Craig H. Benson is Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia as well as the Janet and John Hamilton Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Prior to joining the University of Virginia, Dean Benson was appointed as Wisconsin Distinguished Professor, Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Chair of the Department of Geological Engineering, and Director of Sustainability Research and Education for the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Dr. Benson has been conducting experimental and analytical research in geoenvironmental engineering for nearly three decades, with the primary focus in environmental containment of solid, hazardous, radioactive, and mining wastes; sustainable infrastructure; and beneficial use of industrial byproducts. His research includes laboratory studies, large-scale field experiments, and computer modeling.
Dr. Benson has received several awards for his work, including the Ralph Peck Award, the Huber Research Prize, the Alfred Noble Prize, and the Croes (twice), Middlebrooks, Collingwood, and Casagrande Awards from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Award of Merit and the Best Practical Paper Award (twice) from ASTM International. Dr. Benson is a former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, served as President of the ASCE Geo-Institute (GI), and served as Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock. Dr. Benson is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.
Dr. Benson has a BS from Lehigh University and MS and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.
