Graduate Student Council
CEE-GSC
Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Graduate Student Council
Virginia Tech
Introduction
The GSC is a student-run organization which aims to build a community among the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) graduate students and facilitate networking.
Our Mission
Our mission is to foster a sense of community among graduate students of the Charles E. Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and to collectively represent the graduate student community. We serve to promote professional and social networks among civil engineering graduate students as well as become the liaison with the administration, undergraduate students, and broader Virginia Tech community.
Our Goal
The goals of the CEE GSC are to:
- Expand the networks of graduate students and professors across civil engineering disciplines.
- Encourage interdisciplinary research across disciplines.
- Improve the overall experience of CEE graduate students at Virginia Tech.
- Become the ASCE’s liaison to the graduate community, improving ties between the undergraduate and graduate students to promote research and graduate studies, and better inform undergraduates of our experiences.
- Represent the CEE department in the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA).
Events
The CEE GSC holds several events during each academic year. These events fall on one of the following categories:
- Networking events for graduate students and professors,
- Educational events on general civil engineering topics,
- Partnerships with undergraduate student organizations to improve undergraduate and graduate ties.
Some specific event ideas are presented below:
- Bi-weekly coffee and donuts hour.
- Football game tailgate.
- Sports competitions.
- Seminars on general interests and issues (e.g., diversity and inclusion).
- Graduate experience presentation/discussion with undergraduates interested in graduate school.
Composition
Our officers come from each one of the six main disciplines to ensure appropriate representation of each program area. Representation is ensured for the following six disciplines: Structural Engineering and Materials, Geotechnical Engineering, Environmental and Water Resources Engineering, Construction Engineering Management, Transportation Infrastructure and Systems Engineering, Sustainable Land Development). Our current officers are:
President
Aimane Najmeddine is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in the Structural Engineering and Materials (SEM) program and a second Master's Degree in Mathematics at Virginia Tech. He obtained both his B.S and M.S degrees in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech. His academic and research interests lie broadly in solid mechanics with a particular interest in multiphysics modeling of heterogeneous soft materials. Aimane is originally from Morocco and his hobbies include soccer, reading, and hiking. In addition to being the current GSC president, Aimane is also one of the two CEE departmental delegates to the Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) at Virginia Tech.
Officer
Kase Poling is a civil engineering master’s student with a focus in the Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management Program. He is from Beckley, WV and plans to continue his academic career at Virginia Tech by pursuing PhD studies centered around sustainability and engineering decision making. He is passionate about public service and his hobbies include golf, tennis, and skiing.
Officer
Nihar J. Gonsalves is pursuing his Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management Department (VCEMP) at Virginia Tech and is expected to graduate in May 2021. He is a researcher of worker health and safety and his thesis topic is ‘Assessment of Wearable Robots for Construction Industry’. He comes from India, and dreams to be a young entrepreneur in the construction industry. Outside academics he likes to play cricket, tennis and has a keen interest in Indian politics
Officer
Emily Casey grew up on Long Island, New York and now resides in Roanoke, Virginia. She has a BS in Civil Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and will graduate in May 2021 with a MS in Civil Engineering focusing on Transportation Systems Engineering. She hopes to continue into a PhD program here at Virginia Tech next summer. Her research focuses on Artificial Intelligence within Intelligent Transportation Systems focusing on Transportation Systems Operations Management. She is a New Horizon Graduate Scholar, a Dwight D. Eisenhower Fellow, President of the Alliance of Transportation Engineering Students (ATES) at Tech, and a member of Chi Epsilon.
Officer
Krysten is from Panama City Beach, Florida and completed her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Florida. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, with a focus in structural engineering. She plans to go into the field of forensic engineering after completing her degree at Virginia Tech. Her hobbies include reading, baking and watching Florida football.
