US Society on Dams Awards Scholarship to Ali Tabrizi

One of the most coveted scholarships in civil and environmental engineering was awarded April 13, 2016 to a University of South Carolina civil and environmental engineering doctoral candidate.

Ali Tabrizi is this year’s recipient of a $10,000 United States Society on Dams scholarship. He received the award at the organization’s annual meeting and conference in Denver, CO. His adviser is Dr. Hanif Chaudhry, Associate Dean International Programs and Continuing Education in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

The United States Society on Dams, or USSD, awards scholarships each year to its student members whose academic programs and graduate-level research have a potential for developing practical solutions to dam design and construction problems.

“Winning this scholarship is the result of years of dedication and commitment toward my research,” said Tabrizi. “Professionally, it’s an honor to receive such a prestigious recognition while making a contribution to the dam engineering community.”

Tabrizi’s research focused on embankment dam failures resulting from the historic flooding that occurred in South Carolina during October, 2015. His work included time sensitive sampling of embankment dam materials while volunteering with the South Carolina State Guard. His research is applicable to failure mechanisms related to overtopping of embankment dams and levees world-wide.

He is a member of USSD Committee on Levees, the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Association of State Dam Safety Officials, Engineers without Borders, and the South Carolina State Guard Engineering Command.

The scholarship was initiated in 1991 and has been awarded annually since 2001. USSD is recognized as the preeminent society in the U.S. for professionals involved with all aspects of dams, including engineering, construction and rehabilitation, operation and maintenance, and safety of dams. The society also address contemporary issues such as environmental effects, dam decommissioning and public awareness.