Posted on June 30, 2025
VICKSBURG, Miss. – Chad Young, a planner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Sacramento District, has been selected as one of five USACE participants for the 2025 session of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center University (ERDC-U).
Now in its tenth year, the professional development initiative designed to encourage collaboration and technology transfer, welcomed participants as Antisa Webb, chief of the ERDC Office of Research and Technology Transfer within the Technology, Knowledge, and Outreach Division and co-sponsor of the program, announced the selectees.
“ERDC-U fosters collaboration between participants from USACE divisions and districts and mentors from relevant ERDC laboratories,” said Webb. “The program involves six-month research projects aimed at developing innovative technical solutions that enhance operations at the workplace, support the Corps and benefit the nation.”
Sarah Ross-Arrouzet, chief of the Flood and Storm Risk Reduction Section of the Sacramento District, endorses Young’s selection to ERDC-U.
“I have been Chad’s supervisor since 2022, and in that time he has consistently shown a dedication to professional growth and a willingness to learn from mentors and coworkers,” said Arrouzet. “He’s not only eager to improve himself but also actively contributes to the learning and success of the entire team. I enthusiastically support his candidacy for the ERDC-U development assignment.”
By collaborating with subject matter experts across ERDC’s seven state-of-the-art laboratories, participants will tackle real-world challenges while simultaneously honing their leadership skills to benefit their home organization.
Young, a dedicated USACE Team member for over seven years, currently serves as a planner in the Flood and Storm Risk Reduction Section with the Albuquerque and Sacramento Districts. In this role, he leads teams through the USACE feasibility study process and communicates study results in reports and upper management briefings for ecosystem restoration and flood risk management projects.
Beyond team management, he is a skilled communicator and project leader with a Master of Science in civil engineering and another in natural resources. He presents study findings to upper management and government leaders with the ultimate aim of securing funding approval and appropriation for crucial projects. He develops and adjusts project schedules, ensuring deadlines are met while maintaining high-quality deliverables. His experience with interdisciplinary groups of professionals – biologists, archaeologists, engineers, economists and other specialists – has led to results in multiple projects with which he has participated.
“This program represents a fantastic opportunity to enhance my understanding of USACE business lines and contribute to research improving the integration of nature-based solutions into feasibility study alternatives,” said Young. “I believe my diverse background, coupled with collaborations with ERDC researchers, will enrich my career path and inform advancements in policy and best practices, and I am eager to apply my experience to contribute to research that benefits both the Corps and the nation.”
Young will be mentored by Dr. Jacob Berkowitz, a research soil scientist in ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory and the team leader for wetlands research. His study will focus primarily on nature-based solutions (NBS) as alternative measures in USACE projects. NBS are generally considered more economical and sometimes more effective than what has been done historically to solve flood risk and environmental problems.
Young will develop and conduct a survey to identify barriers to integrating NBS into feasibility study alternatives. The survey will ask project delivery team members in what areas of the feasibility study process are there obstacles hindering the consideration of NBS in alternatives. Identifying the obstacles will allow for remedies to be developed that facilitate increased consideration of NBS in alternatives and selected plans. This research will result in recommendations for policies and best practices that ease the inclusion of NBS as alternatives in selected plans.
Upon completion of ERDC-U, Young, along with the four other selectees, will attend a graduation ceremony in September. During the ceremony, he will present a comprehensive overview of his ERDC-U experience, detailing the findings of his survey and the identification of possible feasibility study process solutions that aid project teams in considering NBS for more efficient and effective USACE projects.
Applications will open in October for the 2026 ERDC-U session. For information on ERDC-U and applications, visit: https://wiki.erdc.dren.mil/ERDC_University.
