Celebrating Faculty Accomplishments – Spring 2025
This semester, the faculty of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department have once again demonstrated their unwavering commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service. Our faculty continue to lead innovative research projects and contribute meaningfully to student success and professional development. From securing competitive research grants and publishing impactful work to mentoring students and leading departmental initiatives, their accomplishments highlight the depth of expertise and passion that define our community. We are proud to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our faculty and the positive impact they continue to make both within UNC Charlotte and across the engineering profession.
Publications
Barancheshme, F., and Keen O. (2025) Effect of intracellular algal organic matter and nitrate on disinfection byproduct formation in chlorinated water after UV/H2O2 and UV/Cl2 advanced oxidation processes. Environmental Science: Water Research and Technology 11, 494-507
Bhattarai, T., Khanal, N., Ebong, A., Munir, M., & Raja, M. Y. A. (2025, March). Prototype of an autonomous solar-powered UV-LED disinfection system for off-grid applications. In Proceedings of SoutheastCon 2025. IEEE. https://doi.org/10.1109/SoutheastCon56624.2025.10971655
Cram, A.C., Moriasi, D.N., Moglen, G.E., Steiner, J.L., Aguirre, O.F., and Verser, J.A. (2025). “SWAT-MOEA: SWAT optimization tool for decision-making in agricultural production systems among competing objectives.” Journal of the American Water Resources Association. https://doi.org/10.1111/1752-1688.70013
Moglen, G.E., Miller, J.J., Cerelli, G. (2025) “Geographic dependency of the curve number method’s initial abstraction ratio” Journal of Hydrologic Engineering, ASCE. https://doi.org/10.1061/JHYEFF.HEENG-6496
Rasanen RA, Grant AR, Makdisi AJ, Maurer BW, Wirth EA. Implications of physics-based M9 ground motions on liquefaction-induced damage in the Cascadia Subduction Zone: Looking forward and backward. Earthquake Spectra. 2025;41(2):999-1028. doi:10.1177/87552930251316819
Walter, M.T., Bonta, J., Chin, D., Johnson, M., Miller, J.J., Minervini, W., Ramirez-Avila, J.J., Moglen, G.E., Neelam, T.J., Oliveira, P., Sharma, S., Talchabhadel, R., Tollner, E.W., Ward. T., Woodward, D.E., (2025). “The curve number’s initial abstraction and physical hydrology: ASCE-EWRI CN Hydrology Committee synthesis.” Journal of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, ASCE. https://doi.org/10.1061/JIDEDH.IRENG-10449
Presentations
Dr. Glenn Moglen presented a paper at the UNC Charlotte AI Summit in May: Titled “The “AI Moment” in Civil and Environmental Engineering.” He presented about our department’s efforts to teach one another about our experiences using AI in the classroom and in our research.
Dr. Ryan Rasanen served as a panel member for Hurricanes Helene/Milton Reconnaissance Panel at Geotechnical Frontiers 2025. “Plenary: New Spatial and Temporal Perspectives on Geo-hazards—The Hurricane Helene and Milton Story” 03/05/2025, GeoFrontiers 2025, Louisville, Kentucky, Audience ~150-200 at time of panel. He also presented an 8 minute presentation titled: “Resilient Engineering Solutions for Communities Using Emerging (RESCUE) Technologies” followed by Q/A with the audience.
Funding
Dr. Olya Keen (PI) (2025-2026) Suffolk County Water Authority “Testing scavenging term in groundwater samples” $48,750.
Dr. Olya Keen (PI) (2024-2025) Aquisense, “Collimated beam testing of treatability of 1,4-dioxane contaminated water” $8,610.
Dr. Ryan Rasanen (PI) (2025-2026) UNC Charlotte, FRG Grant, Division of Research, “Exploring Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Geotechnical Soil Characterization: Connecting NMR Readings with Geotechnical Design Properties” $4000.
Dr. Ryan Rasanen also has a student working with him through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) program for summer 2025 for a project on “Rainfall and Landslides: Building a Model to Predict Debris Flows in Western North Carolina“. This is funding provided by UNC Charlotte (estimated $5,500).
Dr. Glenn Moglen has a student working with him through the Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) program for summer 2025 for a project on “Exploring Hydrologic Design in the Face of Climate Change”. This is funding provided by UNC Charlotte (estimated $5,500).
Awards
Dr. Ryan Rasanen – 1st Place at the Annual ASCE Chili Cookoff
Dr. Ryan Rasanen – 1st Place at the Annual ASCE Chili Cook off