GEOENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH GROUP

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Susan E. Burns, Ph.D., P.E.
Associate Professor
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology

CURRENT STUDENTS

Bate, Ph.D. Candidate
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
B.E. Tsinghua University, 2002
M.Phil. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2005
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, in progress
Dissertation Topic: Frictional and dynamic properties of a soil engineered with a controlled organic phase

Aditya Bhatt, M.S. student
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
B.E., Civil Engineering, Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, India, 2008

Ross Cutts, M.S. Student
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
B. Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007
Thesis Topic: Material effects on the performance of turf reinforcement mats

Joan M. Larrahondo, Ph.D. Student
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Ingeniero Civil, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, 2003
M.S. in Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006
Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, in progress
Dissertation Topic: Effect of mineral coatings on the behavior of particulate soil systems

Nortey Yeboah, Ph.D. Student
School of Ciivl and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
B.S. Civil Engineering, Bucknell University, 2006
B.A. Geology, Bucknell University, 2006

Qian Zhao, Ph.D. Student
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
B.S. Geological Engineering, Tongji University, 2006

FORMER STUDENTS AND OLD FRIENDS...

Megan Fuller, (co-advised with J.Smith, UVA)
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Virginia
B.S. Geological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2001
M.S. Geological Sciences, Brown University, 2003
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2008
Dissertation Topic: Sorption behavior of various nonionic organic contaminants to organo-bentonites that contain small-chain alkyl ammonium cations

Sarah Gravatt
Environmental Engineer
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2007
Thesis topic: Sorptive properties of geomembranes

R. Jason Lorenzetti (co-advised with J.Smith, UVA)
Environmental Engineer
Malcolm Pirnie, Newport News, VA
B.S. Civil Engineering, Lehigh University, 2001
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
Thesis topic: Testing and evaluation of geosynthetic clay liners containing organobentonites

Edidia K. Nefso
Project Engineer
Malcolm Pirnie
B.S. Chemical Engineering, West Virginia Tech, 1998
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2000
Thesis Topic: Evaluation of Mineral Cation Exchange Capacity on the Reduction of Nitroaromatics in the Presence of Ferrous Iron
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2004
Dissertation Topic: Experimental evaluation of treatment techniques and geochemical transport modeling of TNT

Andria Z. Redding
Engineer II
Hull and Associates
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1998
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2000
Thesis Topic: Physical and Chemical Behavior of Organobentonites as a Function of Cation Exchange Capacity, May, 2000

Yanping Ren
Environmental Engineer
Brown and Caldwell
B.E. Mining Engineering, Southern Institute of Metallurgy, 1992
M.S. Mining Engineering, Southern Illinois at Carbondale, 1999
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2004
Disseration Topic: Experimental investigation of two phase flow in porous media-effects of surfactants on immiscible displacement processes at the pore network scale

Weslie A. Ross
B.C.E. Universidad Católica Santa Maria La Antigua, 2004
M.S. Civil Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008
Research Topic: Radio-frequency identification (RFID) for materials tracking applications

Bonani Sen
Environmental Engineer
URS Corporation
B.S. Environmental Science, University of Virginia, 1998
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2000
Thesis Topic: Behavior of Surfactant-Enhanced Microbubbles in Saturated Porous Media

Natalie M. Soule
Physics and Math Instructor, and Varsity Coach for Field Hockey and Lacrosse
Middlesex School
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University, 1997
M.S. Civil Engineerins, University of Virginia, 1999
Thesis Topic: The Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of Organobentonites as a Function of Organic Cation Structure

Kim Tillman
Structural Engineer
BAE Systems
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2006
Thesis Topic: Evaluation on the Strength of Cement Treated Aggregate for Pavement Bases

R. Thomas Upson III
Project Engineer
KBS Incorporated
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2001
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 2003
Thesis Topic: Sorption of Nitroaromatic Compounds to Engineered Clays

Ming Zhang
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of Virginia, 1999
Thesis Topic: Mechanistic Considerations in the Generation and Transport of Microbubbles in Porous Media