Bradley Recognized by Federal Highway Administration

May 27, 2016

Bradley University is receiving recognition from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for bringing new innovations and technologies into the classroom. Bradley was one of 10 Universities in the U.S. to partner with the FHWA during the past academic year on the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) Education Connection. The goal was to integrate SHRP2 programs into the existing curriculum.

Professors Dr. M. Hossain, Dr. Y. Khodair, Dr. S. Kim, Dr. Y. Lee, and Dr. F. Moutassem from the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at Bradley teamed up to integrate SHRP2 technologies into four existing undergraduate and graduate courses and one new graduate course. The courses focused on geotechnical engineering, pavement design, soil mechanics, and foundation analysis and design. Beyond the classroom, professors also developed a one day workshop highlighting the advancements in civil engineering.

The Chief Technical Services Officer of the FHWA, Amy Lucero, says these programs expose students to a broad spectrum of products and arm the next generation of transportation professionals with SHRP2 Solutions while they were still in school. "By doing this, we would not only boost their learning experience but also equip them with innovative, cutting-edge solutions to the real-world situations they would surely encounter in their careers."

Dr. Mohammad Hossain, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Construction at Bradley and project PI, says this was a beneficial project because students got to know the current state-of-the-practice technologies used by private and government sectors. "The students will be able to enhance their career in the civil and construction fields in the areas of accelerated bridge design and construction, structural health monitoring using non-destructive tests, improvement of soils for horizontal and vertical structures, and innovative methods in pavement design and maintenance."

The FHWA is planning to do a second round of programming in the spring of 2017.