New Faces: Courtney Green and Ryan Rasanen Join Our Faculty
With a new semester comes new opportunities and changes within our department. The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is thrilled to welcome two outstanding additions to our faculty, Courtney Green and Ryan Rasanen.
Dr. Courtney Green, P.E., is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the structures group. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics from Marshall University in 2004, a M.S. in Engineering with a concentration in Structural Engineering from UNC Charlotte in 2008, and a Ph.D. in Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation from UNC Charlotte in 2022. Dr. Green teaches courses such as Introduction to Engineering (ENGR 1201), Engineering Technology (ETGR 1201), Engineering Ethics (CTCM 2530), Statics (MEGR 2141), and Solid Mechanics (MEGR 2144). Alongside her teaching responsibilities, Dr. Green is active in engineering education research, focusing on broadening engineering participation and enhancing engineering transfer students’ academic success and persistence. Before teaching at UNC Charlotte, she worked as a professional engineer at SKA Consulting Engineers, contributing to assessments, design, construction observations, quality assurance, and consulting services related to building envelope systems.
Dr. Ryan Rasanen is a geotechnical Assistant Professor. He received his B.S. in Geological Engineering from the University of North Dakota in 2014, a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 2019, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Washington in 2023. His research interests include geotechnical earthquake engineering, soil liquefaction, paleoseismology, landslides, satellite remote sensing, non-invasive seismic methods, natural hazards, and applying machine learning to geotechnical studies. Dr. Rasanen is dedicated to advancing the field of geotechnical engineering and has a strong focus on mitigating natural hazards through innovative technologies and interdisciplinary approaches. Beyond research, he has a diverse background in geotechnical industry experience, having worked as both a consultant and a government employee for the Washington State Department of Transportation. More recently, he is updating the liquefaction section of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications Manual as a technical advisor for the AASHTO Technical Committee on Soil Structures.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Green and Dr. Rasanen to the UNC Charlotte Civil and Environmental Engineering family and look forward to the contributions they will make to our department and the broader academic community.