June 2025

Message from the Head

What a successful conclusion to a momentous school year for the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering!

May commencement ceremonies marked the end of our first year after having merged with Purdue University’s Division of Construction Engineering and Management where we saw 116 new undergraduate students join us, making our program one of the largest in the country with a total of 763 undergrads and 100 graduate students.

Looking back, I am still amazed by how smoothly the transition has been over these past 12 months, thanks entirely to the dedication and cooperation of our incredible students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends. We would not be in such a strong position today without everyone’s collective effort and collaboration.

In addition to the work on the merger and the excellent education of our students, our school has been the site of groundbreaking research. Our research efforts have global significance, encompassing the development of wireless charging technology for electric vehicles, deeper insights into indoor air quality and its effects on human health, and the creation of concrete embedded with strength-sensing capabilities. We have also seen a significant rise in AI applications, particularly in data collection, professional training, and advancements in autonomous vehicle technology.

These efforts represent only a fraction of the meaningful work being done to transform education, prepare our students, and drive research that has a positive impact on the world. I look forward to sharing more of these stories soon.

All the best,

Rao S. Govindaraju
Bowen Engineering Head of Civil and Construction Engineering
and Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering

Purdue Civil and Construction Engineering Online Master's Program ranked #2 in the nation

The Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering's Online Master's Program has been recognized as #2 in the nation for the fifth year in a row.

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Purdue Civil Engineering Burke Graduate Program ranked #5 in the nation

The Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering's Christopher B. and Susan S. Burke Graduate Program in Civil Engineering has been recognized as a top 5 graduate program in the country.

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Interdisciplinary research team receives $2M grant from USDOT to improve work zone safety for drivers and workers

An interdisciplinary research team led by Sogand Hasanzadeh (CCE), Yiheng Feng (CCE), Behzad Esmaeili (IE/CCE), and Lu Su (ECE), in collaboration with INDOT and industry partners, has been awarded a nearly $2M SMART Stage 1 Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to improve work zone safety for drivers and workers.

Learn more.

How mosquitos hear may inspire new ways to detect natural disasters

A multidisciplinary Purdue University research team is recreating mosquito antennae to better study their sensitivity to vibrations. Should the research prove fruitful, it could lead to improvements in monitoring and detecting natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis.

Learn more.

Upcoming Events

• September 26: Purdue Engineering Distinguished Lecture Series with Ron Klemencic
• October 9, 2025: CESAC Career Fair and Construction Engineering Outstanding Alumni Awards
• October 23, 2025: Donor Appreciation Dinner
• October 25, 2025: Homecoming Breakfast
• December 21, 2025: Winter Commencement and CCE Reception
• January 11, 2026: Washington, DC Reception (TRB)
• January 28, 2026: ISPLS Reception (Noblesville)

62nd Annual LSCCE Golf Open

Thanks to everyone who joined us on June 13 for our annual Golf Open! It was so great to see our alumni and friends meet up on campus for a wonderful day of golfing!

Congratulations Class of 2025!

Congratulations to all of our students who earned their degrees! We’re incredibly proud to count you as our newest alumni — and we look forward to seeing you back on campus soon!

Air inside your home may be more polluted than outside due to everyday chemical products

Bringing aromas indoors with the help of chemical products — yes, air fresheners, wax melts, floor cleaners, deodorants and others — rapidly fills the air with nanoscale particles that are small enough to get deep into your lungs, Purdue engineers have found over a series of studies.

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Purdue researchers travel to help households; businesses recover from LA wildfires

Purdue wildfire response and recovery expert Andrew Whelton has been in the Los Angeles area to assist households and businesses affected by last month’s Palisades fire and Eaton fire.

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Purdue hosts 2025 CIB World Building Congress

In May, Purdue University hosted the 23rd World Building Congress. The title of the conference was “Sustainable Built Environment – The Role of the Construction Community in Meeting the UN SDGs” and saw experts from around the world sharing their research and findings.

This was the first time the conference has been held at Purdue and only the third time in the U.S.

111th Purdue Road School Conference and Expo held in 2025

More than 3,000 transportation professionals gathered in West Lafayette for the 111th annual Purdue Road School Transportation Conference and Expo.

Learn More.

Engineering earthquake resilience

Concrete structures of the past weren't built to withstand the fury of an earthquake, but a groundbreaking solution from engineers at Purdue could change that. A research team led by Akanshu Sharma, the Jack and Kay Hockema Associate Professor in Civil Engineering and an expert in structural engineering hazard solutions, is testing a cost-effective, minimally invasive technique to fortify older concrete buildings against earthquakes, potentially saving lives and preserving structures worldwide.

Learn more.

Get Connected!

The Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering has several ways for you to stay up-to-date with our activities and accomplishments. One of the best ways is to subscribe to our social media channels.

We have active Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram accounts. Join us, interact, and share!

• Ron Klemencic, chair and CEO of Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), received an honorary Doctor of Engineering from the College of Engineering during the spring commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 16.
• Douglas Owen (BSCE 1980, CEAAA 2024), Senior Principal and Program Manager at Stantec, has received the 2025 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award presented by the College of Engineering.
• The National Academy of Construction (NAC) has selected Deborah (Deb) L. Grubbe (HDR 2010) as the 2025 recipient of the Ted C. Kennedy Award, the Academy's highest honor. She will receive the award and the accompanying medal at the NAC Annual Meeting on October 30 in Colorado Springs, CO, during the Academy's Annual Meeting.

Thanks for keeping us up to date with your contact information, life events, and career news. Send your updates to: Jaimee Barr at jimaddox@purdue.edu.

• Abhishek Subedi, a PhD candidate in the Smart Informatix Laboratory led by Associate Professor Mohammad Jahanshahi, received the second runner-up award in the Best Student Paper Competition organized by the Structural Control and Health Monitoring Committee at the ASCE EMI 2025 Conference. Zixin Wang, another PhD candidate from the same lab, was also named a finalist in the EMI Machine Learning in Mechanics Student Paper Competition.
• PhD student Phani "Saketh" Dasika has received a 2025 CIGP Spring Symposium Doctoral Talk Award, presented by the Purdue Office of Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs (OIGP).
• Pablo Orosa Iglesias, a Research Associate in the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, has been named one of the Top 5 recipients of Purdue's 2025 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award for the second year in a row.
• Grad student Rishika Tumula has been selected by the Indiana Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers as a recipient of the Edward J Cox Memorial Transportation Scholarship.
• Undergrad student Carmen Caserio has been selected by the Indiana Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers as a recipient of the Edward J Cox Memorial Transportation Scholarship and the Jim Loew Award.
• Grad student Alberto Castillo was the second-place winner in the Research in Progress session conducted by the American Concrete Institute showcasing research projects and leading-edge concrete technology throughout the world.
• Grad student Lyndsey Harris has been selected by the Indianapolis Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) Chapter as the recipient of the Helene M. Overly Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded annually to inspire and support women who aspire to pursue a career path in transportation.

• J. Case Tompkins, Senior Lecturer in the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, received the Excellence in Instruction Award for Lecturers presented by the College of Engineering at the Faculty & Lecturer Recognition Banquet on April 25, 2025.
• Venkatesh Merwade, Professor of Civil Engineering, has been selected by the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR) to receive the 2025 Education and Public Service Award.
• A team of Purdue faculty and students including Professor Samuel Labi and members of the Purdue Polytechnic Institute placed second at the 2nd Annual Artificial Intelligence Maritime Maneuver Indiana Collegiate Challenge (AIMM-ICC) held April 10-12 at Pokagon State Park in Angola, Indiana.
• Nadia Gkritza, Professor of Civil Engineering and Agricultural and Biological Engineering, has completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) fellowship program at Drexel University.
• Satish Ukkusuri, Hubert and Audrey Kleasen Professor in Civil Engineering, has been elevated to the grade of IEEE Senior Member. IEEE Senior Membership is an honor bestowed only to those who have made significant contributions to the profession.
• The Transportation and Development Institute (T&DI) of ASCE has announced Samuel Labi, Professor of Civil Engineering, as the 2025 recipient of the Wilbur S. Smith Award. This award is given to a person who has made "special contributions to the enhancement of the civil engineer's role in highway engineering."
• The Purdue University Board of Trustees on Friday (Feb. 7) ratified the appointment of Luna Lu as the Indiana ACPA Professor in Concrete Paving and Materials Science.
• Mirian Velay-Lizancos has been awarded the Young Investigator Betancourt Medal by the Royal Academy of Engineering of Spain. This great honor is given to up to eight outstanding researchers under 40 from any engineering field worldwide, with a connection to Spain, who deserve special recognition for their contributions to engineering.

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