Faculty Accolades

NASA picks satellite research proposals from CEE's Milillo, Lee
February 9, 2023
Pietro Milillo, an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering, has secured a $200,000 grant from NASA funding for assessing NASA's… 		Pietro Milillo, an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering, stands near one of the corner reflectors at the German Aerospace Center Base in Munich that will be used for a new study. The study is funded by a $200,000 grant from NASA.
CEE's Lee receives funding to continue flood analysis work along Asia's Mekong River
October 25, 2022
A professor at the Cullen College of Engineering will continue serving as the lead PI for a NASA project that examines land subsidence, flood forecasting and groundwater management in the Mekong region of Southeast Asia. Hyongki… 		Hyongki Lee, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, has received about $692,410 in additional funding for a three-year extension of his research work, “Strengthening Regional and National Capacity for Operational Flood andDrought Management Services for Lower Mekong Nations via Mekong River Commission and SERVIR-Mekong.”
CEE's Rodrigues chosen as NSF Program Director
September 20, 2022
After a competitive selection process, the U.S. National Science Foundation has chosen Debora Frigi Rodrigues, Ezekiel Cullen Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering,… 		After a competitive selection process, the U.S. National Science Foundation has chosen Debora Frigi Rodrigues, Ezequiel Cullen Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering, as a Program Director under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
Two Engineering professors honored as ASME Fellows
July 28, 2022
Two professors from the Cullen College of Engineering have been honored with election to the Fellow grade of membership for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).  The professors chosen for the 2022 class are … 		Yashashree Kulkarni, Bill D. Cook Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
NASA grant supports UH, UCI project to assess flood risks using radar technologies
June 30, 2022
With a $675,000 grant from NASA, researchers at the University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering and the University of California, Irvine are launching a new flood risk assessment project focusing on sandy beaches and… 		Pietro Milillo, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has received a $675,000 grant from NASA to work on flood risk assessment with the University of California, Irvine.
CEE's Kalliontzis receives 2 grants to study concrete performance
May 16, 2022
A professor at the Cullen College of Engineering has received a pair of grants that will utilize the one-of-a-kind machinery available at the University of Houston to conduct research into shear failures for a new type of… 		Dimitrios Kalliontzis, an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the Cullen College of Engineering, has received a pair of grants to conduct research into shear failures for Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC).
Cullen recognizes efforts of faculty, students with 2021-22 Excellence Awards
May 5, 2022
The Cullen College of Engineering and Dr. Joseph W. Tedesco, Ph.D., P.E., the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Endowed Chair and Dean, are pleased to share the 2021-22 Faculty and Student Excellence Award winners. The initial announcement… 		Dr. Joseph W. Tedesco, Ph.D., P.E., the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Endowed Chair and Dean, presents the W.T. Kittinger Teaching Excellence Award to Jae-Hyun Ryou of Mechanical Engineering.
Cullen Professor Leads Consortium to Enhance Cybersecurity
April 25, 2022
 ‘Transformational’ Institute Funded by Department of Defense As the nature of digital warfare evolves, the need for a workforce trained in cybersecurity is critical for defending the United States from attacks. In response to… 		In response to the growing threat, the University of Houston has joined a consortium funded by the U.S. Department of Defense to launch a virtual institute that will recruit and train the next generation to combat cyber warfare. Hanadi Rifai, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of civil and environmental engineering, is the UH team lead on the project.
Four Cullen professors honored with UH awards
April 13, 2022
Four professors at the Cullen College of Engineering have been recognized for their exemplary work via the 2022 Faculty and Staff Awards, administered by the University of Houston's Office of the Provost. Roberto Ballarini,… 		Four professors at the Cullen College of Engineering have been recognized for their exemplary work via the 2022 Faculty and Staff Awards, administered by the University of Houston's Office of the Provost.
CEE's Belarbi earns American Concrete Institute service award
March 30, 2022
A Cullen College of Engineering professor has been recognized for his distinguished service with the American Concrete Institute (ACI). Abdeldjelil "DJ" Belarbi, Ph.D., Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor in…
Radar Tech From CEE's Milillo Records Antarctic Glaciers Losing Ice Faster Than Ever Documented Before
February 8, 2022
In a new University of Houston study using an advanced remote imaging system known as synthetic aperture radar interferometry, three glaciers at the South Pole are being documented with levels of clarity and completeness never… 		Pietro Milillo, assistant professor of civil engineering at the University of Houston, is joined in the project by University of California Irvine researchers and scientists from NASA, the German Aerospace Center and the Italian Space Agency. Milillo is lead author of “Rapid Glacier Retreat Rates Observed in West Antarctica,” an article in Nature Geosciences that details their findings.
Paper finds 46 Cullen College professors among Most-Cited
January 5, 2022
According to an updated paper from researchers at Stanford University, 46 past and present professors affiliated with the Cullen College of Engineering are among the Top 2 percent of cited research papers in the world. The… 		More than 45 professors and researchers affiliated with the Cullen College of Engineering have been recognized as among the most cited in the world.
NSF Funds $3 Million Study by CEE Professors on Fungi Superpowers
November 18, 2021
Two professors with the University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering, with colleagues from the University of Michigan and University of New Mexico, have embarked on a road rarely traveled by researchers – exploring the… 		At right, Professor of Civil Engineering Debora Rodrigues is the principal investigator of a study that aims to revealing unknown properties of fungi. Stacey Louie, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is one of four co-principal investigators in the project.
IAAM chooses CEE's Rodrigues for Fellow honor
September 20, 2021
Debora F. Rodrigues, Ph.D., the Ezekiel Cullen Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been selected as a Fellow of the International Association of Advanced Materials by the Executive Board of the IAAM.   According… 		Debora F. Rodrigues, Ph.D., the Ezekiel Cullen Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been selected as a Fellow of the International Association of Advanced Materials by the Executive Board of the IAAM.
Sociology's Anderson, CEE's Rifai pairing for research into Houston flood response
September 16, 2021
Professors from the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and the Cullen College of Engineering, have received a National Science Foundation grant for their multi-faceted proposal to study how the community reacts to flood… 		Hanadi Rifai, Ph.D., Moores Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Associate Dean of Research and Facilities, is the co-PI for a NSF grant researching how the community reacts to flood mitigation strategies.
CEE's Shaffer earns NSF CAREER award
July 16, 2021
The Cullen College of Engineering is happy to announce that Devin L. Shaffer, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, is the latest member of the faculty to receive a National Science… 		Devin L. Shaffer, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, is the latest member of the faculty to receive a National Science Foundation CAREER award.
Ballarini honored with ASCE Distinguished Member status
May 19, 2021
Roberto Ballarini, Thomas and Laura Hsu Professor and Department Chairman of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been elected as a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Distinguished… 		Roberto Ballarini, Ph.D., Thomas and Laura Hsu Professor and Department Chairman of Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been elected as a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
23 honored with 2020-21 Faculty and Student Excellence Awards
May 4, 2021
The Cullen College of Engineering at the University of Houston and Dr. Joseph W. Tedesco, Ph.D., P.E., the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Endowed Chair and Dean, are pleased to share the 2020-21 Faculty and Student Excellence Award… 		The W.T. Kittinger Teaching Excellence Award is traditionally the highest teaching award given in the College. It recognizes outstanding teaching and service to students. This year's recipient is Di Yang of Mechanical Engineering.
Hu earns NASA funding award
March 31, 2021
Xie Hu, a 2020 hire as an assistant professor in the Cullen College of Engineering's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and at the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping, has received a $375,000 grant for her… 		Xie Hu, a 2020 hire as an assistant professor in the Cullen College of Engineering's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and at the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping, has received a $375,000 grant from NASA for a research proposal.
Lee approved for NOAA grant to forecast inundation extents
January 13, 2021
For University of Houston professor Hyongki Lee, living firsthand through the calamity and destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 has shaped his research interests, and brought to the forefront how important the need for… 		Hyongki Lee, an associate professor in the Cullen College of Engineering's Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, is the principal investigator for a grant that will hopefully lead to better flood forecasting.