MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
I
t is an exciting time to be a member of the Civil and Environmental Engineering
Department at the University of Virginia. Our department is integral to the School
of Engineering’s strategic vision for interdisciplinary research, developing innovative
solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. This month, U.Va. Engineering
launched a multi-million dollar cyber-physical systems initiative, which will involve
hiring eight new faculty members from across engineering disciplines to work
together in a new laboratory, strengthening connections between cyber-engineering
and physical-engineering research. This initiative will allow our department to
deepen our research in areas such as hydroinformatics and connected and automated
vehicle systems. We expect to focus our research on some of the most critical issues
facing our communities today: sustainable water systems, energy, pollution, and
resilient infrastructure systems. With opportunities to conduct important research in
these areas, along with our efforts to recruit outstanding new faculty, attract a strong
cohort of graduate students, and invest in state-of-the-art research equipment, a
bright and promising future is here.
BRIAN L. SMITH, P.E.
Professor and Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
2
U.Va. DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING