“My student’s success is my success,” said Russell Green, Professor of civil and environmental engineering. That teaching style is the reason why he was awarded the 2018 Alumni Teaching Excellence Award. He is heavily involved in international earthquake engineering research and seeks to lower the risk of damage from earthquakes worldwide. In fact, he is a frequent visitor to New Zealand to conduct research on past earthquakes to build a picture of the liquefaction risk in the region.
His hands-on experience resonates with students in the classroom. “He is very knowledgeable about his courses,” stated civil and environmental engineering alumna Rebecca Pinney (’17). “His teaching style is great! He keeps lectures interesting and has a great balance of coursework.” He prides himself on getting to know his students’ career goals to ensure that he is helping them to take the appropriate steps needed to achieve them. “His unselfish willingness to assist students at any time of day or night is a defining attribute of his professional persona, and indicates a love of teaching and service,” noted Kevin Foster (’10).
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Green’s research focuses on fundamental and applied research in all aspects of earthquake engineering, paleoliquefaction analyses, seismic hazard analyses, ground motion selection and scaling, and dynamic soil-structure interaction. He also serves as the graduate admissions coordinator for the geotechnical engineering program. He has a long list of accolades including the American Society of Civil Engineers Normal Medal, the Virginia Tech Alumni Award for Excellence in International Research, and the Visiting Erskine Fellowship from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand.