Civil engineering alum Amit Varma '01 PhD has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), one of the highest honors in the field.
Varma, the Karl H. Kettelhut Professor of Civil Engineering in Purdue University's Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering, was recognized for his decades of research in steel-concrete composition, fire design, and nuclear structures. His work has contributed to national and international codes and standards and has supported the design and approval of prominent structures including a nuclear power plant in Georgia and high-rises in Seattle and San Jose.
“Every day, we strive to do impactful, valuable work,” Varma said in Purdue’s announcement. “The central theme of our research is to make sure that the solutions we create are useful, needed and valued by our end user, customer or client.”
A specialist in steel-plate composites, Varma describes the material as “the best of both worlds”—offering “the lightweight, strength and ductility of steel with the mass, stiffness, damping and fire resistance of concrete.” In addition to his research, he leads the Purdue Applied Research Institute Infrastructure & Innovation Lab (PIIL), which works with clients in the defense and energy sectors to develop and test structural systems that are efficient, resilient, and scalable.
Read the full story on the Purdue University website.
