Engineer Research and Development Center News

Dr. Sally Shoop awarded American Society of Civil Engineers Can-Am Amity Award

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 16:07:10 GMT

Dr. Sally Shoop, research engineer with ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, has been awarded the 2026 Can-Am Civil Engineering Amity Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Artificial Intelligence R&D: A Force Multiplier for our military and nation

Pentagon News — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 18:07:37 GMT

From ensuring the resilience of America’s critical infrastructure to giving Warfighters a decisive edge on the battlefield, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center is pioneering the use of artificial intelligence across the full spectrum of its civil and military missions.

CRREL researchers discover new species frozen in Alaskan permafrost

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:45:35 GMT

Research microbiologists at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) recently discovered 26 new species of microorganisms.

ERDC researchers conduct water assessment at USAG Bavaria-Garmisch in Germany

Justus Reed, Public Affairs Specialist — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 16:15:54 GMT

Ensuring safe, reliable drinking water is critical to protecting Soldier health and maintaining mission readiness at U.S. military facilities worldwide. To support that objective, three researchers from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory (EL) recently traveled to a U.S. military base in Germany to evaluate water quality, resilience and treatment needs.

New software helps military planners predict mud season

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:21:00 GMT

A new software tool called the “Mud Threat Score” now provides military planners with real-time frozen ground and thaw predictions at 30-meter resolution, anytime, anywhere in the world. Developed by ERDC laboratories and their Hanover, New Hampshire-based industry partner Creare, the new tool combines existing weather forecasting data residing within the geospatial decision support tool GeoWATCH with newly developed frozen and thawing soil algorithm to highlight locations that are experiencing or will experience muddy conditions due to the spring thaw.

ERDC explores Nuclear Energy Systems to power future mission

Sarah Clark, public affairs specialist — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:10:31 GMT

A strong, resilient energy supply is critical for military installations, and researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) are evaluating domestically produced nuclear energy systems to provide critical research in support of the Army’s Janus Program.

ERDC advances Army readiness through resilient, off-grid power

Sarah Clark, public affairs specialist — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 20:18:00 GMT

A small, self-contained electric power system unit called an “energy node” has been installed at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) to facilitate further research towards fulfilling the U.S. Army’s requirement for reliable and resilient energy to power the mission.

Autonomous barge kits improve logistical capabilities for joint forces

Carol C. Coleman, public affairs specialist — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:09:46 GMT

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has partnered with the U.S. Transportation Command to develop Scalable Autonomous Modular Propulsion kits for coastal and riverine Operational Logistics, or SAMPOL.

USACE celebrates opening of new I-ATLAS facility

Mary Margaret Edney, Public Affairs Chief — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 20:03:04 GMT

In partnership with the Hancock County Port & Harbor Commission, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) cut the ribbon on the new home for I-ATLAS — a collaborative coastal mapping effort that provides the data needed to prepare, respond and stay ahead of emerging challenges in both civil works and national defense operations.

ERDC, USACE host workshop in Botswana to help mitigate lead contamination

Justus Reed, Public Affairs Specialist — Thu, 11 Sep 2025 14:03:36 GMT

Subject-matter experts from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Europe District recently traveled to Gaborone, Botswana to conduct an Environmental Soil Screening Workshop with the Botswana Defense Force (BDF) at their shooting ranges.

CRREL’s Randy Hill Inducted into Gallery of Distinguished Employees

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:53:28 GMT

Physical scientist Randy Hill was inducted into the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory’s (CRREL) Gallery of Distinguished Employees on Aug. 21.

CERL’s Melanie Johnson wins Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Career Exceptional Service Award

Justus Reed, Public Affairs Specialist — Wed, 20 Aug 2025 15:38:30 GMT

One of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) electrical engineers earned recognition for her contributions to improving microgrid technology. Melanie Johnson, a research electrical engineer and team lead at ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), earned the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Career Exceptional Service Award.

ERDC welcomes 13th Commander, Lt. Col. Joshua Haynes

Justus Reed, Public Affairs Specialist — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 16:31:00 GMT

ERDC welcomed Lt. Col. Joshua Haynes as its 13th commander during the Change of Command Ceremony on July 15, in the ERDC Headquarters Building. Haynes replaces outgoing Commander Col. Dr. Christian Patterson, who leaves ERDC after six years of service, three of which he served as commander.

ERDC earns its first Army Superior Unit Award

Justus Reed, Public Affairs Specialist — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:51:00 GMT

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) received recognition for its exemplary support to the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency received its first Army Superior Unit Award streamer during a special ceremony held at ERDC Headquarters.

ERDC and the 109th Airlift Wing team up for aviation first

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 18:45:23 GMT

ERDC's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) has performed decades of research and fieldwork establishing that 55 inches of ice is the thickness required to land an LC-130 (a ski-equipped version of the C-130) for both saltwater ice and freshwater ice. Researchers have long thought that a landing on freshwater ice could be done on much less thick of ice.

ERDC and NATO experiment advances engineer survivability

Kaley Skaggs, public affairs specialist — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:44:50 GMT

The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), along with the NATO Military Engineering Working Group’s Camouflage, Concealment, Deception, and Obscuration Team of Experts, recently conducted an experiment in support of “surviving the gap” during wet gap crossing exercises in Frecatei, Romania.

USACE Marks 250 Years with Pivotal Support to the Army’s Birthday

Maj. Spencer Garrison and Kathryne Gest — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 11:44:00 GMT

As the U.S. Army celebrated its 250th anniversary June 14 with a birthday festival and parade in the nation's capital, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was hard at work behind the scenes and on the logistical front lines. In a powerful intersection of history and engineering excellence, USACE’s contributions helped ensure parade success while also symbolizing its own 250th anniversary of building and defending the nation.

ERDC’s SUBMAT enables successful beach landings during JLOTS25

Kaley Skaggs, ERDC public affairs specialist — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 21:29:14 GMT

A team from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) rolled out an innovation designed to solve a tough expeditionary logistics challenge—getting heavy military vehicles from ship to shore without getting stuck. Armed with expertise and a groundbreaking technology called Submersible Matting (SUBMAT), ERDC researchers played a critical role in supporting beach landing operations during Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore operation (JLOTS 25), part of this year’s Balikatan, an annual exercise with the U.S. and Philippine military.

CRREL Develops Winter Route Planning Algorithm

Justin Campfield, public affairs specialist — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 21:26:00 GMT

Developed by ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), the Winter Route Planning (WRP) algorithm promises to dramatically reduce the risk of vehicle immobilization and increase overall efficiency when routing soldiers to desired target locations.

CLARITY effort aims to revolutionize operations for combat engineers

Megan Holland Saxton — Thu, 15 May 2025 15:31:00 GMT

A team from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) is working with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to improve how the military plans and delivers construction materials and equipment.