Dr. Magdy Abdelrahman, professor of civil and environmental engineering at North Dakota State University, has been named the Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association (MAPA) Endowed Professor in Flexible Pavements at Missouri University of Science and Technology. His appointment begins Aug. 1, 2017.
The professorship was established through a gift of $550,000 from the Missouri Asphalt Pavement Association.
“The addition of Dr. Magdy Abdelrahman to Missouri S&T brings a new set of skills and talents to our strong legacy in infrastructure engineering,” says Dr. Joel Burken, professor and chair of S&T’s civil, architectural and environmental engineering department. “His talents and experience in flexible pavements are a tremendous addition to our team in civil, architectural and environmental engineering. Future generations of Missouri S&T engineers will be leaders in our field and specifically benefit Missouri transportation systems for decades to come due to the support provided from MAPA.”
Abdelrahman’s research is on infrastructure sustainability with a focus on applications of recycled materials in pavement engineering, including modified asphalt binder. “My work represents a unique blend of practical and fundamental research activities related to the same topics,” he says.
He has written or co-written 100 peer-reviewed publications and technical reports, and he shares a patent on asphalt-rubber interaction, “Elastomer Reclaiming Composition and Method” (US Patent No. 6815510).
Abdelrahman is associate editor of the American Society of Civil Engineer’s (ASCE) Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering and a board member of two other international journals. He served nine three-year terms on four national committees of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and one term on an ASCE committee.
“Serving on engineering committees has provided me with insights into the next generation of engineering education and allowed me to link early engineering education to the outcomes of engineering programs,” Abdelrahman says.
He was the major advisor for seven Ph.D. and four master’s graduates at North Dakota State University and currently has two Ph.D. students and one master’s student. He received a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award that provided support for developing new courses in infrastructure sustainability.
At Missouri S&T, Abdelrahman says he will focus on contributions to new knowledge in the civil engineering discipline through high-quality research and publications; excellence in teaching and curriculum development that provides students with a high level of preparation for professional careers; development of a high degree of program visibility and recognition at the national and international levels; development of program resources and contribution to the research infrastructure of Missouri S&T; and professional services and outreach activities at the national and international levels.
“MAPA is excited to have Dr. Abdelrahman join the faculty at Missouri S&T,” says Dale Williams, MAPA’s executive director. “The addition of Dr. Abdelrahman to Missouri S&T staff will fulfill the vision of having a faculty member dedicated to teaching and research in the area of asphalt pavements. We look forward to Dr. Abdelrahman getting on board, educating future engineers and conducting research that will improve the quality, durability and longevity of asphalt pavements.”
Abdelrahman earned bachelor of science and master of science degrees in civil engineering from Zagazig University in Egypt in 1983 and 1988, respectively. He earned a Ph.D. in civil engineering at the University of Illinois-Urbana in 1996.
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