David W. Pittman of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will discuss “Environmental Engineering and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center” on Tuesday, Feb. 5, as part of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Frank L. Parker Distinguished Professor Lecture Series.
The talk will begin at 4:10 p.m. in Jacobs Believed in Me Auditorium at Featheringill Hall, Room 134. A reception will precede the lecture at 3:10 p.m. in Adams Atrium. The lecture is open to the public.
Pittman is the director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, director of research and development, and chief scientist of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
As ERDC Director, Pittman manages one of the most diverse research organizations in the world – seven laboratories located in four states, with more than 2,100 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities, and an annual program exceeding $1 billion.
The center’s research and development supports the Department of Defense and other agencies in military and civilian projects. Principal mission areas include military engineering, geospatial research and engineering, civil works and water resources, and environmental quality and installations.
Research is conducted in many diverse areas, including airfields and pavements, compliance and conservation, environmental impacts, environmental quality, facilities engineering, flood control, geotechnical engineering and geosciences, geospatial data, hydropower, installation restoration, information technology, mapping, materials, mobility, navigation, oceanography, protective structures, recreation, regulatory functions, structural engineering, sustainment engineering, topography and winter climatic conditions.
In addition to his responsibilities as ERDC Director, Pittman also serves as director of research and development and Chief Scientist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In this role, he is responsible for creating and shaping policy, and performing R&D strategic planning, direction and oversight for the Corps’ military and civil works programs, and for the warfighter. He advises the Chief of Engineers on matters of science and technology and sets conditions for success in all S&T conducted in the Corps.
He is a member of several professional engineering societies, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of American Military Engineers, The American Concrete Institute and the International Society for Concrete Pavements. He serves on several technical committees and has published numerous technical reports and papers. He is a registered professional engineer in Mississippi.
Pittman earned his B.S. and Master degrees in civil engineering from Mississippi State University, and Ph.D. from University of Texas, Austin. He has received a number of service awards and medals, including the Bronze Order of the DeFleury Medal, the Presidential Rank Award, Federal Laboratory Consortium Laboratory Director of the Year and the Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Pittman’s visit is sponsored by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Contact: Brenda Ellis, (615) 343-6314
brenda.ellis@vanderbilt.edu