Conduct supervised research as an undergraduate
Students interested in the Graduation with Department Distinction honor are encouraged to approach faculty members to discuss independent study opportunities.
For ideas, review the department's faculty research interests as many independent study projects come from faculty's already funded research and interests.
- Eligibility
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To be eligible for graduation with departmental distinction, a candidate needs to have a 3.500 or higher GPA and complete at least one (1) unit of research independent study, supervised by at least one of the CEE faculty, culminating in a written report. In addition, students must present their research projects orally to an audience of faculty and students.
Qualifying research independent study courses: CEE 393, CEE 394, CEE 493, and CEE 494.
- Process
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The Awards and Honors Committee, through its Graduation with Departmental Distinction coordinator, will send each student enrolled in the Graduation with Departmental Distinction Program a letter at the beginning of the Fall term to include:
- A copy of the GwDD Protocol
- The advisability of conducting the research in two terms, with a minimum ½ course load per term,
- The standards for the presentations and the written works, and the importance of the initial course description prepared by the student and the course instructor (submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies).
Students enrolled in the GwDD program should provide a one-page progress report in early March to the GwDD Coordinator with a note from their Advisor that the project is advanced enough to yield a work deserving of Distinction.
The Committee meets immediately after the oral presentations and assesses each of the written reports and oral presentations. The Committee reports to the Director of Undergraduate Students the names of the students eligible for Graduation with Departmental Distinction based on the Committee's judgment of their written and orally presented work.
- Report
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The GwDD coordinator must receive the following materials two days prior to the oral presentation, by 5 pm ET—with presentation generally on a Friday this would mean that the materials noted below would be due by 5 pm ET of the previous Wednesday. If a student desires the Committee to preview their paper and receive comments in return then the paper should be submitted to the GwDD coordinator at least one week in advance of the oral presentation.
- An electronic copy of the final written-work (in either .docx or .pdf format),
- Digital photo(s) of the student working in the lab, at a field site, working at the computer, etc. which is/are suitable to publishing to a website (optional)
The written report needs to be prepared according to the Protocol and following ASCE journal publication requirements. In general, the written work may not be less than 8 nor more than 12 pages of single-spaced 10- or 12-pitch typed text including nomenclatures, figures, tables, appendices, and references, and it should be prepared as a photograph-ready manuscript for conference proceedings. However, in experimental, architectural, and other similar works the length and format may be as defined by the course instructor.
Each report is evaluated by the Committee on the basis of correctness, neatness, conciseness, clarity, rigor, and depth.
- Presentation
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Each student will have 15 minutes for their presentation followed by five minutes of questions. The speakers are expected to prepare their slides according to professional standards. The length of the presentation should be strictly observed.
The Committee evaluates the presentation on the basis of clarity, conciseness, and effectiveness.
Historically, oral presentations are scheduled on the last Friday of the Spring term. The presentations are advertised to the department and typically ordered alphabetically by the family names.
- Eric I. Pas Award
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The Committee also identifies the name of the student deemed to have demonstrated the highest excellence in independent study as demonstrated by the professionalism of their written or orally presented work. This student is awarded the Eric I. Pas Award.
- Past Recipients
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2023
- Himani Bhat
- Matthew Edward Brune
- Alexandra Rivera
- Arthur Tsang
2022
- Qingqi Katherine Li
- Jenny Z Liang
- Zehua Wang
2021
- Alyvia Grace Schaad
- Caroline Lenehan Heitmann
- Renata Rae Starostka
2020
- Camden Ford
- Tiffany Wei
- Winston Lindqwister
2019
- Monika Dharia
- Remy Minkler Freire
- Elizabeth Rose Griffin
- Emma Joy Jin Palmer
- Hailey Brooke Prevett
- Marina Carolyn Smalling
2018
- Michelle Anne Moffa
- Karyn Elizabeth Saunders
- Delaney Colleen Thompson
2016
- Jack King
Optimizing the Leaching Step in Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal Combustion Residues
Advisor: H. Hsu-Kim - Eunice Leung
Improving Consolidation of Concrete with Large Aggregates in Columns Integrated with Masonry Wall for Structures in Developing Countries
Advisor: J. Nadeau
2015
- Mona Dai
Optimization of Ceramic Water Filters for Potable Water Purification in Rural Communities
Advisor: D. Schaad - Stephanie Laughton
Enhanced Biogas Production from Nanoscale Zero Valent Iron-Amended Anaerobic Bioreactors
Advisor: M. Wiesner - Mahkayla McKenzie
Pore-Scale Pollutant Transport
Advisor: Z. Kabala
- Clay Sanders
Inverse Problem Optimization of One-Dimensional Viscoelastic Materials for Wave Absorption Properties
Advisor: W. Aquino
2014
- Natalie Cybriwsky
Evaluating the Benefits of Green Roofs for Stormwater Management in Durham, NC
Advisor: D. Schaad - Robert Plybon
Biogas Sweetening in Biotrickling Filters: Investigation of Unclogging Mechanisms and Oxygenation via Hydrogen Peroxide
Advisor: M. Deshusses
2013
- Grace Cambareri
Blue Devil's Basin: An Integrated Constructed Wetland Model to Enhance Water Quality and Campus Stormwater Knowledge
Advisors: D. Schaad, S. Schauman - Hunter Douglas
Effects of Rain Event Characteristics on Roof Runoff Quality
Advisor: J. Nadeau - Christine Larson
Design of Open Channel System for Stormwater Control in Tola, Nicaragua
Advisor: D. Schaad - Kathryn Lathan
The Use of Algae to Treat Greywater and as a Feedstock for Biofuels
Advisor: C. Gunsch - Kala Viswanathan
Optimization of the Waste to Energy System at the Loyd Ray Farms in Yadkinville, North Carolina
Advisor: D. Schaad
2012
- Amy Allen
Dynamics and Control of Deepwater Offshore Wind Turbines
Advisor: H. Gavin - Maria Gibbs
Vibration Mitigation in Structural Cables with Broad Band Energy Harvesting Potential
Advisor: B. Mann - William Mackebee
Speciation and Release of Selenium in Coal Ash from the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant
Advisor: H. Hsu-Kim - Tyler Rohr
Modeling Biomass Production and Carbon Cycling in Seasonally Dry Ecosystems
Advisor: A. Porporato - Aaron Schroeder
Simulation of Friction Effects on Base-Isolated Structures
Advisor: H. Gavin - Lauren Shwisberg
Laboratory Study of Circulation and Residence Time in Coral Colonies
Advisor: J. Hench - Billy Wang
Economization of Gravity Load Resisting System for Buildings
Advisor: J. Nadeau - Craig Wasilewsky
Engineering Design and Analysis of Tensegrity Structures
Advisor: J. Scruggs
2011
- Andrew Harris
Bridge Design Optimization Tool for Bridges to Prosperity
Advisor: J. Nadeau - Matthew Wander
Formulation, Structure, and Analysis of a Model to Optimize Staffing Levels at Border Checkpoints
Advisor: J. Peirce
2010
- Margaret Hoff
Chemical Cocktail and Density Driven Distribution: An Examination of the Groundwater Impacts and Remedial Effectiveness at the NCSU NPL Site
Advisor: D. Schaad - Jordan Woodson
Object Oriented Modeling for Urban Planning
Advisor: A. Barros
2009
- Samantha Beardsley
Water Conveyance and Treatment System Design for Medical Clinic in Las Mercedes, Honduras
Advisors: D. Schaad, M. Fleming - Alexander Brhem
Geoengineering Climate Change
Advisor: Z. Kabala - Scott Harvey
Mixed-Type Boundary Value Problems for Aquifer Characterization
Advisor: Z. Kabala - Aaron Lee
Photoheterotrophic and Mixotrophic Growth Characterization of Microalgae for Biodiesel Production
Advisor: C. Gunsch - Chloe Mawer
Transient Pumping Schemes for Efficient Remediation of Contaminated Porous Media
Advisor: Z. Kabala - Nicholas Millar
A Sensitivity Analysis of GEOTOP in Modeling the Effects of Climate Change on Dripsey, an Irish Watershed
Advisor: J. Albertson - Lindsay Rawot
Preparing for WATERS: Engaging Middle School Science Students in Environmental Engineering
Advisor: J. Peirce - Jessica Toy
Water Transfer Optimization in the North Carolina Research Triangle
Advisor: J. Peirce - Lauren Wessel
Comparative Toxicity of C60 Aggregates
Advisor: M. Wiesner
2008
- Ian Cassidy
Implementation of Controllable Electromagnetic Friction Damping in an Equipment Isolation System
Advisor: H. Gavin - Elizabeth Crabtree
Investigating Flaw Evolution in Stimulus Responsive Hydrogels
Advisors: J. Dolbow, D. Stepp - Steven Lattanzio
WEAVE: Web-Based Educational Framework for Analysis, Visualization, and Experimentation
Advisor: H. Gavin - Lee Pearson
Towards a Life Cycle Assessment of Algal Biodiesel as a US Transportation Fuel Stock
Advisor: C. Gunsch - Cleland Robertson
Magnetorheological Squeeze-Film Damper Design and Testing
Advisor: H. Gavin
2007
- Nicole Axelrod
Performance Limits of Passively-Damped Ball-in-Cone Isolation Systems
Advisor: H. Gavin - Bibek Joshi
Solar Water Disinfection Using Lead Extracts and Lemon Juice
Advisor: K. Linden
2006
- Jean Foster
Investigation of Plasmids in Biological Wastewater Treatment
Advisor: A. Schuler - Sara Oliver
Experimental and Theoretical Analysis of Microslip
Advisor: T. Laursen - Serdar Selamet
Design of Intrinsic Mechanisms in Structures Absorbing a Thermal Shock to Deal with Structural Implications of the September 11 Collapse of WTC Towers
Advisor: T. Hueckel - Robert Tipton
Biomass Allocation in Crown Structures of Southern Pine Species
Advisor: J. Nadeau - Siu Chung Yau
Higher Order Limit State Functions in the Response Surface Method of Structural Reliability Analysis
Advisor: H. Gavin
2005
- Deirdre McShane
Pre-buckled Struts as a Vibration Isolator
Advisor: L. Virgin - Justin M. Shapiro
Nitric Oxide Emissions as an Indicator of Hydrocarbon Contamination in Soils
Advisor: J. Peirce - Daniel Stepner
Wetlands Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling
Advisor: M. Medina - Victor K. Victorsson
Structural Reliability Analysis
Advisor: H. Gavin
2004
- Noor N. Atari
WEAVE: Web-based Educational Framework for Analysis, Visualization, and Experimentation
Advisor: H. Gavin - Jennifer M. Axtell
Cable Vibrations in Cable-Stayed Bridges
Advisor: H. Petroski - Lauren D. Kickham
Dynamics of a Bouncing Ball
Advisor: L. Virgin - Trevor B. Yates
Detecting Landmines of Different Materials in Varying Soil Types using Non-Invasive Geophysical Electrical Methods
Advisor: F. Boadu
2003
- Alissa J. Jones
An Optimization and Comparison of Internally- and Externally-Valved Magnetorheological Dampers
Advisor: H. Gavin - Deborah A. Seibold
UV Degradation of Atrazine
Advisor: K. Linden
2002
- Kimberly A. Novick
Assessing the Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO2 and LAI Perturbations on Southeastern Grassland Water Vapor and CO2 Fluxes
Advisor: G. Katul - Jesse B. Hoagg
Semiactive Vibration Control Using a Magnetorheological Damper
Advisor: H. Gavin
2001
- Mark E. Dobossy
Design Optimization of MR Damper
Advisor: H. Gavin
2000
- Alissa Kendall
Analysis of the Spectral Response of Contaminated Soils with Varied Engineering Soil Properties
Advisor: F. Boadu - Lauren K. MacWilliams
Evolution and Evaluation of the Coliform Drinking Water Standard
Advisor: R. Rumer - Adam G. Steward
Analysis of the Frequency-Dependent Spectral Electrical Response of Contaminated Soils
Advisor: F. Boadu