Topudurti no longer just acting

19 Jan 2007 -- Champaign, Ill. -- Dr. Kirankumar Topudurti is CERL's new deputy director. Topudurti has been the acting deputy since December 2005.

In this position, he oversees all laboratory operations and is responsible for providing the physical, financial, personnel and other management support resources that enable the laboratory to function efficiently. He is the Chief Management Negotiator for the Champaign site. He also assists in the development of new strategic research program areas.

Topudurti earned a bachelor's in civil engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in Anantapur, India, a master's in civil engineering with an emphasis in environmental engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and a doctorate in environmental engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Ill.

Prior to his current assignment, Topudurti served as chief of CERL's Environmental Processes Branch. In that position, he developed and implemented technology solutions that support environmental compliance and pollution prevention at military installations. Prior to joining CERL, Topudurti worked for Tetra Tech EM Inc. in Chicago. As Tetra Tech's principal technical adviser, he directed high visibility technical programs and developed a strategic vision for the company by serving as an adviser to the chief executive officer, group general managers and the chief technology officer. He also served as a delegate to the former Soviet Union as part of an Environmental Technology Delegation, in which he participated in discussions with United States and Soviet environmental professionals involving the evolving Soviet modernization program and the impact of that program on environmental protection.

Topudurti has been recognized with numerous honors and awards, including two American Academy of Environmental Engineers' (AAEE) Excellence in Environmental Engineering grand prizes, the U.S. Department of Energy/Florida State University Fellowship Award and two Consulting Engineers Council of Illinois' Engineering Excellence Awards. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois and a Diplomate Environmental Engineer of AAEE. He recently served on the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier I Science Advisory Board and currently chairs the AAEE's Development and Upgrading of Examinations Committee. He is a Life Fellow of American Institute of Chemists and a member of many scientific and engineering honor societies including Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi.