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  • December

    ERDC Headquarters building with lit lights.

    ERDC to host 6th annual Tree Lighting

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) is kicking off the holiday season with its annual Tree Lighting ceremony Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. Featuring a welcome from ERDC Commander Col. Teresa Schlosser and a holiday message from Director Dr. David Pittman, the event will culminate with the lighting of a 24-foot outdoor tree at the Halls Ferry Road entrance to the ERDC installation.
  • A U.S. Army Landing Craft Utility 2000 offloads equipment to a Trident Pier at Anmyeon Beach on the west coast of the Republic of Korea during exercise Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (LOTS) 2015. CJLOTS 2015 is an exercise designed to train U.S. and ROK service members to accomplish vital logistical measures in a strategic area while strengthening communication and cooperation in the U.S.-ROK alliance.

    Modeling the dynamics of the Modular Causeway System

    In contingency operations, the Modular Causeway System (MCS), an assembly of floating modules, is often used for loading and unloading supplies and equipment from ship to shore. The U.S. Transportation Command has enlisted the help of researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) to numerically model the MCS and provide data that will aid in expanding the guidance to increase safety and efficiency for the warfighter.

  • November

    Inventors from two laboratories at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center received a 2020 patent for their Electro-active Vitreous Enamel Coated Dowel Bar, which stabilizes concrete segments and reduces repair costs.

    ERDC multi-disciplinary, multi-laboratory team earns cost-saving coated dowel bar patent

    Combining multi-disciplinary talents from two laboratories at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), a three-person team earned a U.S. patent in July 2020 for the inventive Electro-active Vitreous Enamel Coated Dowel Bar, which stabilizes concrete segments and reduces repair costs.
  • Dr. Rebekah Wilson of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) was honored with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Researcher of the Year Award at a virtual ceremony held Nov. 12, 2020. Other ERDC award winners at the ceremony included Joseph Bush, also of CERL; the ERDC contracting office; the COVID-19 Model and Analysis Team; the Harmful Algal Bloom Interception, Treatment, and Transformation System Team; Lyle Seethaler; Dr. Guillermo Riveros; and the Horseshoe Bend Delivery Team.

    ERDC wins big at USACE National Awards Ceremony

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) brought home eight awards from the annual U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) National Awards Ceremony, held virtually Nov. 12, 2020. Employees of the ERDC Construction Research and Engineering Laboratory (CERL) claimed two of the top honors at the ceremony. Dr. Rebekah Wilson was named USACE Researcher of the Year and Joseph Bush won USACE Mechanical Engineer of the Year.
  • Dr. Sarah J. Becker, a physical scientist at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Geospatial Research Laboratory (ERDC-GRL), posed in Colombia where she and other ERDC-GRL personnel collected ground-based hyperspectral data on native plants to determine if spectrally separable signatures between the different plants could be determined.

    ERDC scientist creates algorithm to distinguish the forest from the trees

    When people think about the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), there are many innovative solutions that come to mind — from blast-proof wallpaper used to protect employees at the Pentagon to the rover wheels created for landing on the moon.
  • U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center researchers manipulate the Robotics for Engineer Operations, or REO, vehicle and quickly capture pertinent data to use for engineer operations during the Maneuver Support, Sustainment and Protection Integration Experiments-2020, or MSSPIX-20, in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., Sept. 16, 2020. The REO employs a set of robotic platforms to remotely characterize a site by fusing multiple sensing modalities on a fully autonomous unmanned ground vehicle to capture critical information for engineer missions.

    ERDC researchers demonstrate reconnaissance-enhancing technologies with Soldiers, civilians

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the U.S. Army Futures Command, Futures and Concepts Center, in partnership with the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence (MSCoE), successfully completed the second phase of the Maneuver Support, Sustainment and Protection Integration Experiments-2020, or MSSPIX-20, in the fall of 2020.
  • Dr. Igor Linkov, U.S Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Risk and Decision Science Team lead, wears an example of the protective masks being used in the COVID-19 pandemic.

    ERDC researcher uses lessons learned from historic pandemics to address COVID

    COVID-19 proved to be unexpected to many people in the world, but Dr. Igor Linkov, Risk and Decision Science (RaDS) Team lead at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Environmental Laboratory, found himself on familiar ground.
  • U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL), mechanical engineer Jon Goebel briefs the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment Bryan Gossage at the ERDC Forward Operating Base- Laboratory, or EFOB-L, in Champaign, Ill., Oct. 30, 2020. Goebel discussed the research and development of hybrid power system capabilities.

    CERL hosts senior Army installation, energy, environment leadership

    Leadership from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) discussed ongoing projects and innovative technologies with the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (PDASA) for Installations, Energy and Environment (IE&E) Bryan Gossage, during his visit to the CERL campus Oct. 30.
  • Mariely Mejas-Santiago of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory poses with her computer between sessions during RD20, a virtual collaborative event that was hosted Oct. 27-30 by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center. More than 755 people attended the four-day, online event.

    RD20 fosters collaboration

    With scientists, engineers and other professionals spread across seven laboratories and multiple fields sites across the country, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) network is vast. But last week, ERDC hosted a virtual symposium – RD20 – with the goal of further connecting researchers scattered in various laboratories and locations throughout the country to enhance the organization’s ability to solve the nation’s toughest engineering challenges.
  • Ruth Osburn, a nurse in Health Services at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, poses with David Allen, chief executive officer of Mississippi Blood Services, at a 2018 ceremony where Osburn was recognized as the State of Mississippi Blood Drive Chairperson of the Year for her work in organizing four drives at ERDC.

    Giving back by giving blood: ERDC sees continued success in annual blood drives

    Before becoming a nurse in Health Services at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), Ruth Osburn spent 30 years working in hospital intensive care units. There, she saw firsthand how important blood transfusions can be to patients, and in her current role at ERDC, she works to meet that need. With four major blood drives hosted on the Vicksburg station each year, ERDC has become a major player in supporting Mississippi Blood Services.

  • October

    Dr. David Pittman, director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, answers questions from members of the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce at their October meeting held virtually, Oct. 23, 2020. Pittman also provided an update on the current status of the organization and stressed the importance of the “Power of ERDC” to the local community.

    ERDC Director addresses Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce

    Dr. David Pittman, director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), virtually addressed Vicksburg and Warren County community leaders during the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce meeting Oct. 23.
  • Contractors work build a new sidewalk near the Information Technology Laboratory at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Miss. in September 2020. The work is part of the ERDC Master Plan, developed by the Installation Operations Division with a goal of enhancing quality of life and safety on all ERDC properties.

    Installation Operations Division paves the way for ERDC properties

    Tucked away in a third-floor office suite in the headquarters building, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s Installation Support Division (ISD) is charged with making ERDC properties a better and more efficient place for all employees.
  • A new podcast series tells the stories of how, over the last 10 years, a growing international community of practitioners, scientists, engineers, and researchers across many disciplines and organizations are working together to combine natural and engineering systems to solve problems and diversify infrastructure value by applying the principles and practices of Engineering With Nature®.

    Collaborating with academia to develop future practice and practitioners

    In this episode of the Engineering With Nature® (EWN®) Podcast, guests are Dr. Brian Bledsoe, director of the University of Georgia’s Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS), and Dr. Todd Bridges, senior research scientist for environmental science with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and national lead of the EWN Initiative and the sponsor of this podcast. They discuss a new partnership, the Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN), to promote new practices and expertise and to foster the drive and passion for delivering nature-based solutions for infrastructure in the next generation of scientists, engineers, business leaders and decision-makers.
  • Dr. David Pittman, director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, stands with Dr. William “Bill” Martin and Dr. Reed Mosher, the newest inductees to the Waterways Experiment Station Gallery of Distinguished Employees at a ceremony, Oct. 15, 2020.

    Martin, Mosher inducted into Waterways Experiment Station Distinguished Gallery

    Dr. William “Bill” Martin and Dr. Reed Mosher are the two newest inductees to the Waterways Experiment Station (WES) Gallery of Distinguished Employees at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) after a ceremony held Oct. 15.
  • Honored guests break ground at a ceremony for the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory’s new Climatic Chamber Building in Hanover, New Hampshire on Oct. 16, 2020. (Left to right) #### ####, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England District Commander Col. John A. Atilano II, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, CRREL Director Dr. Joseph Corriveau, New England District Project Manager Caitlin Slattery, Colby Company Engineering President Calen Colby and Colby Company Engineering Chief Executive Officer Sarah Emily Colby. The new Climatic Chamber Building will serve as a Material Evaluation Facility, providing a critical means to examine and test extreme cold-weather environments to develop and validate Army field materiel, which is required for Soldier and unit readiness.

    ERDC’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory breaks ground for climatic chamber building

    The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), along with U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New England District broke ground together for CRREL’s new Climatic Chamber Building Oct. 16 at the Hanover, New Hampshire, campus. The Climatic Chamber Building will serve as a Material Evaluation Facility. The facility will provide a critical means to examine and test extreme cold-weather environments to develop and validate Army field materiel, which is required for Soldier and unit readiness.
  • The Advanced Circulation (ADCIRC) model simulation shows maximum water surface elevations along the Texas Coastline during Hurricane Laura using the National Hurricane Center Advisory 23 consensus track shifted left. Researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center are using numerical modeling systems, like ADCIRC, to help U.S. Army Corps of Engineers districts better prepare for tropical storms by simulating scenarios to look at the possible storm impacts to district maintained and operated structures.

    ERDC researchers use numerical modeling to assist with hurricane preparations

    As a tropical system approaches the coastline and the intensity and impact of the storm becomes evident, officials and first responders brace for landfall by staging equipment and readying personnel for the aftermath. To assist in these efforts, researchers at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) are using numerical modeling systems to help U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) districts better prepare for storms.
  • A new podcast series tells the stories of how, over the last 10 years, a growing international community of practitioners, scientists, engineers, and researchers across many disciplines and organizations are working together to combine natural and engineering systems to solve problems and diversify infrastructure value by applying the principles and practices of Engineering With Nature®.

    Collaborating with industry to promote natural infrastructure

    In this episode of the Engineering With Nature® (EWN) Podcast, guests Don McNeill, business development manager for Caterpillar Inc.’s Earthmoving Division and director of the Natural Infrastructure Initiative (NII), and Dr. Mike Donahue, vice president of Water Resources & Environmental Services at AECOM, discuss the need for natural infrastructure solutions.
  • The state of Louisiana constructed two sand berms between 2010 and 2011 to protect the Chandeleur Islands as part of an emergency response plan to mitigate the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Most of the sediment placed in the berms mimicked nearshore beneficial use of dredged material applications that are used for barrier island nourishment and restoration. A study found that sediment was transported onto existing island features or across the island into Chandeleur Sound. The build up and reinforcement of the island ensures its viability as wildlife habitat, making this an excellent example of working with natural processes to produce beneficial results. The effort to create the berms and evaluate them was a collaboration between multiple state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (U.S. Geological Survey photo by Karen Morgan)

    USACE Engineering With Nature Initiative launches new network, partnership

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced a new partnership with the University of Georgia (UGA) to establish the Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN). N-EWN was developed to accelerate delivery of nature-based solutions and natural infrastructure in the public and private sectors.
  • U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) ERDC University 2020 graduates, from left, Natural Resource Specialist Jason Knight, Tulsa District, assigned to the ERDC Environmental Laboratory (EL); Cost Civil Engineer Ian Pumo, Seattle District, assigned to EL and the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory; Biologist Aaron McFarlane, St. Paul District, assigned to EL; Geologist David Robison, Louisville District, assigned to Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory; and Human Capital Office Director Dr. Gary Anderton. Corps division and district participants

    ERDC University’s virtual graduation honors district participants

    Four presentations highlighted the Sept. 23 virtual ceremony for the Class of 2020 graduates of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) ERDC University, with topics ranging from a comparison of healthy forest soils and those created for restoration projects; Unmanned Aerial Systems’ (UAS) mapping of former river channels’ crossing levees; Engineering With Nature® (EWN) resilience benefits; and extensive data results from forest volume measurements.
  • A new podcast series tells the stories of how, over the last 10 years, a growing international community of practitioners, scientists, engineers, and researchers across many disciplines and organizations are working together to combine natural and engineering systems to solve problems and diversify infrastructure value by applying the principles and practices of Engineering With Nature®.

    Protecting fragile coasts and improving community resilience

    In this episode of the new Engineering With Nature® Podcast, guest Monica Chasten, a project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Philadelphia District’s Operations Division, discusses Engineering With Nature (EWN) and her work and collaboration with other scientists and engineers to advance coastal dredging practices and the beneficial use of dredged material.