By Gwyn G. Neill
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Public Affairs
Dr. Ghada S. Ellithy, a senior research civil engineer in the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory of the U.S. Engineer and Research Development Center has been awarded the prestigious 2016 Women of Color Magazine Technology All-Star Award.
The award recognizes accomplished women of color with mid-level to advanced-level careers in the workforce. Award winners have demonstrated excellence in the workplace and in their communities.
Ellithy’s selection recognizes her more than 21 years of civil engineering experience with ERDC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the private sector.
“I feel honored and humbled that I was nominated by ERDC and was selected to receive the Women of Color Technology All-Star Award. It is my determination to keep up the high standards of work that is expected from engineering researchers at ERDC,” said Ellithy.
Her current research involves levee internal and surface erosion, transient seepage, unsaturated flow through levees and levee field instrumentation.
Ellithy’s past research focused on pavements, geosynthetics, deep foundations, seismic analysis, slope stability, settlement and consolidation, filter design, soil behavior and seepage analysis.
While involved with opportunities of mentoring and teaching junior engineers, her duties have ranged from design and project management, numerical modeling, research and development, manufacturing quality control and fieldwork.
In his announcement of the award, ERDC Director Dr. Jeff Holland said, “We are proud that Dr. Ellithy embodies the special character of a dynamic leader and is a mentor for others to follow.”
Ellithy holds her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil and geotechnical engineering from the Ain Shames University in Cairo, Egypt.
She earned her doctorate in geo-environmental engineering from West Virginia University.
She is a registered professional engineer and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Engineers Without Borders and the American Society for Testing and Materials.
Ellithy will be honored at a special recognition event during the Women of Color STEM Awards Conference in October.