The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is proud to recognize two outstanding faculty members for their exceptional dedication to teaching, mentorship, and student engagement: Alba Yerro-Colom and Kevin Young. Both faculty members have had a lasting impact on their students—through their passion for teaching, their commitment to inclusive and accessible learning, and their personalized approach to supporting students both in and beyond the classroom.

Alba Yerro-Colom: 2024 Loganathan Award recipient

An Associate Professor in Geotechnical Engineering, Yerro-Colom is widely admired for her ability to make advanced numerical modeling accessible and meaningful to students of all backgrounds. Known for her deep care for her students’ academic and personal growth, Yerro-Colom goes beyond traditional mentoring—fostering both excellence and well-being.

Yerro-Colom is praised not only for her technical expertise but also for her gift in communication. Her ability to explain complex geotechnical and computational concepts in simple, jargon-free language has made her an approachable faculty member.

Her feedback is consistently described as thoughtful, honest, and constructive—qualities that have pushed her students to take on significant, interdisciplinary research projects. Her transparency and encouragement during challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, have also supported students’ mental health and sustained their academic momentum.

“She is very inspiring in terms of how much hard work she puts into designing coursework and research,” the student added. “She is sensitive and thoughtful. She regularly checks in on our well-being, and that makes a huge difference.”

Her support has helped students secure prestigious scholarships from organizations like the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Deep Foundations Institute.

Kevin Young: 2025 Loganathan Award Recipient

As a Professor of Practice in the Bowman Sustainable Land Development Program, Kevin Young is known across the department for his energy in the classroom, dedication to student success, and commitment to hands-on learning. Whether teaching large sophomore-level classes or mentoring undergraduate teaching assistants, Young is consistent in his passion and care for every student.

“You can tell he loves all his students—even those who may not be interested in land development as a full-time career, which is a classification I fell under,” one student wrote. “Yet throughout the class, he taught with an engaging presentation and tried to get the entire room involved—even though it is and was such a large lecture.”

Now serving as one of Young’s teaching assistants, one student said they’ve come to appreciate his commitment even more from behind the scenes.

“I got to see the dedication from the other side—and how much work he puts in,” said the student.

Young is also known for being approachable, always taking time to talk with students about their career goals, whether or not they align with his area of expertise. “He is a great person,” the student added, “always willing to engage and talk about possibilities—no matter the student’s chosen interest within civil engineering.”

A Culture of Support and Excellence

Both Yerro-Colom and Young exemplify the values of the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. They challenge their students, encourage innovation, and maintain an open door to guide learners through all stages of their academic and professional development.

About the G.V. Loganathan Award

The G.V. Loganathan award is determined by a poll of current civil and environmental engineering students who feel that faculty affected their education in a positive way through teaching, research, advising, involvement with student organization or in other ways. The award was formerly known as the CEE Faculty Achievement Award, but the name was changed with unanimous support from the department in memory of Dr. G.V. Loganathan who received the award five times during his tenure at Virginia Tech.