Montoya receives NSF CAREER award

Dr. Brina Montoya, assistant professor of civil engineering at North Carolina State University, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her research proposal, “Stabilization of Mining and Energy Related Byproducts using Bio-Mediated Soil Improvement.”

The NSF CAREER award is one of the most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Montoya’s research will focus on developing sustainable methods to stabilize mining- and energy-related byproduct materials using natural biological processes to prevent the failure of the containment systems and the spread of the byproduct materials. Management of byproduct materials is one of the most difficult challenges facing the mining and energy industries. The research will also address how to explain to the public the treatment process and benefits of bio-mediated soil improvements in order for it to become a viable ground improvement alternative.

For the education portion of her grant, Montoya will work to educate various audiences, including K-12 students, university students, the general public and the state legislature on sustainability in geo-systems, specifically the storage of mining- and energy-related byproduct materials. The recruitment and retention of female engineers in academia will also be a focus of the educational plan.

Montoya received a B.S. degree in civil engineering from California Polytechnic State University in 2003. She received M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from the University of California, Davis in 2008 and 2012, respectively. The five-year, $500,000 grant will begin May 15, 2016.