HDR Fellows Bring Ingenuity to Clients, Communities
Research Advances Solutions Using Artificial Intelligence, Ultraviolet LEDs, Granular Activated Carbon, Bioconvergence Principles
In 2023, four HDR employees will lead applied research projects to develop creative solutions for technical and design issues — including bridge management practices, bioconvergence facility design guidelines, and water treatment processes.
HDR’s Fellowship Program reinforces the importance of professional excellence and provides recognition for leaders in architecture, engineering and the sciences. Each year, a select few HDR employees are chosen for the program. The fellowships last one year with budgets set aside for time and expenses to complete research.
“The Fellowship Program is an ideal way for us to foster thought leadership,” said Eric Keen, HDR chairman and CEO. “By giving our employees the resources they need to pursue their ideas or research a need in the industry, we are not only helping them, but we are potentially developing better solutions for our clients.”
Maryam Bostani of HDR’s transportation business group will pursue a novel method for clients with large bridge inventories to strategically manage their aging assets. Bostani aims to establish innovative models for the development of a bridge management system using artificial intelligence to provide real-time results for data-driven maintenance and replacement decisions.
“Our fellows see ways to enrich their careers,” said Brad Johnson, HDR professional services director. “And they strengthen our position and reputation within the industry.”
HDR's Tara Randall and Ramola Vaidya are each investigating advanced methods for water treatment. Randall will explore disinfection, operability and cost savings of UVLED technology. Vaidya will pursue a new approach for granular activated carbon treatment design. Both projects will leverage an ongoing, multiyear, HDR-led potable reuse pilot study with Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
“This is an exciting opportunity to help clients like Anne Arundel County — and clients across the globe — who are facing complex treatment challenges,” Randall said.
Somayeh Mousazadeh of HDR’s architecture business group is channeling her interest in bioconvergence — the application of natural processes into digital innovation — into her fellowship initiative. She’ll work with a team of researchers to develop a framework of practical guidelines for designing bioconvergence research facilities.
“I've been reading or hearing something new about bioconvergence almost every day, which only fuels my desire to learn more,” Mousazadeh said. “This dynamic and rapidly evolving field continues to captivate and inspire me. I can't wait to see where the fellowship research takes me.”
About HDR
For over a century, HDR has partnered with clients to shape communities and push the boundaries of what’s possible. Our expertise spans more than 11,000 employees in more than 200 locations around the world — and counting. Our engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services bring an impressive breadth of knowledge to every project. Our optimistic approach to finding innovative solutions defined our past and drives our future.
