Civil and environmental engineering Professor Shobha Bhatia has been honored by Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud with a 2021 Judith Greenberg Seinfeld Scholar award. The award recognizes exceptional creativity and a passion for excellence. It provides $10,000 for Bhatia to undertake an initiative or project of special interest to her.

Bhatia is an internationally recognized leader in geotechnical engineering and in fostering more equity, diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields. She was named as a “Geolegend” by the Geo-Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2020 and in 2001 she received the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professorship of Teaching Excellence. Bhatia also received a Chancellor’s Citation for Faculty Excellence and Scholarly Distinction in 2009, the highest recognition given to faculty at the university.

“I am honored to be selected as a Seinfeld Scholar,” says Bhatia. “The award will allow me to further research how to reduce the environmental impact of large-scale projects through the use of natural and sustainable materials, specifically the use of natural fibers, particularly jute and coir. Civil and environmental engineering is a very resource-intensive field that literally moves the earth, where any use of natural materials can have a very large impact.”

“Shobha’s work as an outstanding teacher, researcher and mentor have made her a leader both here on our campus and in her field,” says Dean J. Cole Smith. “She has had a singularly impressive career-long dedication to improving the representation of women in science and engineering. Indeed, when you talk to her current students or alumni you can see how dedicated she is to the success of all our students.”