News
Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety

Aging infrastructure is a major issue in the U.S. with nearly 50 percent of bridges considered in poor condition. Investments are often for immediate repairs, but today engineering researchers are exploring how structural changes might improve longevity, safety, and construction costs.

Two faculty-researchers at RIT have been selected to the Class of 2024-2025 of Drexel University’s Executive Leadership in Academic Technology, Engineering and Science (ELATES) program, designed to promote women in academic STEM fields and faculty allies of all genders into institutional leadership roles.

Bloomberg highlights Amanda Bao, associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety, in a report about maintaining bridge safety and integrity.

The Conversation features an essay by Amanda Bao, associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety.

Spectrum News speaks to Amanda Bao, associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety, about how the tragedy in Baltimore could have been avoided.

RIT was recently awarded $2 million as part of the Biden Administration’s “Investing in America” program to focus on creating jobs in the high-demand areas of infrastructure and transportation.

Natali Valdez, assistant professor at Purdue University and Presidential Fellow at Yale University, will visit RIT to share her research on social and political factors surrounding maternal medical policy as the featured speaker for the 2023 Eugene H. Fram Signature Lecture in Critical Thinking.

Jennifer Schneider, a faculty-researcher at RIT and expert in hazardous materials and community resilience, recently joined two national organizations to investigate and guide improved standards for use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and technologies. 

Assistant Professor Yewande Abraham is part of a team developing a virtual reality-based learning environment to improve middle school students’ interest in STEM fields, specifically the evolving construction industry.

RIT’s concrete canoe and steel bridge teams are presenting their products in person at the regional Upstate New York-Canada ASCE Student Symposium on April 20-22 for the first time as a pair since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Researchers at RIT are investigating the combined physical effects of heat, chemical reactions, and seismic activity on concrete lining structures used to dispose of nuclear waste. Results from the work could improve nuclear waste infrastructure designs, better long-term safety management, and refine strategies to meet climate change targets.

A team of researchers from RIT was recently awarded a grant to develop curricular modules on infrastructure improvement and resilience that introduce students to public and private sector standards, including industry standards.