Grogan Promoted to Deputy Director

8 June 05--Vicksburg,MS--Dr. William P. Grogan has been selected as the deputy director of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, Miss. The ERDC is the premier research and development facility for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It consists of seven laboratories at four geographical sites, with over 2,000 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities, and an annual research program approaching $700 million. It conducts research in both military and civil works mission areas for the Department of Defense and the nation.

GSL conducts research in soil and rock mechanics; earthquake engineering and geophysics; vehicle mobility and trafficability; and pavements technology. GSL engineers and scientists research the response of structures to weapons effects; investigates methods for making concrete and other materials more durable and economical; studies the application of explosives technology to combat engineering; and investigates the behavior of earth/structure systems subjected to blasts and projectile penetration.

As deputy director, Grogan assists the director in the day-to-day execution of the laboratory's research mission and in administrative activities affecting more than 350 engineers, scientists, technicians, and administrative and support personnel.

Prior to his current position, Grogan was chief of the GSL Concrete and Materials Branch. In that position, he was responsible for assigning work, managing assets, determining employee training and education needs, ensuring milestones were met, and reviewing/editing all technical reports, papers, and journal articles.

Grogan's research has included the design, construction and evaluation of pavements (behavior and performance). He was the principal investigator on a $1.2 million project to investigate and develop requirements for semi-prepared airfields to support the U.S. Air Force's C-17 aircraft. He was involved in the application of soil and engineering mechanics, structural dynamics, materials science and systems analysis for both civil works and military engineering challenges.

Grogan holds bachelor's and master's degrees in civil engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and Mississippi State University, respectively. He earned his doctorate in civil engineering from Texas A&M University in 1999.