VICKSBURG, Miss. – Rasheed Muhammad, a computer-aided design (CAD) and building information modeling (BIM) manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Chicago District, has been selected as one of five USACE participants for the 2025 session of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center University (ERDC-U).
Now in its tenth year, the professional development initiative designed to encourage collaboration and technology transfer, welcomed participants as Antisa Webb, chief of the ERDC Office of Research and Technology Transfer within the Technology, Knowledge, and Outreach Division and co-sponsor of the program, announced the selectees.
“ERDC-U fosters collaboration between participants from USACE divisions and districts and mentors from relevant ERDC laboratories,” said Webb. “The program involves six-month research projects aimed at developing innovative technical solutions that enhance operations at the workplace, support the Corps and benefit the nation.”
Adam Karr, chief of the Geospatial Section for the Chicago District, endorsed Muhammad’s selection to ERDC-U.
“Rasheed’s dedication to improving our processes, combined with his exceptional CAD expertise and leadership, makes him an ideal candidate for the ERDC-U program,” he said. “I am confident this training will further enhance his already significant contributions to the district and beyond.”
By collaborating with subject matter experts across ERDC’s seven state-of-the-art laboratories, participants will tackle real-world challenges while simultaneously honing their leadership skills to benefit their home organization.
Muhammad, a dedicated USACE team member for eight years, currently serves as the CAD/BIM manager and ProjectWise administrator in the Geospatial Section of the Chicago District. In this role, he acts as a central resource for all things digital design and data management.
His role encompasses managing a suite of design applications – Autodesk, Bentley Systems, ESRI and others – as well as providing comprehensive support to project teams across disciplines, from planning to civil and architectural engineering to environmental science.
This includes ensuring quality control of drawings and models, troubleshooting technical issues and developing tailored training to maintain consistent plan production standards. A key focus is balancing regulatory requirements with the capabilities of our technology, while establishing robust quality processes for the district.
“My goal in participating in this program is simply to enhance the geospatial capabilities of the Chicago District,” he said. “By strengthening my analytical skills at ERDC’s Geospatial Research Laboratory (GRL), I aim to bring back new methodologies and expertise to better serve our projects and stakeholders.”
In March, Muhammad joined his fellow selectees at an ERDC-U orientation session held on ERDC’s main campus in Vicksburg, Mississippi, to meet their mentors and familiarize themselves with their planned projects.
Muhammad will be mentored by Natasha Zimmerman and Fahmi Atwain, both with the ERDC-GRL. His study will specifically concentrate on data acquired using simultaneous localization and mapping, or SLAM, and mobile terrestrial light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technologies. These advanced systems allow for detailed 3D mapping in areas where traditional methods, like GPS-based surveying, are impractical – inside buildings, tunnels and underground infrastructure.
This research will contribute to advancements in how the Corps of Engineers approaches projects involving complex interior and underground structures, ultimately enhancing project planning, execution and long-term management. By refining the workflows for processing and visualizing this data, his work will help unlock the full potential of 3D mapping technologies for a wide range of USACE missions.
Upon completion of ERDC-U, Muhammad, along with the four other selectees, will attend a graduation ceremony in September. During the ceremony, he will present a comprehensive overview of his ERDC-U experience, detailing his research with 3D mapping/modeling and conversion to BIM products.
Applications will open in October for the 2026 ERDC-U session. For information on ERDC-U and applications, visit: https://wiki.erdc.dren.mil/ERDC_University.