News

Three decades of advancing geotechnical engineering will be honored at Geo-Congress 2026, taking place March 9–13 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Utah State University College of Engineering has appointed Ning Fang as the new associate dean of faculty and international affairs. Fang most recently held a dual appointment as department head of the Engineering Education Department and as a profess...

The Utah State University College of Engineering has appointed Deepak Keshwani as the new associate dean for academic programs. He will also hold the rank of tenured professor in the department of Biological Engineering.

The connection between policy and science is not always clear. As a graduate student more than two decades ago, she set out to design modeling tools for a policy-driven need but quickly realized that the real challenge was bridging the gap between the pol...

Construction is underway on the James D. Ballif Structural Engineering Building, which broke ground in summer 2025.

When Christopher Fox walked across the Utah State University stage to receive his bachelor's degree in Biological Engineering, he couldn't have known that years later he'd be returning —this time to lead the college's research enterprise.

At a moment when artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every industry, one Utah State University doctoral candidate has provided his expertise to help advance national AI strategy.

Long-distance runners know the power of a 'second wind' — that surge of strength that arrives just when you think you can't go on.

There is a conversation happening on social media that caught my attention recently. On Reddit, TikTok, and LinkedIn, people are claiming that artificial intelligence has made the computer science or software engineering degree a thing of the past. I unde...

Utah State University civil engineering students have the opportunity to study where some of the world's most iconic engineering achievements were born.

Mohsen Esteghamati, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Utah State University, has been named 2025 Educator of the Year by the Structural Engineers Association of Utah. This award was presented at the associatio...

Mechanical engineering student Boston John has been selected to receive a renowned scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. John is the fourth USU student to be honored with this prestigious award and is the only recipient in Utah this year....

Som Dutta, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Utah State University, in collaboration with the Utah Water Science Center, has been awarded a new grant from the United States Geological Survey, Department of the I...

The Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University has appointed Bethany Neilson as the new director. A proud USU alumna, Neilson brings more than two decades of experience in water research, environmental system analysis and mentoring the next g...

The Utah State University Mars Rover Team has earned an invitation to compete in the international University Rover Challenge, taking place May 28-31 at the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah.

The Utah State University Earthquake Engineering Research Institute student chapter recently celebrated several awards after competing in this year's Seismic Design Competition, hosted by the University of California, Berkeley.

Utah State University's College of Engineering has several graduate programs ranked alongside the nation's top-performing institutions.

Utah State University's College of Engineering is expecting to welcome a large class of incoming students in fall 2025. To kick off their journey, each student has been sent a special swag box filled with Aggie gear, including a beanie, sunglasses, sticke...

Engineering Professor Austin Ball was named the 2025 James D. Ballif Teacher of the Year. This new award recognizes extraordinary teaching and mentorship in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USU.

The College of Engineering invites everyone to celebrate the achievements of this year's graduating class at Senior Design Night. This exciting showcase will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 29 at the Taggart Student Center in Logan.

The College of Engineering is excited to host a special event on May 9 to honor Mary Cleave, NASA astronaut, USU graduate and a passionate advocate for women in STEM. This event will reveal Cleave's space suit, which she donated to the College of Engineer...

Two faculty members from the College of Engineering were recognized with university-level awards at Utah State University's fifth-annual faculty awards ceremony on March 26.

After nearly six years of dedicated service as director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory, (UWRL) David Tarboton has announced his decision to step down from this administrative role. His exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the UWRL ar...

The College of Engineering at Utah State University has appointed Christopher Fox as the new associate dean for research.

Utah State University alumnus, Major Brigham Moore, Ph.D., P.E., PMP, a deputy squadron commander in the U.S. Air Force, was named the 2025 Federal Engineer of the Year by the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Tucked around a bend in the Logan River below first dam, the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL) at Utah State University is turning 60 years old!

They're called "forever chemicals"—found in grease-resistant packaging like fast food wrappers and used in construction, cosmetics, and clothing, as well as many other products.

The public is invited to an exciting evening of hands-on learning and family fun at Utah State University. As part of the annual Engineers Week celebration, the College of Engineering is hosting Community Night on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6:00 p.m.

The Colorado River supplies water for forty million people in the West. The basin stretches from Wyoming and Colorado all the way to the Gulf of California in Mexico, winding through several...

J. Clair Batty, a Trustee Professor in the College of Engineering at Utah State University, passed away on Feb.

Utah State University professor and world-renowned electrical engineer Regan Zane is among the newly-elected Fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE.

Mechanical engineering student Ryan Lewis is one of 71 people around the country — and the only student from Utah — to receive a major scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. The scholarship will be awarded by NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley...

Salt Lake City’s Department of Public Utilities is building a new water reclamation facility to replace its nearly 60-year-old treatment plant, which is nearing the end of its useful life.

USU’s College of Engineering is taking the lead to train future engineers for Utah’s energy and critical minerals future. Earlier this year, USU announced plans to develop the state’s first comprehensive energy engineering program.

The James D. Ballif Structural Engineering Building, made possible by USU alumnus and distinguished civil engineering graduate James “Jim” Ballif, will help prepare the next generation of civil engineers.

Geotechnical Firm Expands Legacy with Aggie Engineers. One of the most ambitious transportation projects in Northern Utah was completed earlier this year thanks to a team of innovative problem solvers at a local, specialty geotechnical engineering firm.

Christian Bolander wants to bring math education out of the Dark Ages. Charged with addressing a very stubborn problem, he’s working to reshape attitudes about math in the engineering classroom.

Meet Maddie Witte: Environmental Engineering student at USU, avid skier and College of Engineering senator.

Each year, thousands of visitors flock to Bear Lake to take advantage of its blue waters and sandy beaches, but those thousands of visitors are also disrupting one key thing that makes the lake so pristine: its ecosystem.

A professor of civil and environmental engineering is leading the charge to find a solution for the utilization of waste hemp fibers to biomanufacture fire-resistant, high-strength concrete.

"Sometimes the crazy ideas lead to watershed improvements." That was a key takeaway from new research conducted by Utah State University, published in the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management.

The Utah State University surveying team took home first place in the nation for their topographic map during this year’s surveying finals, hosted by the American Society for Civil Engineers.

Utah State University Professor and air quality expert Randy Martin was named Person of the Year at the Utah Clean Air Partnership Summit this past month, recognizing his work and achievements dedicated to improving Utah’s air quality.

A drying lake and increase of drought have led to a research proposal by Utah State University Assistant Professor Sierra Young who is using hyperspectral imaging to study the effects of dust deposition on vegetation.

Utah State University Associate Professor Patrick Singleton is this year’s Trailblazer Award winner, selected by the Utah Division of Transportation.

Scientists have typically assumed that forest disturbances reduce evaporation and transpiration and increase the amount of water available to streams.

The Utah State University student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers made good use of their home turf advantage—placing in seven out of eight events they competed in at this year’s Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium.

Although we can’t promise it won’t snow in Cache Valley, we can promise this: Senior Design Night, USU’s largest tech and innovation expo, is back, featuring dozens of unique senior projects.

Please join the College of Engineering in recognizing the achievements of two Utah State University engineering students who were honored at the university’s annual Robins Award Ceremony on April 5.

Join the College of Engineering in congratulating our five newly promoted faculty members.

Utah State University and the Utah Water Research Laboratory mourn the loss of emeritus professor Trevor Hughes.

The Utah State University Logan campus will host the American Society of Civil Engineers regional symposium for the first time in 11 years.

Throughout her four-decade tenure at Utah State University, Kathy Bayn devoted herself to the institution, retiring in 2016.

Utah State University Professor Brady Cox is this year’s recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers Prakash Lecturer Award for outstanding research or professional practice contributions in the area of geotechnical engineering or soil dynamics....

Utah State University has published a third extensive study of commonly used waterpipe materials titled, “Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study.”

Are you ready for Engineers Week? The Utah State University College of Engineering will join universities across the nation to celebrate the annual Engineers week— four days full of events, activities and educational fun.

Mahmoud Ali, an undergraduate student at Zagazig University in Egypt, was given a unique opportunity: to travel halfway across the world to study at Utah State University.

When Jay and Lori Yahne graduated from Utah State University, they expected to spend the rest of their lives as geotechnical engineers. Making wine and spirits was a hobby of theirs until a simple joke in passing turned it into a reality.

Robert Olsen always knew he wanted to work in nuclear engineering. He set himself down a path to make his way to the top, and today, he’s made it, working as a Nuclear Security Officer for the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Historic drought and a chronic overuse of resources is depleting the flow of the Colorado River. Utah, along with six other states, depend on water from the river for drinking and daily use.

How do you maximize the length of a line that fits inside a confined space? One option is to fold the line into a zigzag. Another is to curve the line. How about a combination of both?

The United States Agency for International Development funded a $30 million dollar Center of Excellence for Water that focuses on curriculum reform, capacity building, commercialization of research, and technology transfer.

A Utah State University Ph.D. student is one of 12 recipients to receive the Transportation Research Board Airport Cooperative Research Program Graduate Research Award.

All members of the Utah State University community are invited to a free open house at The Leonardo museum in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 4th.

The USU Student Chapter of the Water Association of Utah returned from the Water Environment Federation’s Technical Exhibition and Conference last week, taking home second place in the water environment student design international competition.

Connecting the Dots between Snowpack and Streamflow in Mountainous Watersheds

A new financial aid option is available for students seeking a non-thesis engineering graduate degree at Utah State University.

The Leonardo and Utah State University’s College of Engineering announced this week a three-year partnership designed to inspire a new generation of engineers and creative problem solvers.

Utah State University Engineering Professor David Rosenberg was recently awarded the Planning & Management Council Service to the Profession Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

A new agreement between Utah State University and Hill Air Force Base will create enhanced learning opportunities for students and spur innovative joint research efforts.

The Utah State University Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers won awards in all events after a successful trip to Reno to compete in the Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium.

It’s that time of year again: the air is getting warmer, finals are approaching and Senior Design Night is back again for another great evening of senior projects.

Kate Christiansen has always known how important engineering is and has made it a goal in life to help others see it too. That’s why she is the College of Engineering’s 2023 valedictorian.

Renowned physicist, engineer and entrepreneur Eli Yablonovitch will visit Utah State University on April 25 for two lectures about his work in the electrical and computer engineering field.

Utah State University’s College of Engineering has been working to draft, mold, cast, create and sail a canoe made of concrete for The American Society of Civil Engineers’ annual competition.

The College of Engineering at Utah State University extends its congratulations to the nine newly promoted faculty members.

Are you looking for something entertaining to do this summer? Come join us for a two-day camp full of engineering fun!

A new research center at Utah State University will help bridge the gap between what we know about the devastating effects of earthquakes and how to better design our infrastructure to withstand them.

It’s been long known that the air quality of Cache Valley is among the worst in the nation, but what exactly makes it so bad? The answer: ammonium nitrate.

Recent earthquakes across the globe are highlighting a growing need in Utah to address seismic hazards such as aging infrastructure and increased risk to population centers.

The College of Engineering will join universities across the nation to celebrate the annual Engineers week— four days full of events, activities and educational fun.

Have you ever wondered what happens to rivers after wildfires? Intense flames can change the course of a river, erode its banks, disrupt biological processes and much more.

Utah State University and National Chung Hsing University in Taiwan are opening the door for students to complete a collaborative Ph.D. program at both universities.

Utah State University’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department will host its annual Career Night dedicated to connecting students with potential employers and allowing them to build networks. Between 40 and 50 companies, agencies and institutions...

Researchers at Utah State University are creating a new hydrologic information system that will generate important new insight about the nation’s water resources.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Colin Phillips is making waves — through river channels — with his aim to build models to determine how rivers will respond to climate change, all thanks to the nearly $300,000 grant he received thro...

When Madeline Tennant decided to study environmental engineering at Utah State University, she wasn’t planning on a career in wastewater management. Having spent most of her life in Logan, she picked her major because she wanted to improve Cache Valley’s ...

The Society of Women Engineers will be hosting its 14th annual Evening With Industry with the hope of helping students kickstart their engineering careers. Students will have the opportunity to meet one on one with company representatives from over 23 dif...

Congratulations to the Utah State University surveying team for taking fifth place overall in the national competition at Louisiana Tech earlier this summer.

As Utah’s population continues to grow at one of the fastest rates in the nation, many communities are working to increase active transportation. Paths and trails can be a great tool to encourage walking and biking but can be difficult to build in already...

Engineering professor and director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory, David Tarboton, received the 2020 David R. Maidment Award from the American Water Resources Association at a conference held earlier this month.

After two years of adaptations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Utah State University College of Engineering is back to hosting its overnight engineering camp for high school students.

An interdisciplinary group of Utah State University students received an honorable mention “for envisioning a climate-resilient, community-focused campus” in this year’s National Environmental Protection Agency RainWorks Challenge.

The College of Engineering at Utah State University congratulates all students who graduated May 5.

Senior Design Night is back. After two years of being held virtually due to the pandemic, graduating seniors from the Utah State University College of Engineering will once again showcase their capstone projects in person at the Taggart Student Center.

Near the glitzy Las Vegas Strip, a team of Utah State University students spent their weekend competing in a series of events designed to test their resolve as future engineers.

The College of Engineering at Utah State University extends its congratulations to the nine newly promoted faculty members.

Utah State University is partnering with The University of Alabama and a consortium of universities and other partners to translate water research into operations that improve the nation’s ability to effectively manage water resources and provide warning ...

Earlier this year at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board in Washington D.C., Utah State University Civil and Environmental Engineering master’s student Joshua Ward received an Eisenhower Transportation Graduate Fellowship.

Utah State University Civil and Environmental Engineering alumna Zhida Song-James (’91) has created an endowed scholarship in honor of her late husband, L. Douglas James, a former Utah Water Research Lab director.

Upper Colorado River Commission Executive Director Chuck Cullom will be a guest speaker at Utah State University on Tuesday, March 15.

Earlier this month, Utah State University Ph.D. student Sailesh Acharya presented four papers in Washington D.C. at the 2022 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting.

Two retired NASA astronauts will share highlights from their distinguished careers at a special event commemorating a new scholarship that will support Utah State University’s brightest.

The University Council on Water Resources awarded Utah Water Research Laboratory assistant professor Belize Lane the 2022 Early Career Award for Applied Water Research.

Sierra Young is joining the College of Engineering as an assistant professor in the Utah Water Research Lab and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.

Students are invited to a special College of Engineering event on Jan 19 with keynote speaker Matt Berrett who is the current Director of Analytics at Space Dynamics Laboratory and a former assistant director of the United States Central Intelligence Agen...

Randy Martin, an associate research professor of environmental engineering, is one of many Utah State University faculty members who contributed to the recently completed 2021 Report to the Governor on Utah’s Land, Water, and Air.

As all of Utah continues to face significant drought conditions, residents are repeatedly asked to conserve water. But general conservation messaging that lacks suggested actions can leave individuals unsure of what steps would be the most impactful for t...

Utah State University researchers are working to make almond production more sustainable by gathering information with drones to improve water management for almond groves and increase almond yield.

Two Utah State University Civil and Environmental Engineering students were recently recognized by the Utah chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers.

Ned McFarlane slated to finish his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering this spring. Coming this far is an accomplishment for anyone, but it’s especially triumphant for McFarlane, who never thought this day would come.

This year for Utah State University’s A Day of Giving the College of Engineering is raising funds to create an endowed scholarship in honor of Joe Caliendo, a former USU associate professor of civil and environmental engineering.

More than 1,000 miles from his hometown in Utah’s coal country, Professor Brady Cox takes aim and heaves a massive sledge hammer onto the ground with deafening force.

Darcie Christensen has so many memories of her time at Utah State, and she should, since she's been here for eight years. She can recount how she's transformed from the shy, hyper-focused freshman to the more easygoing, confident three-degree engineer she...

A former Utah State University College of Engineering professor, Roland Jeppson, died on Sept. 29 at age 88. He will be deeply missed by the Aggie community.

USU Part of New Institute to Understand Climate Change, Other Disasters. A team from Utah State University is creating tools to better understand the global impact of climate change and other disasters.

Two Utah State University College of Engineering graduate students recently presented their research at the Association of State Dam Safety Officials Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

More than 250 students in the College of Engineering attended the Launch Your Engineering Career kickoff event on Sept. 8.

Meet Karem Belen Meza Capcha, a first-year PhD student in the college's irrigation engineering program. Meza also is pursuing a graduate specialization/minor in climate adaptation science, or CAS, sponsored by a National Science Foundation fellowship.

UWRL and CEE faculty member Belize Lane and Ph.D. student Haley Canham are monitoring post-wildfire hydrologic response in the Grizzly Creek Fire burn scar to track changes in streamflow and sediment dynamics as part of Dr. Lane’s NSF RAPID Grant.

A memorial to Dr. J. Paul Riley, a renowned CEE and UWRL faculty member who recently passed away.

The American Society of Civil Engineers awarded two scholarships to USU civil engineering students at a statewide award ceremony June 18.

This summer, USU’S Engineering State returned after being canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

USU College of Engineering alum Dr. Scott Lindsey has been named director of the National Weather Service Alaska Region.

Meet Matthew Crump, a grad student in our civil and environmental program with an emphasis in transportation engineering.

Professors do it. Grad students never stop talking about it. But for many undergraduate students, research is still an enigma.

The College of Engineering is proud to announce that Professor Marv Halling will be Civil and Environmental Engineering’s new department head, effective July 1.

Utah State University engineering alum Day Bassett has gifted $30,000 to the university to establish an ongoing scholarship fund.

Two Utah State University engineering students received $1,000 scholarships from the Intermountain Section of the American Water Works Association.

Meet Mariah Brothersen, a junior in environmental engineering from Brigham City, Utah.

Joshua Ward sees engineering everywhere. In his junior year of high school, he took calculus and physics and was fascinated by how he could use math to explain almost anything around him.

Ben Damstedt says that depth has never been his strength. In college he wanted to explore many different subjects.

In a rare exchange, scientists and water resources engineers from Iran and Utah are collaborating on a bold scientific study to restore one of the world’s largest saline lakes.

Jen Thomas came to USU with plans to go to medical school, but those plans quickly changed after taking — and hating — her first biology class.

The College of Engineering at Utah State University extends its congratulations to two newly promoted faculty members.

USU’s environmental engineering program has always been compact. It is a small major not because it is unpopular but because it attracts a certain crowd: people who are generalists at heart, who like flexibility, and who want to get their hands dirty.

For those who live in snowy mountainous regions like the Wasatch Front, much of the water used for irrigation and drinking comes from snow that accumulates in the mountains.

The local civil engineering firm J-U-B Engineers is sponsoring the renovation of a new engineering study space, set to open in the summer.

Several graduate programs within Utah State University’s College of Engineering were ranked alongside some of the top-performing schools in the nation.

College of Engineering faculty took three of nine university-level awards presented at the USU’s first annual faculty awards ceremony held Mar. 30.

The College of Engineering extends its congratulations to CEE professor Ryan Dupont for receiving the 2021 Cazier Professor Lifetime Achievement award. Dupont was presented the award at USU’s first annual faculty awards ceremony Mar. 30.

We extend our congratulations to six faculty and 18 students for being recognized at a socially distanced awards ceremony Mar. 24.

Converting intersections to roundabouts has been shown dramatically reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities, but a closer look at the research reveals that roundabouts do not improve safety for cyclists as much as for drivers.

The College of Engineering congratulates the professor and five students who were honored at the Feb. 27 Utah Engineers Council Awards Banquet.

Camren Todd is the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2020 NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country Championships, the NCAA announced Monday.

Forty-two company representatives and 137 students attended the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department’s annual Career Night on Feb. 25.

Faculty, students, and other water enthusiasts enjoyed a conversation with Gene Shawcroft, Utah’s newly appointed representative to the Upper Colorado River Commission.

Former director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory Mac McKee has been announced as a recipient of the 2021 Warren A. Hall Medal for his exceptional accomplishments in water resources.

Associate professor of civil engineering John Rice has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador.

USU alum Barry Santana has established a scholarship in the name of Dr. Winfred O. Carter. Santana hopes this will highlight Carter’s lifelong contributions as a dedicated mentor and as a pioneer in computer-aided structural analysis and design.

USU graduate students Rafiur Rahman and Sailesh Acharya took first and second place, respectively, in a statewide student paper competition. The event is organized by the Utah chapter of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, known as UTite.

As we gear up for a new semester, it’s important to pause and reflect on the difficult circumstances we’re all facing today. We know the pandemic has impacted your university experience and personal lives in different ways.

Faculty, staff and students at the College of Engineering extend a heartfelt thanks and farewell to Professor William Doucette who retired in January after nearly 35 years of service to Utah State University.

Welcome back, engineering student! We’re thrilled to see you returning. We realize your university experience is heavily impacted by the pandemic, and we’re doing everything we can to provide a safe learning environment.