here

Professor Heidi Nepf to collaborate with Conservation International

Donald and Martha Harleman Professor Heidi Nepf will work with scientists from Conservation International (CI), a nonprofit environmental organization, to further develop a model describing the effectiveness of mangrove

forest in damping waves and storm surge. Nepf and her team will be able to develop and test their models using CI’s field offices in the Philippines.

Read More Here

30

New research using NASA data gives insight for global soil moisture Research from Bacardi and Stockholm Water Foundations Professor Dara Entekhabi uses data from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite to study global soil moisture. Entekhabi also serves as a SMAP

Science Team leader. The research, published in Nature Geosciences, provides insight into climate, agriculture and weather on a global scale.

31

Read More Here

Professor Xuanhe Zhao creates living wearable sensors that light up in response to chemicals Associate Professor of CEE and Mechanical Engineering Xuanhe Zhao created wearable sensors that light up in the presence of certain chemicals. The sensors are made of sheets of hydrogel and contain live cells.

They can detect chemicals in the body and the environment.

Read More Here

Worms inspire new mutable materials for potential applications in soft robots

Former CEE PhD student Chia-Ching Chou ’15, research scientists Fran Martin-Martinez and Zhao Quin, and CEE Department Head and McAfee Professor of Engineering Markus Buehler published research that uses

protein from the strong and adaptable jaw of a marine worm to model its behavior in various environments. The

jaw is made of soft, organic matter but becomes as strong as bones and minerals in different environments, and thus could be used to control soft robotics. The research was conducted in collaboration with the Air Force Research Lab and was published in ACS Nano.

Read More Here

32

also served as a Core Professor in the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS).

CEE Professor Nigel Wilson recalls meeting

Sussman during his first semester of graduate school at MIT, when Sussman was serving as a teaching assistant for a graduate computer

class. “He impressed me from the outset with his dedication to MIT and his love of teaching and mentoring students,� Wilson said.

During his time as graduate student, Sussman recognized what he considers to be a key

component to successful research and ideas:

identifying the institutional and social aspects of implementing and deploying new systems and technologies. The recognition is a thread that

Joseph Sussman: Tracing implications of the development of new technologies

followed Sussman throughout his career in CEE,

Joseph Sussman arrived at MIT for graduate school to contribute to fundamental changes occurring in engineering: the application of

computers to engineering methods. Since arriving in Cambridge in 1964, he has witnessed how the field of civil and environmental engineering has grown and evolved.

After earning his Ph.D. in CEE in 1967, he joined the CEE faculty and was an active member of

the department over his 50-year career, including serving as Department Head for five years.

Specializing in transportation systems, Sussman served as the inaugural JR East Professor and

fostered a strong relationship between the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and MIT. In addition to his faculty tenure in CEE, Sussman 33

Sussman stands with 2014 R/HSR master’s students after commencement.

even as his research interests expanded and evolved.

Addressing broader implications that

emerge alongside the development of new technologies

Sussman applied his systems expertise to

various projects throughout his career, including

freight rail, intelligent transportation systems and market selection processes. Reflecting on his

tenure at MIT, Sussman stressed the vital need for academics and researchers to understand

both the technological and social implications of

solutions.

“We did a lot of fundamental research on how you

a project called Integrated Civil Engineering

had a substantial impact. The reason we were

As a graduate student, Sussman worked on Systems (ICES). ICES was the brainchild of the

late Professor Emeritus Charles Miller, who was head of CEE at the time. Sussman explains

that ICES was Miller’s “Vision for a big mega-

could improve service reliability, and I think that able to have an impact is we spent a lot of time

thinking about how the institutions of railroading had to change,” Sussman said. For example, in

computer system that would be applied to a

variety of civil engineering applications.” Under Professor Emeritus Daniel Roos, Sussman’s

work on ICES became the topic of his doctoral

dissertation. It was also one of the earliest signs

of needing to consider the institutional and social implications of technological advances.

“The idea that the software had to work was important, but we also had to realize that

the profession had to change. People in civil

Sussman and the 2016 R/HSR Masters students with their signed theses.

engineering practice, who hadn’t been used to

order to address issues of service reliability, the

computers, were going to have to be convinced

of scheduling changes on service reliability and

and probably weren’t convinced of the efficacy of that they made sense,” Sussman said. “We

worked just as hard on getting people to accept

the idea as we did on the software itself.” ICES is generally accepted as having a profound effect

on the practice of engineering in the early days of the computer revolution.

Sussman developed an interest in transportation systems as he finished his graduate degree

and began his tenure as CEE faculty in the late 1960s. His first project as a faculty member

was related to freight transportation, the use of railroads to move goods around the country.

Specifically, Sussman analyzed service reliability, which had a “tremendous impact on the viability of railroads as they competed with the trucking industry much as they do today,” he explained.

Throughout this project, Sussman and his

research team again acknowledged the need for broader institutional changes.

railroad industry had to consider the implications modify the way the industry measured service.

This research had a major effect on the railroad industry and the way it performed and was managed in the 1970s.

Sussman specialized in freight transportation

through the 1970s, shifting gears in the 1980s to explore Intelligent Transportation Systems

(ITS), the use of advanced technology to make

transportation networks operate efficiently. While serving as the first Distinguished University

Scholar at the Intelligent Transportation Society

of American in 1991, he was a member of a small team that developed the first National Strategic

Plan for ITS in the United States. This plan shaped the development of ITS for more than a decade.

The ITS studies demonstrated how new

technology can “provide capacity on our nation’s highways and do it in such a way that it might

obviate the need for building more highways,” 34

Sussman said. Although this solution seems like

regional transportation and in particular, high-

the need to look at the broader implications of

“We didn’t officially name the group until later on,

a feasible opportunity, Sussman again highlighted suggesting such changes.

“We have to understand there are a lot of

state departments of highways out there with

people who have made their careers by building infrastructure, and all of the sudden to say, ‘well here’s a new way of providing infrastructure

capacity through advanced technology,’ may not be something they are excited about,” he said.

Sussman was later inducted into the Intelligent

Transportation Society of America Hall of Fame.

Research interests come “Full circle”

In 1991, Sussman refocused his research on rail

systems and was awarded the inaugural JR East

speed rail.

but the genesis of getting involved in high speed rail and understanding the economic impacts

on regional development stemmed from the fact that I was named JR East Professor,” Sussman explained.

The MIT – JR East partnership has benefited

both organizations. Over the past 25 years, the

partnership has allowed researchers from JR East to study at MIT, and for MIT students to pursue internships with JR East. R/HSR in particular

has worked with JR East on numerous projects, ranging from safety of high speed rail to market

Professorship, an endowed chair that enabled the establishment of a long-standing and productive partnership between the East Japan Railway

Company and MIT. With his previous experience in railway research, Sussman was well-prepared to expand his research from freight rail into passenger rail.

On March 2, 2017 Sussman was honored at a

ceremony held to recognize the 25th anniversary of the JR East – MIT partnership. “The greatest

Sussman addresses the crowd at the 25th anniversary of the JR East-MIT partnership in March 2017. Sussman served as the JR East Professor for 25 years. Photo Credit: David Sella

as the first JR East Professor and for 25 years of

selection processes.

before my retirement, as an MIT professor for 50

of its services and expertise outside of Japan,

honor in my professional career has been to serve my career,” Sussman said at the event. “I served, years, so exactly half of my stay on the faculty

was as JR East Professor. It’s something in which I take terrific pride.”

It was the beginning of the MIT – JR East

partnership that became the foundation of what

would eventually come to be Sussman’s Regional Transportation Planning and High-Speed Rail

Research Group (R/HSR), an interdisciplinary 35

cohort of students and researchers focused on

When JR East began considering the expansion Sussman and R/HSR developed mathematical

approaches for JR East to use when considering

market selection. Sussman again emphasized that in addition to the technological approach to market selection processes, the researchers needed to

acknowledge the institutional changes that would need to take place at JR East to implement the

market selection process. “The technology, in this case methods to consider different markets that

JR East could go into, had to be supplemented

thinking beyond the technological solution and to

to change in order to take advantage of this new

“As their mentor I would generally try to give them

by how the institutions inside JR East would have methodology.”

In addition to market selection, the R/HSR group also looks at areas of safety, on-

time performance, economic development

look at the wider context.

a broad mandate to consider not only the narrow questions, be it narrow economic questions or narrow technology questions or narrow safety

questions. I urge them to look more broadly at

other aspects of the problem because that would generally lead to much richer kinds of solutions.”

For Joanna Moody, a graduate student in R/HSR and mentee of Sussman, this interdisciplinary

approach has proved valuable. “It really broadens your perspective and your problem solving skills

in any context,” Moody said. “It pushes you to ask difficult questions and to think about how your

research connects with research and practice in Current R/HSR graduate students and local R/HSR alumni joined in the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the JR East-MIT partnership.

Photo Credit: David Sella

opportunities and the creation of urban terminals.

Students and researchers in R/HSR apply these

different topics to various locations. For example, the group has looked at what the economic

development opportunities would be surrounding a high speed rail system between Las Vegas

and Los Angeles. Other studies completed have

looked at the Northeast Corridor and international rail systems.

The R/HSR group was also very active in

Portugal as part of the MIT-Portugal Program (MPP). Sussman was the first director of the

transportation sector of MPP that studied high

speed rail, among other transport applications.

Through his leadership of R/HSR and fostering the JR East – MIT relationship, Sussman

has mentored hundreds of students over his

career. Continuing the theme of interdisciplinary

thinking and considering institutional challenges,

Sussman has instilled in his mentees the value of

other domains.”

Over the past 15 years, Sussman also led

multiple generations of graduate students in the

development of Complex, Large-Scale, Integrated, Open, Socio-Technical (CLIOS) Systems and the

CLIOS Process, a theoretical framework that can be applied to complex systems. R/HSR used the CLIOS Process in creating the JR East market selection process.

“When we have interesting applications, we try to

use the CLIOS Process to understand deeply how those systems work,” Sussman said. The CLIOS

process integrates methods and information from various domains to help researchers analyze complex systems. The CLIOS Process has

also been applied to complex systems including Intelligent Transportation Systems, wind energy

(Cape Wind), air defense and the introduction of broadband access in Kenya.

Sussman arrived at MIT to study systems and the application of computer systems on the civil and

environmental engineering discipline. Although his research evolved from systems to transportation

36

systems, the CLIOS Process was a return to his

of having Joe as a mentor, and learned a lot from

the CLIOS Process “to study all sorts of complex

Sussman has also made a significant impression

original research interest. Sussman developed systems, and not just transportation systems,” which he describes as bringing his research evolution “full circle.”

Maintaining a “Deep commitment to students”

In addition to a rich history of research experience, Sussman has also been an active CEE

community member. He cites Research Speed

Dating, CEE’s annual research showcase, as his favorite community event to attend.

“It’s such a nice way of getting the community together, getting presentations by faculty and

by students. It’s just a very nice event and it’s

grown very nicely over the years,” he said. “Any

him.”

on his students. “Joe treats his students as

intellectual equals and encourages them to come up with their own ideas and to think about things

from different perspectives. He really cares about research and getting good results, but he also

cares about each student individually and what they want to get out of their research and time

at MIT,” Moody said. “He has high expectations,

but he helps you to meet them. He’s always very encouraging.”

Sussman himself was motivated by his own

teachers to get a PhD and pursue a career in

event that has that kind of community flavor, with

faculty, research staff and students, is going to be something I’m going to support.”

Sussman also served as Head of CEE from 1980 to 1985. Over this five-year period, Sussman

applied his belief in the value of interdisciplinary

approaches to solving major engineering issues

to disciplines beyond transportation and systems, particularly through faculty hires.

“Joe has been a tremendous colleague and

Tako Nishiyama, executive director of JR East, exchanges gifts with Professor Joseph Sussman at the 25th anniversary of the MIT – JR East partnership.

Photo Credit: David Sella

many students and faculty. The department has

academia. “I had such positive experiences in

contributions in research, education and service,

professors, I felt that this had to be a very fulfilling

leader in CEE, and his career has inspired

benefitted in many ways from Joe’s exceptional

including his tenure as CEE Department Head in

the 1980s” said Markus Buehler, CEE Department Head and McAfee Professor of Engineering.

“What I find most inspiring is Joe’s deep

commitment to students, and he would rarely miss any department event that offers an opportunity to build the community and make us stronger

together. I am deeply thankful for the opportunity 37

my own studies and was inspired by so many

way of spending one’s career,” he said. “I wanted to advance knowledge and that implied doing

research. I wanted to give back to the community

by teaching young people what I knew, and how to think more broadly in an interdisciplinary way.”

CEE VIDEO COMPETITION

AND THE WINNERS ARE:

First Place: UAVs in Precision Agriculture

Second Place: Improving Access to Water

and Sanitation in El Salvador

Third Place: Research for a Hungry World

Civil and Environmental Engineering

I

IMPACT WARNING ALL PERSONS DEDICATED TO MAKING AND IMPACT ARE ADMITTED

GRAPHIC SCENES OF GLOBAL IMPACT AND SCIENCE, ENERGY, FOOD and WATER RESEARCH

Researchers design on lightest materials know

Porous, 3-D forms of graphene developed at MIT can be 10 times

39

ne of the strongest, wn

s as strong as steel but much lighter.

A team of researchers from the Laboratory for Atomistic and Molecular Mechanics has designed one of the strongest lightweight materials known, by compressing and fusing flakes of graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon. The new material, a sponge-like configuration with a density of just 5 percent, can have a strength 10 times that of steel.

In its two-dimensional form, graphene is thought to be the strongest of all known materials.

But researchers until now have had a hard time translating that two-dimensional strength into useful three-dimensional materials.

The new findings show that the crucial aspect of the new 3-D forms has more to do with their unusual geometrical configuration than with the material itself, which suggests that similar strong, lightweight materials could be made from a variety of materials by creating similar geometric features.

The findings are being reported in the Journal Science Advances, in a paper by Markus Buehler, the head CEE, and the McAfee Professor of Engineering; Zhao Qin, a CEE research scientist; Gang Seob Jung, a graduate student; and Min Jeong Kang MEng ’16, a recent graduate.

Read More Here

40

In the Department

Governor Charlie Baker signs executive order at Center for Transportation and Logistics

Yossi Sheffi, Elisha Gray II Professor of Engineering Systems and CEE, and Director of the Center for Transportation and Logistics, met with Governor Charlie Baker as Baker signed an executive

order that creates the first Governor’s Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts. The Center for Transportation and Logistics’ AgeLab studies how to improve the lifestyle, home and health of the aging population.

41

Read More Here

CSHub hosts meeting with international industry collaborators In February, CSHub hosted a meeting with industry partners from around the world to discuss cement

and sustainability research. The meeting allowed attendees to share information about sustainability in their regions and to learn about potential for future research opportunities with CSHub.

Read More Here

CSHub hosts Panamanian government officials to learn about life-cycle cost analysis models Professor Franz-Josef Ulm and the CSHub welcomed Panamanian government officials to MIT to

discuss research from CSHub that the Panamanian government can use to make informed decisions

when planning infrastructure projects. The visit was part of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s Global Procurement Initiative.

Read More Here

42

Alumni Updates Professor T. William Lambe 1920-2017

T. William “Bill” Lambe, professor emeritus in civil and environmental engineering,

passed away on March 6, 2017. He was 96 years old. Lambe, SM ’44 and PhD ’48,

arrived at MIT to pursue graduate studies after a brief stint working in the engineering

industry. As a graduate student in 1945, Lambe began working as an instructor at MIT.

By July 1959, he was a full professor of CEE. He held the Edmund K. Turner Professor of Civil Engineering professorship from 1969 until his retirement from teaching in June 1981. His academic contributions to geotechnical engineering were fundamental and far reaching, and included research of soil chemistry, soil stabilization and freezing, the stress path method, and the formalizing of geotechnical prediction. Following

his retirement from MIT, Lambe returned to the engineering industry, serving as a consultant on numerous

international projects. Lambe was a member of the National Academy of Engineering, and his more than 100 publications earned him many awards including the ASCE’s highest award, the Norman Medal, in 1964, the

ASCE Terzaghi Award in 1975, and the N.C. State University Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1982.

Read More Here

Professor James “Jim” Mar 1921-2017 James “Jim” Mar, BS ‘41, MS ‘47, and ScD ’49, passed away

on March 4, 2017. He was 96. Mar was a former head of the

Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) and a

scientist with the United States Air Force. At MIT, he headed the AeroAstro Division of Structures, Materials, and Aeroelasticity.

Mar also founded and directed the Technology Laboratory for Advanced Composites and the Space Systems Laboratory.

Read More Here

43

Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel ’78 creates Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel ’78, cofounder and chair of Community Jameel, recently launched a collaboration with MIT called the Abdul Latif Jameel World Education

Lab (J-WEL). J-WEL aims to help educators, universities,

governments, and companies revolutionize the effectiveness and reach of education, and also to help prepare people everywhere for a labor market radically altered by

technological progress, globalization, and the pursuit of higher living standards around the world.

Read More Here

Guiling Wang ‘00 publishes research on extreme precipitationtemperature relationships

Joshua Joseph SM ’95 named CEE Chair at Southern University and A&M College

Dr. Guiling Wang, Ph.D ’00, recently published

Joshua Joseph SM ‘95 was named Chair of Civil and

relationships. Wang is currently Professor of CEE

undergraduate alma mater. At MIT, Joseph studied

research on extreme precipitation-temperature

at the University of Connecticut, where she leads

the Hydroclimatology and Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions group. Wang studied under Elfatih Eltahir.

Read More Here

Environmental Engineering at Southern University, his groundwater hydrology, contaminant transport,

subsurface geology, and numerical modeling under

Professor Dennis McLaughlin at the Parsons Laboratory for Environmental Science and Engineering.

Keep in touch with us!

A new initiative is underway to profile CEE alumni and educate prospective CEE students about the wide

range of careers available to CEE alumni. CEE alumni are encouraged to share their accomplishments to be highlighted online and in future newsletters. Email one@mit.edu with any updates!

44

Looking Forward

June 8: CEE Alumni Research Breakfast

Return to campus on Commencement weekend and hear from CEE faculty about their ongoing research

and recent publications at the CEE Alumni Research Breakfast on June 8. This is a great opportunity to network with fellow alumni and learn about the new and emerging research and happenings in CEE! Register Here

45

June 16-July 5: ONE-MA3 This summer, a group of students will travel to Privernum, Pompeii and Turin with Professor

Admic Masic for the second year of a program

on Materials in Art, Archaeology and Architecture (ONE-MA ). The fieldwork program will give 3

students hands-on research experience.

August 15: CEE Kids Camp

MIT CEE will be hosting its second annual CEE Kids

Camp on August 15! This event is open to all children

and relatives to get a glimpse into the department and

participate in fun, hands-on activities! A formal invitation and specific details will be sent via email in the near future. Email one@mit.edu with any questions!

October 12-13: MIT CEE invites early career women to MIT for workshop

CEE will host a Rising Stars Workshop for early career women in civil and environmental engineering and related

fields interested in careers in academia. The event will bring together the next generation of CEE academic leaders for two days of scientific interactions and career-oriented discussions. It will feature research presentations by the

participants, faculty talks, panels on issues relevant to academic careers, and opportunities for informal networking with faculty members at MIT. An eligible female applicant must be within approximately one year of graduating with

their PhD or have obtained her PhD no earlier than 2012. Women who are currently graduate students or postdocs in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT are not eligible.

Read More Here

46

Support CEE

In CEE, with our cutting-edge research and our distinguished faculty, we constantly work to find solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. As a result of our ever-changing world, our department is in dire need of resources to realize our vision to the fullest extent. Fellowships, space renovations, faculty start-up packages, professorships and chairs, are just a few of our priorities. Our innovative initiatives wouldn’t be possible without you.

Potential federal budget cuts will make it extremely difficult to fund the fundamental research with practical relevance that our department uniquely does so well. This comes at a time when our work in environment and infrastructure is needed more than ever.

Donor support of all sizes impacts many crucial areas including: groundbreaking research, student development, and innovative educational programs. Donor support is critical to maintaining the strength and culture of our department.

Countless research initiatives, faculty appointments and student programs would not be possible without it.

To ensure your donation is received by CEE, please be sure to direct your donations to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department. To expand the impact of your support, we encourage you to also look into your company’s Matching Gift program.

We would be happy to coordinate and explain all of your options for giving to MIT and CEE. To speak to someone directly about philanthropic opportunities in CEE, please contact our Development Officer Alyssa Feit at afeit@mit.edu.

47

48

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Massachusetts Institute of Technology I Department of Civil and Envrionmental Engineering 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 1-290 Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 I (617) 253-7101