The following article has been adapted from the College of Engineering website.  Please click here to read the full article.

Dr. Brina Montoya, assistant professor of civil engineering at North Carolina State University, has received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her research proposal, “Stabilization of Mining and Energy Related Byproducts using Bio-Mediated Soil Improvement.”

The NSF CAREER award is one of the most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty members who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Montoya’s research will focus on developing sustainable methods to stabilize mining- and energy-related byproduct materials using natural biological processes to prevent the failure of the containment systems and the spread of the byproduct materials. Management of byproduct materials is one of the most difficult challenges facing the mining and energy industries. The research will also address how to explain to the public the treatment process and benefits of bio-mediated soil improvements in order for it to become a viable ground improvement alternative.