Doctoral Student Receives Coveted Fellowship

Chuanqi Wang, a University of Memphis geotechnical engineering doctoral candidate, can now be called a GSI Fellow! Wang received a $10,000 fellowship from the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI.)  The GSI Board of Directors selected Wang and two other students from a number of proposals from universities around the world. Wang’s doctoral dissertation is to be titled Characterizing, Testing, and Modeling the Mechanical Properties of Recycled Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)-Block Geofoam. His research is unique in that it is the first study that evaluates the mechanical properties of recycled EPS blocks for use in civil infrastructure. Wang has worked as Dr. David Arellano’s research assistant since 2009. In this role, Wang was involved in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project, “Guidelines for Geofoam Applications in Slope Stability Projects,” was a co-author for a peer reviewed conference paper titled Overview of NCHRP Design Guideline for EPS-Block Geofoam in Slope Stabilization and successfully assisted in initiating a research collaboration between RAYPAC of Oakland, TN and NOVA Chemicals in Pittsburgh, PA. Wang will complete his dissertation by May 2013.