Page 6 - CEGE Magazine Fall 2022

ENZO MARIETTE
(pictured, right, with his adviser Mihai Marasteanu) was a visiting student from
The École nationale des travaux publics de l'État or ENTPE (translated: the National School of Public Works of the State) in France. Mariette is a civil engineering student in the first year of his Master of Science degree. He had a summer internship in CEGE. Mariette shared this about his experience: "I am very happy that Prof. Marasteanu welcomed me into his research team to work on the evaluation of rheological parameters to predict non-related cracking susceptibility of asphalt binders. It was an American way to approach this topic, and I found it very interesting. It has been rewarding to understand how the research commu- nity works here in the United States.”
ADEL SOROUSH, now a postdoc- toral Researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago, completed his
Ph.D. in 2021, advised by William A. Arnold and R. Lee Penn (Chemistry).
His thesis explores “The role of contin- uous contaminant exposure and natural organic matter on the evolving reactivity of iron oxide nanoparticles.” The findings of this research demonstrated that the reactivity of iron oxide particles evolved during exposure to contaminants, and reactivity depends on the iron oxide phase, hydrodynamics of water flow, and the presence of other environmentally relevant components like natural organic matter. By advancing our understanding of iron oxide reactivity in the subsurface environments, better prediction of the efficacy and optimization of remediation methods are possible.
JACKIE TAYLOR, co-advised by Miki Hondzo and Vaughan Voller, presented her Ph.D. dissertation June 13th, 2022. Her research was on Modeling the Vertical Distributions of Microcystis Aeruginosa.
Graduate student NICK TECCA, John Nieber (Bioproducts and Biosystems
6 CEGE | CSE.UMN.EDU/CEGE
Engineering), and John Gulliver published “Bias of stormwater infiltration measure- ment methods evaluated using numerical experiments” in Vadose Zone Journal (Sept/Oct 2022).
STUDENTS toured a construction site at the northwest corner of 4th and 15th Avenues SE in Dinkytown last February. The building is a multi- family residential building
with a post-tensioned concrete podium and five levels of wood framing on top. Lionel Dayton, the Engineer of Record, has extensive experience with post-ten- sioned concrete, and he enjoyed sharing this knowledge with students. Photo submitted by Siobhan Dvergsten, BKV Group.
THE UMN ASCE STEEL BRIDGE
TEAM competed in April. Justin Babcock (BCE 2022), the team pres- ident reported, “We did really well
and had tons of fun! Our bridge was built in a record time for the club (8:46 minutes), and we passed the lateral load test. Sadly, the bridge did not pass the vertical load test, but only three of the 14 teams were able to do that. We had a lot of fun connecting with students from other schools.”
THE SIMON AND CLAIRE BENSON AWARD is the most prestigious under- graduate student award given by CEGE. It recognizes outstanding undergraduate performance. The award was estab- lished in memory of two former CEGE students who were killed in a car accident. This year, in an unprecedented move, the committee decided to give two awards. Stefano Gonella, Chair of the Awards Committee, announced the awards saying, “This year, we have two ex-aequo (equally placed) Benson award winners. Both these students deeply impressed us, with the records, with their determination, and with their demeanor shown during their interview. Each profile tells a personal story and embodies a distinct, personal path towards excel- lence.” Both winners graduated with degrees in Environmental Engineering.
working under the guidance of Prof. Leif Olmanson (Forest Resources) in the area of remote sensing of water resources. There she compared methodologies for remote sensing of water color as an indicator of chemical and biological activity in the water.
Benson Award recipi- ent Anne Tuttle (right) with fellow graduates Salomeh Rostami, Alexander Robertsen, and Tristen Nies
on graduation day May 12, 2022.
ANNE TUTTLE
was involved with research in Prof. LaPara’s group
in the field of
wastewater treat- ment, studying the effects of Minne- sota water on the hypoxic zones in the Gulf of Mexico. Her approach to
Benson Award recip- ient Martha Burket in the Civil Engineering Building, 2022.
MARTHA
BURKET’s classroom performance was impeccable throughout her
studies. What most impressed the Committee was her inquisitive, curious,
coursework and academics was a constant statement of determination and hard work, which led her to excellent academic results, but, more importantly, to the development of a sincere and thoughtful passion for environmental science and engineering. The Committee was impressed by the maturity of her reflection on her academic path and by her ability to work through challenges, progressively leading to a stronger and stronger connection with her field of study.
and creative mindset. She was involved with research in a number of labs, most notably in the past couple of years
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