Posted on March 10, 2022
VICKSBURG, Miss.— Researchers from five U.S. Army Corps of Engineer (USACE) Districts have been selected for the 2022 session of the Engineer Research and Development Center University (ERDC-U).
Supervisory Environmental Engineer Jennifer Miller, Ph.D., of the Chicago District was chosen as a participant for this detail program, which is now in its seventh year.
ERDC-U Program Lead Antisa Webb, Chief of the Office of Research and Technology Transfer (ORTT), Technology, Knowledge and Outreach (TKO) Division and the program’s co-sponsor, announced the six 2022 selectees.
“ERDC-U offers partnerships between USACE Division and District participants and relevant laboratory mentors for six-month research projects, resulting in technical solutions benefitting their workplace, the Corps and the Nation,” Webb said.
“ERDC-U experiences build a collaborative and continuing partnership with ERDC team members as an investment in the future of the Corps, along with career-long problem-solving contacts,” Webb added.
A Corps team member for 22 years, Miller serves as Chief of the Environmental Engineering Team (EET), Engineering and Construction Division, Design Branch, Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering Section for the Chicago District and is temporarily assigned to USACE headquarters in Washington D.C.
She serves as EET’s lead and subject-matter expert, providing technical guidance on water and air quality, contaminated sediment dredging and disposal, urban environmental issues and regulatory compliance. Miller has extensive experience related to HTRW, including urban construction issues and contaminated sediment. When possible, she prefers to work on Great Lakes water quality and sediment issues.
Her ERDC project will focus on the beneficial use of sediment for natural shoreline restoration.
“Recent historically high lake levels have demonstrated the extent of human impacts on Great Lakes shorelines, with significant coastal erosion damage especially near key natural areas,” Miller said. “I am proposing to work on regionally-based sediment source and placement location identification for western Lake Michigan.”
Miller’s mentors are Research Biologist Dr. Burton Suedel with the ERDC Environmental Laboratory and Research Hydraulic Engineer Dr. Brian McFall with the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, two of the four laboratory sites the group will visit during orientation tours March 1-2 at the ERDC headquarters site in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Commander’s Recommendation
“Dr. Miller is a highly qualified environmental engineer with excellent technical and leadership skills,” Chicago District Commander Col. Paul B. Culberson said in his support letter of Miller. “She works on all phases of sediment related projects including dredged material management plan development, sediment characterization, dredging plans and specifications development, environmental compliance, engineering support during construction projects and conducting quality control and ATR reviews for projects within the district and across the nation. She regularly coordinates with internal and external stakeholders, including other USACE districts, state and federal regulatory agencies, project local sponsors, and Great Lakes navigation interests. Dr. Miller regularly drafts and edits various documents (everything from memoranda to congressional responses to reports) and has excellent skills for producing well-organized and thoughtful responses to inquiries. I have no doubt that these skills would strongly support her efforts at ERDC-U.”
The program is co-sponsored by ERDC’s Directorate of Human Capital through an application and selection process, and the session runs from March through August. Program funding is split between the selectee’s Division or District for choice of labor costs or travel with the other funded by ERDC.
The ERDC University Program specifically seeks individuals with interest and experience in general scientific and engineering fields encompassing one of the following business areas:
- Civil Works and Water Resources
- Environmental Quality and Installations
- Geospatial Research and Engineering
- Information Technology
- Military Engineering
Participants serve as a members of an interdisciplinary Research and Development (R&D) team, reporting to lead project managers and/or R&D direct program managers. The incumbent supports and possibly leads any number of activities to develop R&D.
“Selectees will have the opportunity to make great relationships that can help you the rest of your career, and we can learn about District needs from you,” ERDC Director Dr. David Pittman said about the program.
For program questions, please contact Antisa.C.Webb@usace.army.mil. Applications for the 2023 program will open October 1, 2022, for GS-7-13 team members through the “Opportunities” icon at https://wiki.erdc.dren.mil/index.php?title=ERDC_University.
