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Venkatesh

Kodur, Ph.D.

About

Venkatesh Kumar R Kodur, born in Kodur village in Karnataka India, received his bachelor's degree in Civil engineering from the University Visveswaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore, India, in 1984. He received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees from Queen’s University, Canada, in 1988 and 1992, respectively. Following a brief stint as a Post-doctoral Fellow at Royal Military College, Kingston, Canada, he joined the National Research Council (Canada), where as senior scientist, he carried out extensive research in structural fire safety field. In 2005, he joined the faculty of Michigan State University (MSU), where he is currently a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. He was previously the Chairperson (Head) and Associate Chairperson of the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering at MSU. Kodur has established unique fire test facilities and highly acclaimed research program in structural fire engineering area at MSU and is the founding director of the Center on
Structural Fire Safety and Diagnostics.

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Prof. Kodur is an internationally recognized scholar for his contributions in structural and fire engineering fields. His research has focused on the experimental behavior and analytical modeling of structural systems under extreme fire conditions, Constitutive modelling of material properties at elevated temperatures, Fire resistance design of structural systems, Application of AI & ML based techniques for structural fire engineering, and Building collapse investigations. His contributions to the fields of structural fire safety and high performing construction materials are seminal and numerous, and his research accomplishments have had major impacts. He has developed fundamental understanding on the behavior of materials and structural systems under extreme fire conditions. The techniques and methodologies resulting from his research is instrumental for minimizing the destructive impact of fire in the built infrastructure, which continues to cause thousands of deaths and billions of dollars of damage each year in the U.S. and around the world. Many of these design approaches and fire resistance solutions have been incorporated in to various construction codes and design standards in the U.S. and around the world. He has an outstanding record for international research initiatives and collaborations and has collaborated with top researchers and prestigious organizations from about two dozen countries to produce high quality deliverables.

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Dr. Kodur has advised around 27 postdoctoral researchers, 29 Ph.D. students, 29 M.S. students and number of undergraduate research interns over the last 25 years and most of these student’s dissertations are on “structural”, “material” and “fire” engineering topics. Many of his (former) Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars are currently faculty members in reputed universities throughout the world. Dr. Kodur, together with his students and collaborators, has published results from his research in 500+ peer-reviewed papers in journals and conferences, and has given numerous key-note presentations in major international conferences. He is one of the highly cited authors in Civil Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering disciplines, and as per Google Scholar, he has more than 21,500 citations with an "h” index of 81. The most recent notable contribution from Kodur is a new text book on “Structural Fire Engineering” published by McGraw-Hill Education.

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Dr. Kodur has served in various leadership positions, including as Chairperson (Head) and Associate Chairperson of the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering at MSU, and as Chair of various technical committees of leading professional societies and on editorial boards of prestigious international journals.  Dr. Kodur’s contributions to the Civil Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering professions have been recognized by peers through prestigious honors and awards. He has been elected as Fellow of seven Institutes/Academies: Academy of Sciences of the Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, Indian National Academy of Engineering, Structural Engineering Institute, American Concrete Institute, and the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He is a professional engineer, Associate Editor of Journal of Structural Engineering and Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, editorial board member of five leading journals, Chairman of ASCE(SEI)-SFPE 29 (Fire) Standards Committee, and a member of UK-EPSRC College of Reviewers. He has won many distinguished awards including Michigan State University “University Distinguished Professor” rank, American Institute of Steel Construction Faculty Fellowship Award, MSU Distinguished Faculty Award, NRCC (Government of Canada) Outstanding Achievement Award, and NATO Award for collaborative research. The most recent international awards include: Fulbright Scholar award; Appointments as “INFOSYS Visiting Chair Professor” at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and as “VAJRA Adjunct Faculty” at the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi (as part of India Government of India “VAJRA Faculty Award for Collaborative Research”). Also, in recognition of his contributions to civil engineering and structural fire engineering, he has been felicitated through organizing major international conferences.  Most notably, Dr. Kodur was part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and American Society of Civil Engineers/Society of Fire Protection Engineers high profile "Experts Team" that investigated the collapse of the World Trade Center buildings as a result of September 11 attacks.

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Main accomplishments in the last 6 years:

  • Completed 5 major research projects funded from diverse funding agencies; and developed innovative & cost-effective fire safety solutions for minimizing fire hazard.

  • Established collaborations with dozen+ international universities for research & outreach

  • Elected as Fellow of Academy of Science of Royal Society of Canada

  • Significant international recognition: Selection as Fulbright Specialist; and Appointment as “INFOSYS Visiting Chair Professor” at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India.

  • Awarded  Govt. of India “VAJRA Faculty Award (grant) for Collaborative Research’.

  • Appointments as Adjunct Professor at IIT-Delhi, India, and  U. of Waterloo, Canada.

  • Awarded "University Distinguished Professor" rank, the highest academic rank  at MSU.

  • Served as "Chairperson" of the Department of Civil & Env. Engineering at MSU.

  • Invited to serve on external review/advisory committees of the departments at the University of Maryland and IIT-Hyderabad (India).

  • Served as the "Chairperson" of the Department of Civil & Env. Engineering at MSU.

  • Established state-of-the-art fire testing facilities for material & structural systems.

  • Currently advising research of 5 Ph.D., 4 M.S. students and 2 research Scholars.

  • Organized (as Chair) numerous international conferences and workshops around the world

  • Invited to research proposal review panels from various funding agencies: US (NSF), Hong Kong (RGC), Belgium, Singapore, UK (EPSRC)), Canada (NSERC, IC-IMPACTS).

  • Published 3 books, 80 journal and 50 conference papers, and 4 book chapters

  • Invited to deliver 40 Keynote/Plenary presentations at major international conferences

  • Felicitated for 'contributions to the field of concrete technology and structural/fire engineering' through organizing "Gettu-Kodur International Symposium on Advances in Science & Technology of Concrete" – American Concrete Institute (India).

  • Numerous international awards including, as Fellow of seven Academies/Societies; (ex: Royal Society of Canada, Canadian Academy of Engg.; Indian National Academy of Engg.).

  • Appointed as Associate Editor or as Editorial Board Member of 5 leading Journals.

Education

Ph.D. Structural Eng. | Queen's University, Canada | 1992

M.Sc. Structural Eng. | Queen's University, Canada | 1988

B.Sc. Civil Eng. | Bangalore University, India | 1985

P.U.C. Science | National College, India | 1979

Scholarships

Ph.D. Graduate Fellowship | Queen's University, Canada | 1998-92

M.Sc. Graduate Fellowship | Queen's University, Canada | 1986-88

B.E. National Merit Scholarship | Government of India | 1979-84

Pre. Univ. National Merit Scholarship | Government of India | 1977-79

High School National Merit Scholarship | Government of Karnataka| 1974-77

Awards & Honors

  • Elected Fellow of Academy of Science of Royal Society of Canada 2023

  • VAJRA Faculty Award for collaborative research, Dept. of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India, 2021

  • 2021 Withrow Global Leadership Award | MSU (College of Engineering) | 2021

  • Fulbright Specialist Award | Fulbright Specialist Program at World Learning | 2021

  • The ‘Charles C. Zollman Award’ for “the best state-of-the-art precast and prestressed concrete paper” in Prestressed Concrete Institute Journal | PCI | 2020

  • Elected "Fellow" of Society of Fire Protection Engineers | SFPE | 2020

  • Appointed as “INFOSYS Visiting Chair Professor” at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. | IISC | 2020

  • 2020 Withrow Distinguished Scholar (Senior) Award | MSU (College of Eng.) | 2020

  • Zhang G and Kodur V.K.R. - "Outstanding Paper Award” - 6th Int. Conf. Applications in Structural Fire Engg., Singapore, 2019

  • Felicitated for 'contributions to the field of concrete technology and structural/fire engineering' through organizing "Gettu-Kodur International Symposium on Advances in Science & Technology of Concrete" | India Chapter of American Concrete Institute | 2018

  • “Literati Award for Best Research Paper” | Emerald Publishers | 2018

  • Awarded "University Distinguished Professor" rank | MSU | 2017

  • Selected for “MSU President’s report” | MSU | 2016

  • Elected "Fellow" of Structural Engineering Institute | SEI (ASCE) | 2013

  • Elected Foreign “Fellow" of Indian National Academy of Engineering | INAE | 2012

  • University Distinguished Faculty Award | MSU | 2011

  • Outstanding Achievement Award for "External Partnership" | NRCC | 2010

  • Elected "Chapter Honor Member of Chi Epsilon Society | Chi Ep | 2010

  • Elected "Fellow" of Canadian Academy of Engineering | CAE | 2009

  • AISC Faculty Fellowship Award | AISC | 2007

  • Nominated 'Fellow' of American Concrete Institute | ACI | 2007

  • AISC Faculty Fellowship Award | AISC | 2007

  • Nomination to "EPSRC (UK) Peer Review College" | EPSRC | 2006

  • Elected "Fellow" of 'Am. Society of Civil Engineers' | ASCE | 2005

  • Outstanding Public Awareness Award | NRCC | 2003

  • The Lorne W Gold "Best Publication (Research Paper)" Award | NRCC | 2002

  • Best Public Awareness Award | IRC/NRC | 2002

  • Outstanding Achievement Award for "Best Research Project" | NRCC | 2000

  • George Sedan Award for Innovative Solutions | NRCC | 1998

  • NATO Award for Collaborative Research | NATO | 1996

  • Best Teaching Assistant Award | Queen's University | 1991

Courses Teaching

Developed and taught the following undergraduate and graduate courses in structural engineering:

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CE 405 | Introduction to Design of Steel Structures (Senior Undergraduate course)

CE 495 | Senior Design in Civil Engineering (Structures Track)

CE 805 | Advanced Design of Steel Structures - (Graduate course)

CE 808 | Structural Fire Engineering - (Graduate course)

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Courses Taught:

  • Design of Concrete and Steel Structures - (Undergraduate course)

  • Prestressed Concrete - (Senior Undergraduate/graduate course)

  • Honors research seminar – (Undergraduate – Honors College; Fall’07)

  • Guest lectures (on various topics) – EGR 100, MSE 101, MSE 200, MSE 465

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Received excellent SIRS ratings in all courses.
 

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