Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, Jeong Eun Ahn, and Professor and Chair of Civil Engineering, Cosmas Tzavelis, have been awarded a $5,000 grant through the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) Faculty Support Initiative. The newly launched program supports faculty-led efforts to strengthen and expand the integration of the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework within higher education.

The ISI Faculty Support Initiative recognizes proposals that demonstrate innovation, clarity, and meaningful potential impact on sustainable infrastructure education. As recipients, Professors Ahn and Tzavelis will also be invited to participate on ISI’s panel at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference in June 2026, where they will share insights from their work with a national academic audience.

Their funded project focuses on integrating Envision into two senior-level civil engineering courses at The Cooper Union, alongside research in engineering education that examines how Envision shapes students’ understanding of sustainability as a measurable and actionable design objective. By embedding the framework directly into the curriculum, the initiative aims to equip students with practical tools and decision-making skills that align sustainability goals with real-world engineering practice.

Professor Ahn’s research centers on predictive modeling of fluid movement and environmental impacts, with a focus on sustainable and resilient coastal systems. She integrates numerical modeling, data-driven analysis, and interdisciplinary collaboration, and is deeply committed to engaging undergraduate students in research and advancing innovation in engineering education.

Professor Tzavelis teaches a wide range of courses in structural analysis and design and serves as Faculty Advisor for the AISC Steel Bridge Competition. His research interests include generative AI in structural design, information management in architecture, engineering, and construction, innovative bridge design, and biomimicry. In Fall 2025, he received the Cooper Union ASCE Faculty Legacy Award in recognition of his long-standing dedication to student success.