David Pittman, Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and Director of Research and Development of the U.S. Army Corps comes to Athens 

ATHENS, GA – Earlier this month, the Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems (IRIS) at the University of Georgia welcomed David Pittman, Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and Director of Research and Development and Chief Scientist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

Dr. Pittman was joined by several colleagues from ERDC, including Dr. Edmond Russo, Director of ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory, Franck Nago, Senior Research and Development Acquisition Advisor, Jeff King, National Lead and Program Manager for the Engineering With Nature Initiative, Safra Altman, Senior Research Ecologist in the Environmental Laboratory, and two USACE employees who double as PhD students at UGA, Darixa Hernández-Abrams and Elissa Yeates. 

This visit built on a long history of collaboration between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and IRIS. The two organizations have teamed up to further the field of nature-based infrastructure since 2018, including developing joint research projects that range from establishing global engineering standards for nature-based solutions to developing tools that will help planners easily assess the many co-benefits that come from integrating natural and conventional infrastructure. Over 12 USACE employees have served as adjunct faculty at the University of Georgia. 

Together IRIS and USACE also founded the Network for Engineering With Nature (N-EWN) in 2019, an active, multi-sector community of researchers, practitioners and educators who are addressing the major infrastructure challenges facing our society, while creating opportunities that align ecological, social and engineering processes to achieve multiple societal benefits. N-EWN, which started with only IRIS and USACE, has rapidly grown to over 30 diverse organizations from around the country. 

Todd Bridges, who spent 30 years with ERDC, including 17 years as the Senior Research Scientist for Environmental Science with the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, joined IRIS as a Professor of Practice in 2023.

Bridges spoke to the exciting potential in the collaboration. “Progress runs on the rails of relationships.  I really believe that.  The collaboration and partnership between ERDC and IRIS is moving the infrastructure community and the country forward toward true resilience.  It’s exciting to be a part of this type of ‘people power.’”

Pittman and his colleagues’ time on campus included an overview of IRIS with Director Brian Bledsoe, lunch with UGA Provost Jack Hu, a poster session with IRIS graduate students, and an overview of the University of Georgia Research Institute with Larry Hornak, Associate Vice President for Research. 

The visit highlighted the rich collaborations that have already taken place and emphasized the bright future yet to come. 

“I see your talent and motivation,” Pittman said to the UGA faculty, staff and students during the visit. “With your commitment to partnership, we could create years and decades of success together.”