Welcome from the Chair

Dear Friends,

It has been an exciting spring semester in our department with lots of great developments. I am biased, but I would say the highlight of this semester came in early April when our ASCE chapter hosted the Carolinas ASCE Student Symposium – a student competition featuring entries from UNC Charlotte and seven other civil engineering programs across North and South Carolina. Our students did a fantastic job hosting this event and walked away with the top honors in Concrete Canoe, Steel Bridge, and Sustainable solutions. We eagerly anticipate how they will fare at the national competitions in these contests in June.

There have been some leadership changes here in our department. Just last fall I was expressing my thanks to Brett Tempest for his able service as interim chair before I arrived and his support as associate chair once I got here. Now Dr. Tempest has moved to an associate dean position in the College of Engineering office, and Dr. Kimberly Warren has stepped in as the new associate chair in our department. I’m so pleased that Dr. Warren has agreed to serve in this new position. Now my challenge is to keep up with her infectious energy and steady stream of great new ideas. Please check out the article about her elsewhere in this issue.

There is so much more also going on in CEE. I invite you to review the other stories shared in this newsletter. You’ll learn about happenings ranging from our Graduate Research Symposium, to our Career Fair, and the latest accomplishments of our faculty. There are also some bittersweet transitions to report with the retirements of Dr. Gergely and Dr. Janardhanam and the departure of Dr. Weber from our department.

As I wrap up my first year at UNC Charlotte, I continue to be impressed by the accomplishments of those around me. Our talented faculty continue to push the research envelope and to devote themselves to sharing their knowledge with our hard-working students. Our staff are recognized for their care, commitment, and efforts beyond expectations.  And finally, our students inspire us with their growth, their achievements, and their aspirations. 

Glenn Moglen

Professor and Chair

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering