civil-engineering

As he was closing in on his Ph.D. and applying for academic positions, David Hurwitz received an offer from the College of Engineering at Oregon State University that was too good to pass up.

Alfiya Orman, a master’s student in civil engineering, sees lighting as a critical aspect of architectural design. In the College of Engineering’s recently constructed Lighting Lab, Orman had access to cutting-edge tools for manipulating different aspects of light to assess its impact on built environments.

Brian Staes, Oregon State University Civil Engineering Student

Brian Staes grew up in hurricane-prone Florida. His father is a roadway design engineer. His mother, who serves as associate director of the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida, was recently appointed to the federal Transit Advisory Committee for Safety by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

From the moment he joined Oregon State University’s College of Engineering in 2019, Aaron Mendez has pursued opportunities that promote leadership and community, including serving as president of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers student chapter and a statewide transportation committee.

Brian Staes moved to Oregon from Florida this past spring to pursue his doctorate in civil engineering with a transportation emphasis at Oregon State University. One of the first things he did upon arrival was visit the coastal town of Seaside to envision people evacuating in the event of a tsunami.

“You can simulate different individuals’ decision-making processes to determine how much it would take for a random person to walk from wherever they are to evacuate,” Staes said.

The next time you hop on a subway or ride a train between terminals at an airport, give a nod to engineers like Chris Tyndall, B.S. civil engineering ’09. A design manager for Kiewit Corp.’s infrastructure engineering design group, Tyndall manages what he calls the “chaotic process” of combining electrical, mechanical, and communications systems in mass transit projects.

Delora Kerber, B.S. civil engineering ’83, director of public works for the city of Wilsonville, Oregon, was selected as a 2021 Top Ten Public Works Leader by the American Public Works Association.

The honor recognizes leaders’ professionalism, expertise, and dedication to improving the quality of life in their communities through the advancement of public works services and technology.

What if you could give millions of people access to safe drinking water and help solve the climate crisis at the same time? As a bonus, you could help your own community prepare for when the Big One comes.

That’s the vision behind a personal-sized water treatment appliance now in development by a team led by two Oregon State engineering alumni.

“For most people around the world, water out of the tap has to be treated, not optionally for better taste but to make it safe to drink,” said Paul Berg, B.S. civil engineering ’78.