Dawit Negussey
Dawit Negussey, professor of civil and environmental engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been elected a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)—an honor that recognizes the contributions and creative solutions of civil engineers that have changed lives around the world.
Negussey is nationally known for his research and use of polystyrene geofoam in engineering applications. In his work, he has studied ways geofoam can be used to stabilize areas that have experienced a landslide, to secure foundations of large building project and to support highway construction. Negussey was the geofoam technical consultant for the I-15 interstate through Salt Lake City, one of the largest geofoam projects in the world when it was built in 2002. ASCE recognized the project with its 2002 Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award.
To be elected as a fellow of the ASCE, an engineer must be nominated by one of the organization’s boards and elected by peers. Only 3 percent of ASCE members hold Fellow status.
“It is humbling to see your work over a lifetime be recognized by your peers,” says Negussey. “I hope it reflects well on the students and faculty at Syracuse University and the work we have been doing here.”
In addition to his engineering research, Negussey has been an advocate for underrepresented students. He has worked to facilitate graduate education for students from African countries and currently serves as the Graduate Dean’s Faculty Fellow for Diversity and Inclusion.