Dear CEE Community and Friends,

This month, we announce the promotion of two faculty members, Josephine Carstensen and Cathy Wu. Undergrad Eldar Urkumbayev shares his experience traveling to Hawai’i as part of TREX, Undergraduate Runako Gentles reflects on attending COP28, and students in Course 1.107 sample the Charles River to perform water quality analysis. CEE alumnus Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm PhD ’93 is named president of University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and we congratulate Prof. Andrew Whittle PhD '87 on being honored as the 2024 Karl Terzaghi Lecturer.

Also in this issue, new research from Prof. Markus Buehler’s lab introduces a generative model that can design novel materials that exhibit the complex mechanical properties of proteins. Postdoc Mohammad Reza Alizadeh uncovers a link between pre-season wet soil conditions and heightened wildfire activity. Lastly, Autumn Deitrick ’23 SM shares her journey in CEE, and how it influenced her desire to blend art and engineering.

Sincerely,

Ali Jadbabaie

JR East Professor

Department Head, MIT Civil and Environmental Engineering

Core Faculty, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is pleased to announce the promotions of Josephine Carstensen and Cathy Wu to Associate Professor without Tenure effective July 1, 2024.

Fieldwork class investigates changing ecosystem in Hawai'i

During IAP, undergrad Eldar Urkumbayev traveled to Hawai’i with TREX, where students investigated the Island’s changing ecosystem.

Reflecting on COP28—and humanity’s progress toward meeting global climate goals

Runako Gentles reflects on his experience attending the 2023 United Nations climate change conference, COP28.

Charles River Day

MIT undergraduates sample the Charles River from the MIT Sailing Pavilion to perform water quality analysis as part of Environmental Chemistry lab (course 1.107) taught by Professor Desiree Plata. The Charles was historically contaminated by industrial activities but has experienced a rebound in quality in the last decades.

CEE alumnus named president of University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm PhD ’93 joins University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science as the seventh president in its nearly 100-year history. In his 30-year career, Miralles-Wilhelm has worked in academia as a faculty member and administrator, as well as in the federal government, private sector, and with international development organizations. 

Prof. Andrew Whittle selected to give 2024 Karl Terzaghi Lecture

American Society of Civil Engineers has honored Andrew Whittle with the 2024 Karl Terzaghi Lecture for groundbreaking contributions in the formulation of constitutive models for representing the complex mechanical properties of soils and their application in predicting the performance of foundations and underground construction projects.

In a new study, Prof. Markus Buehler and postdoc Bo Ni introduce a generative model that can design novel materials that exhibit the complex mechanical properties of proteins beyond what nature has already evolved. This opens new avenues for the discovery of materials with superior mechanical performances, holding great promise for advancements in fields such as materials science, biotechnology, and beyond.

Pre-Season Wet Soil Produces Fire-Prone Conditions

New research from postdoc Mohammad Reza Alizadeh reveals a link between wetter than normal soil conditions in the five months preceding wildfires in the US and heightened fire activity and fuel availability once drying ensures. These findings provide important insights into wildfire ignition dynamics, supporting fire modeling, and enabling early warning systems and mitigation strategies.

Alumni Spotlight: Autumn Deitrick

Alumna Autumn Deitrick’s ’23 SM shares her transformative journey in CEE, and how it inspired her to forge a career path blending art with science and engineering.

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Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Civil 

and Environmental Engineering

77 Massachusetts Avenue, Room 1-290 Cambridge, MA 02139-4307 

(617) 253-7101

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