Michael W. O'Neill, Cullen Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, has been informed by the American Society of Civil Engineers that he will be the recipient of the Martin S. Kapp Award this November at the organization's annual conference in Nashville.

Four faculty members of the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering were honored last week at the university faculty awards presentation. Vemuri Balakotaiah, Karolos Grigoriadis, David Shattuck and Osman Ghazzaly were among 15 scholars honored at the event held April 22 at the UH Hilton Hotel.

Vemuri Balakotaiah
Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award

A popular national engineering magazine has ranked the University of Houston among the most productive civil engineering research schools in the nation.

After performing its own in-depth survey of more than 117 institutions, Engineering News-Record, a McGraw-Hill publication, ranked UH 14th in the nation in its list of "Leading CE Research Schools," published in the Oct. 21 issue.

Hanadi Rifai, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, credits her love of the ocean as a deciding factor in choosing a career that has led her to head a $3.2 million study funded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. She will study dioxins in the Houston Ship Channel, one of the busiest waterways in the United States.

Membrane filters, such as those currently used in some home water purification systems, might someday be used on a large scale to remove contaminants and organic compounds that affect the purity of municipal water supplies, according to UH researchers. Shankar Chellam, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, discusses his reseach in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program.

The dioxin found in seafood organism tissue can affect human health, even at low concentrations, says Hanadi Rifai, UH associate professor of civil & environmental engineering. Rifai discusses the health advisories, environmental regulations and her most recent research in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program.

Membrane filter technology is helping to remove barriers to cleaner drinking water.

University of Houston researchers are studying how membrane filters, such as those currently used in some home water purification systems, might someday be used on a large scale to remove contaminants and organic compounds that can affect the purity and color of municipal water supplies.

Three Cullen College of Engineering faculty members were honored Tuesday at a University of Houston luncheon where 17 UH educators and researchers received awards based on nominations from faculty, staff and alumni.

William G. Rixey, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, received the Enron Corporation Teaching Excellence Award, which carries a $5,000 stipend and a trophy and is made possible by a fully funded endowment.

University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering alumnus Jimmie Schindewolf, P.E., led a group of 22 students from the UH American Society of Civil Engineers Student Chapter on a tour of the new Reliant Stadium last Friday morning.