News

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Submit news, updates, story ideas to cegenews@umn.edu.

headshot Paige Novak
Department News

Paige Novak will be the new department head

Posted

Professor Paige Novak has been announced as the new head in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, effective in July 2022.

Qizhi He in his office
Department News

Qizhi He joins CEGE

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The Department of Civil, Environmental, an Geo- Engineering welcomes Assistant Professor Qizhi He. He conducts research at the intersection of computational mechanics, materials modeling, and scientific machine learning, with a focus on developing computational tools that synergize physics-based and data-driven approaches for modeling and forecasting of multiscale multiphysics processes. Qizhi He will be teaching Applied Structural Mechanics in fall 2022. He also would like to develop a new course titled Scientific Machine Learning for Engineering Science.

Headshot Joe Labuz smiling
Department News

Ten Years: Mission, Milestone, Memories

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Joe Labuz, the Head of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering, announced that he will be stepping away from his leadership role at the end of June, returning his focus to teaching and research.

headshot Judy Yang
Department News, Research

Judy Yang and Shih-Hsun Huang Talk Water

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Assistant Professor Judy Yang and Ph.D. candidate Shih-Hsun Huang to discuss how they are using innovative methods to study how vegetation enhances the exchange of water, solutes, and particles between surface water and sediment/groundwater. This research may help ecologists design more effective stream restoration projects to ensure safe drinking water and fishery products.

Ardeshir Ebtehaj
Department News, Research

Improving prediction of severe weather

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Ardeshir Ebtehaj researches cells of intense rainfall (mesoscale convective systems, or MCS) that are responsible for most severe weather and extreme flood events. Fast evolving classes of storms are often extremely challenging to predict. Ebtehaj received $450K through NASA to develop a new model that will improve prediction of extreme weather.

Sofia Mogilevskaya
Awards and Honors, Department News

Sofia Mogilevskaya Honored for Global Engagement

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A recent ceremony honoring Sofia Mogilevskaya boasted, appropriately, a number of international participants. Scholars, colleagues, and former students from around the world joined the online ceremony to recognize her technical contributions and celebrate her outstanding mentorship toward international students.

Tianyi Li
Department News, Research

Li Receives Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship for Applying Data Science to Improve Pedestrian Safety

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Tianyi Li (a doctoral student advised by Raphael Stern) received a prestigious Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship. The competitive, merit-based fellowship from the Federal Highway Administration funds students pursuing degrees in transportation-related disciplines.

CEGE JuMP in STEM
Department News, Student Activities

CEGE Graduate Students Help High School Students Jump into STEM

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A new program developed by CEGE graduate students invites 11th-grade students into a unique tutoring experience. The CEGE Junior Mentoring Program in STEM provides an excellent opportunity for high school students to get exposure to research. During the program, the high school students learn the basics of data analysis and programming in Matlab and conduct individual mini-research projects.

Students meeting online for summer career prep
Department News, Student Activities

Engineers Mentor CEGE Students Online in Summer of '21

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Restrictions of 2020 gave rise to some creative new approaches for reaching out to students. One such program was designed by CEGE’s Industry & Pre-Major Coordinator Michelle Anderson and Shannon Wolkerstorfer, CEGE’s External Relations Officer. They designed the CEGE Career Preparation and Mentor Program to help bridge a gap in summer opportunities and internships that resulted due to COVID-19.

Department News

Two Assistant Professors Join CEGE in the Shadow of the Pandemic

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In spite of obstacles due to COVID-19 restrictions, new professors, Boya Xiong and Judy Yang, have already contributed through their teaching and research.