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Edward Kavazanjian

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edward Kavazanjian
Born1951 (age 72–73)
Spouse
Debra Lee Taylor
(m. 1977)
Academic background
EducationBS, 1973, MS, 1975, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
PhD, 1978, University of California, Berkeley
Academic work
InstitutionsIra A. Fulton Schools of Engineering
Stanford University

Edward Kavazanjian Jr. (born 1951) is an American civil engineer who specializes in geotechnical engineering. He is the Ira A. Fulton Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the Arizona State University School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environmental.

Early life and education

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Kavazanjian was born in 1952.[1] His father fought in World War II but began experiencing health problems due to his military experience.[2] He graduated from Long Beach High School before enrolling at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for his Bachelor's degree and Master's degree. Upon completing his degrees, Kavazanjian pursued his civil engineering doctoral degree at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley).[3] He was later recognized by UC Berkeley as distinguished alumni.[4]

Career

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Following his PhD, Kavazanjian became an assistant professor at Stanford University for seven years before pursuing an engineering career outside of academia.[5] As a civil engineer, Kavazanjian collaborated with the Federal Highway Administration on geotechnical earthquake engineering for highways and for the United States Environmental Protection Agency on seismic design of municipal solid waste landfills.[6] He returned to academia in 2004 upon accepting a faculty position at the Arizona State University's (ASU) Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.[5] As an associate professor and Interim Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Kavazanjian was a United States collaborator on the Bio‐Soils Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Initiative.[7]

During his early tenure at ASU, Kavazanjian focused much of his research on making landfills more economically and environmentally sustainable. Based on his recommendations for waste strength published in 1995, Kavazanjian and ASU researchers worked to determine how much solid waste could be safely contained in the landfills.[8] Due to his research, he was appointed chair of the Committee on Geological and Geotechnical Engineering (COGGE) of the National Academies of Engineering and Science National Research Council.[6] Kavazanjian also sat on the COGGE's Board of Earth Sciences and Resources and on the ASCE Technical Region Board of Governors.[9] He also received the 2008 Outstanding Engineering Educator of the Year from the National Society of Professional Engineers and 2009 Ralph B. Peck Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers.[6] In November 2009, Kavazanjian was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and president of the organization's Geo-Institute.[9] In 2012, Kavazanjian was elected to serve a three-year term on the Board of Governors of the United States University Council for Geotechnical Education and Research.[10] He also received the Karl Terzaghi Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers in recognition of his "career achievements in the field of soil mechanics, subsurface and earthwork engineering, as well as subsurface and earthwork construction."[11]

As a result of his "outstanding achievements in geotechnical engineering" Kavazanjian was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2013.[12] He was also appointed the Ira A. Fulton Professor of geotechnical engineering in 2013[13] and named chair of a National Research Council committee that would oversee the "State of the Art and Practice in Earthquake Induced Soil Liquefaction Assessment" study.[14] While serving in these roles, Kavazanjian became Principal Investigator and Director of ASU's new National Science Foundation Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics.[15] In the same year, Kavazanjian was promoted to the rank of Regents’ Professor, the highest faculty honor at the university.[16]

Personal life

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Kavazanjian married Debra Lee Taylor in 1977.[3] Divorced in 1981.

References

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  1. ^ "Kavazanjian, Edward: born 1951". ISNI. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  2. ^ Kullman, Joe (August 27, 2015). "Impact on engineering earns Kavazanjian ASU Regents' Professor honor". Arizona State University. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Marriage of Taylor / Kavazanjian". The Morning Call. October 13, 1977. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Kullman, Joe (June 27, 2017). "BERKELEY HONORING KAVAZANJIAN AS ONE OF ITS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI". Arizona State University. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Support the Geo-Institute's Students During our Silver Anniversary Year!". Geo Institute. August 10, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Standing out among geotechnical engineers and educators". Arizona State University. February 26, 2009. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "Bio-Soils Interdisciplinary Science & Engineering Initiative" (PDF). University of California, Davis. 2007. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  8. ^ "Engineering landfills to save money, resources". Arizona State University. August 20, 2010. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Professor's role in civil engineering leadership expands". Arizona State University. November 30, 2009. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  10. ^ "KAVAZANJIAN TO JOIN GOVERNING BOARD OF GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING ADVOCACY GROUP". Arizona State University. February 20, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  11. ^ Beshears, Heather (April 9, 2012). "CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOIL MECHANICS EARN KAVAZANJIAN ENGINEERING SOCIETY AWARD". Arizona State University. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  12. ^ Kullman, Joe (February 14, 2013). "KAVAZANJIAN ELECTED TO NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING". Arizona State University. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  13. ^ "Professor's endowment will move geotechnical engineering program forward". Arizona State University. January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  14. ^ Kullman, Joe (December 23, 2013). "Kavazanjian heading effort to reduce impacts of soil damage from earthquakes". Arizona State University. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  15. ^ "ASU taking reins of new national research center". Arizona State University. August 10, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
  16. ^ Keeler, Sharon (June 9, 2015). "ED KAVAZANJIAN NAMED REGENTS' PROFESSOR". Arizona State University. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
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Edward Kavazanjian publications indexed by Google Scholar