MacDonald Gibson named as head of Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Jackie MacDonald Gibson, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Indiana University, Bloomington, has been appointed as the next head of the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at NC State.

MacDonald Gibson will begin her new appointment Aug. 15, 2022, said Louis Martin-Vega, dean of the College of Engineering at NC State.

Gibson succeeds Morton Barlaz, Distinguished University Professor, who has led CCEE for 12 years.

Prior to her current position, MacDonald Gibson served for 12 years on the faculty of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering in the Gillings School of Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill. Her professional experience includes eight years in engineer and senior engineer positions with RAND Corporation in Washington, DC, and Pittsburgh, Pa., and nine years in various research and management positions with the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Research Council in Washington, DC.

Her research is conducted at the intersection of infrastructure, human health and the environment and has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, NC Department of Transportation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and various other funding organizations. She received her B.S. in mathematics from Bryn Mawr College, her M.S. in environmental science in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a dual Ph.D. degree in civil and environmental engineering and engineering and public policy from Carnegie Mellon University.

“Please join me in congratulating Jackie on her appointment and extending a warm welcome to her as she joins the CCEE Department, our College of Engineering and NC State in this critical leadership role,” Martin-Vega said in a statement.

Martin-Vega also extended his sincere appreciation to Barlaz for his outstanding service, commitment and leadership of the department.

“Mort’s selfless efforts on behalf of the faculty, students, and staff of the department have been very significant and have positioned the department as a recognized leader among CCEE departments nationwide,” Martin-Vega said. “We will always be in Mort’s debt for all that he has done for the department and look forward to his valuable contributions to the department for many years to come.”