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The Cockrell School of Engineering has named Robert Gilbert, an accomplished professor and geotechnical engineer at The University of Texas at Austin, as the next chair of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering.

Gilbert, who joined UT Austin as a faculty member in 1993, holds the Brunswick-Abernathy Regents Professorship in Soil Dynamics and Geotechnical Engineering. He will begin his appointment as chair on Sept. 1, 2017.

Gilbert replaces Richard Corsi, who has served as department chair since 2013 and is stepping down to focus on his research and teaching in the area of indoor air quality and pollution. Among his accomplishments as chair, Corsi hired seven new faculty members, launched a new undergraduate degree in environmental engineering and led the development of the department’s strategic plan, which focuses on solving complex problems surrounding the nexus of cities, water and energy.

“I am delighted to announce Bob as our next leader of the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering,” said Sharon L. Wood, dean of the Cockrell School. “In addition to being an internationally respected expert in geotechnical engineering, Bob is a dedicated teacher who cares deeply about the success of our students. He is the right person to continue the progress made by Rich and to further advance the department in the coming years.”

“Bob has been a great colleague and friend for over two decades,” said Richard Corsi.  “He is dedicated to the profession, CAEE, and to our students. I have great confidence that he will be an exceptional leader of our CAEE community.”

Gilbert has established himself as an expert in assessing and managing risk. He has consulted on a variety of high-profile projects, including flood protection in New Orleans, the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, nuclear waste disposal in Nevada and offshore oil and gas facilities around the world. He was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the United States Army Corps of Engineers for his service on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ External Review Panel in the forensic analysis of the levee failures in Hurricane Katrina.

“I am honored and excited to lead this department, which is consistently regarded as one of the finest in the nation,” Gilbert said. “I look forward to working with school and university leadership, as well as our outstanding and dedicated alumni, to continue to enhance our students’ experiences, strengthen our faculty community and advance our academic programs.”

In 2011, Gilbert received the Norman Medal, the highest award given by ASCE for a journal paper, and in 2016, he received the E.B. Burwell Award for his work with the National Science Foundation on the 2014 landslide in Oso, Washington. He is currently serving as a Governor for the Geo-Institute of ASCE and a member of the committee responsible for design guidelines for offshore facilities published by the American Petroleum Institute and the International Organization for Standardization.

Gilbert has also made a significant impact on teaching. In addition to teaching a variety of courses in geotechnical engineering and risk management, he has developed a senior capstone course in which students learn about the practice of engineering by applying their engineering skills to community service projects under the guidance of professional engineer mentors. A number of these projects have been implemented, including rain gardens at schools that have been constructed by volunteers from UT and the community together with K-12 students.

This year, Gilbert was inducted into UT Austin’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers. He is also a past recipient of The University of Texas System’s Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and the Cockrell School’s Lockheed Martin Teaching Award. Gilbert and his wife live in Austin with their four children. He lives an active lifestyle, having completed two ironman competitions and several marathons.

The Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin is one of four institutions selected by the National Science Foundation to partner with government agencies and private companies to tackle the nation’s most pressing transportation challenges.

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has awarded the 2017 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize to Associate Professor Amit Bhasin. He is recognized for “creative and rigorous work on the mechanics and physio-chemical behavior of asphalt materials.”

The following awards were presented at the 15th annual Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Spring Banquet on April 20, 2017, at the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium Touchdown Club.

John A. Focht Academic Excellence Award
Qiwen Zhang
Presented to a Civil Engineering student who started as a freshman at UT-Austin, has the highest GPA in the class and is completing their degree in four years.

Werner E. Dornberger Academic Excellence Award
My Kim Vu
Presented to an Architectural Engineering student who started as a freshman at UT-Austin, has the highest GPA in the class and is completing their degree in four years.

CE Leadership Award
Natalie Weston
Presented to a Civil Engineering student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in campus and community activities.

ARE Leadership Award
Bruno Chiquini
Presented to an Architectural Engineering student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in campus and community activities.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Heedong Goh
Presented to a teaching assistant who has shown exemplary dedication and motivation in their teaching.

Department Teaching Award
Stephen Boyles
Presented to a faculty member who has excelled in teaching and has demonstrated exceptional motivation of students in the classroom.

Ervin S. Perry Student Appreciation Award
Kasey Faust
Presented to a faculty member who best meets the ideals of an excellent teacher and a good friend.

Staff Excellence Awards
Leslie McCroddan and Cori Turner
Presented to staff members who have distinguished themselves and contributed significantly to the CAEE department’s teaching, advising, mentoring and/or research efforts.

 View photos of the banquet.

One of the nation’s elite engineering departments.