Researchers Selected for Training Program

Published April 18, 2012

April 18, 2012

Release No: 7-12

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U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Director Dr. Jeffery P. Holland has announced the selection of five ERDC team members for long-term training during the 2012-2013 academic year.

Representing the Construction Engineering Research Laboratory in Champaign, Ill., Tarek Abdallah will expand his distributed energy modeling skills and expertise at the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories under the ERDC Sabbatical Program.  The expectations of this sabbatical are a comprehensive theoretical and working understanding of Sandia’s Energy Surety modeling and simulation and micro-grid design methodology.

Seth Broadfoot, a research geologist with the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory in Vicksburg, Miss., will attend the University of Kansas to pursue a doctorate in geography.  His studies will focus on remote sensing and soil property modeling of the near-subsurface.

A geologist in the Vicksburg, Miss. Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, Ian Floyd will attend Louisiana State University to seek his doctorate in engineering science.  His studies will focus on the properties and process involved in the erosion, transport, and interaction of fine-sediment flocculates and sediment aggregates in freshwater dominated systems.

Carrie Vuyovich will attend the University of New Hampshire to pursue a doctorate in Civil Engineering. Her studies will further enhance understanding of snowmelt hydrology and remote sensing techniques focusing on validation of remote sensing of snow for snowmelt timing and flood forecasting applications.  Vuyovich is on staff at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory in Hanover, NH.

The final selectee is with the Environmental Laboratory in Vicksburg, Miss.  Damarys Acevedo-Acevedo will attend the University of Texas at Austin to pursue a doctorate in environmental and water resources engineering. Her studies will focus on developing technologies and strategies to treat contaminated sediments, soil and water by different means such as removal or absorption processes and introducing barriers that will prevent contaminants from emerging.

The ERDC is the premier research and development facility for USACE, with more than 2,500 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities and an annual research program exceeding $1.5 billion. It conducts research in both military and civil works mission areas for the Department of Defense and the nation.