September 9, 2008

Rizkalla Receives Golden Mirko Ros Medal

Dr. Rizkalla (Photo: submitted)

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Dr. Sami H. Rizkalla has been awarded the Golden Mirko Ros Medal by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA).

Rizkalla, Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering and Construction, director of the Constructed Facilities Laboratory at NC State, and current director of the National Science Foundation University/Industry Research Center for Repair of Buildings and Bridges with Composite, received the award for his pioneering work in construction engineering.

The Golden Mirko Ros Medal honors the life's work of EMPA's friends and partners in the field of materials and engineering science.   The medal is named after former EMPA director Mirko Ros, who led the organization from 1924 to 1949 and established its worldwide reputation. EMPA is an interdisciplinary research and services institution for material sciences and technology development.

Rizkalla is an elected fellow of five technical societies and has authored or co-authored five engineering books and published 130 journal papers and 230 technical papers in conference proceedings.   He established the Canadian Network of Centers of Excellence on the use of fiber reinforced polymer for repair and rehabilitation of infrastructure in 1995 and directed the network until 2000. He also supervised the construction of the first "smart" pre-stressed concrete highway bridge built in North America.   The bridge was constructed with carbon fiber reinforced polymer and opened to traffic in 1993.

Rizkalla received his Ph.D. in civil engineering from NC State University in 1976.

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