Dr. Kirankumar Topudurti holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Anantapur, India, a master’s degree in civil engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, and a doctorate degree in environmental engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois. He has also received extensive leadership training from Harvard University, the Center for Creative Leadership, the Federal Executive Institute, and the Army Management Staff College.
Dr. Topudurti’s previous assignments at CERL included deputy director and chief of the Environmental Processes Branch. Prior to joining CERL, he worked for Tetra Tech EM Inc., Chicago, as Tetra Tech’s principal technical advisor and senior technical fellow.
Dr. Topudurti’s contributions to environmental engineering are recognized worldwide. His accomplishments have advanced over 20 innovative hazardous waste treatment, sampling and measurement technologies — including implementation of these innovations at over 100 hazardous waste sites. Dr. Topudurti has authored more than 75 peer-reviewed publications and serves as a peer reviewer for several professional journals. His contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors and awards, including the Federal Engineer of the Year; Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service from the Secretary of the Army; Lt. Gen. John W. Morris Civilian of the Year; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer of the Year; Illinois Government Engineer of the Year; two American Academy of Environmental Engineers’ Excellence in Environmental Engineering Grand Prizes for research; Water Environment Federation’s Radebaugh Award; Federal Managers Association’s Professional Writing Prize; and two Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois’ Engineering Excellence Awards. He also received the Bronze de Fleury Medal.
Dr. Topudurti is a registered professional engineer in the state of Illinois. He is a distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a fellow of the National Society of Professional Engineers, a life fellow of the American Institute of Chemists, and an elected member of many scientific and engineering honor societies. He also served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Science Advisory Board for the National Laboratory Accreditation Program.