Thomas C. Sheahan, Sc.D., P.E.

Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering

Leadership Highlights

 

Northeastern University

Acting Chair, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

             Finance, Budget and Facilities

       Oversee annual operational budget of $90K, and total budget of $3.1M

       Raised $500K for student activities endowment and addition funds for endowed        communications program

       Revamped graduate student offices and research labs, expanded undergraduate        design student capacity

 

Academic and Research Programs

       Led development of dept. strategic planning document, including strategic        research thrusts and the “Cities of the Future” department research theme

       Restructured endowed $750K communications program in conjunction with        Industrial Advisory Board; added $50K to endowment

       Developed international summer semester experiences in Europe

       Initiated on-line graduate course offerings

       Oversaw on-line graduate student application process

       Expanded graduate student enrollment from 75 to 100

 

Faculty/Staff Development (15 standing faculty, 8 adjunct faculty, 4 staff members)

       Facilitated faculty approval of dept. policies and procedures manual

       Negotiated phased retirements for senior faculty

       Led hiring initiative for high-profile senior faculty member

       Negotiated to retain strategically critical faculty members

       Enhanced funding for faculty development activities

       Established permanent instructor position in transportation

 

Research, Scholarship and Service Leadership

PI on grants from NSF, NIH, and other federal agencies; responsible for $2M in grant activity

Author/co-author of 60 papers and seminal textbook in geotechnical engineering

Co-Editor, ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 2002-2008

Chair, Transportation Research Board (part of National Academies) committee AFS20, Soil and Rock Instrumentation, 2000-2006

Chair, Faculty Senate General Education Implementation Committee, 2007-2008

 

Director of Undergraduate Program, 1998-Present

Serve as faculty advisor for 340 undergraduates

Chair department undergraduate committee

Coordinate ABET quality improvement and compliance processes, led successful 2007 visit

Developed web-based course/discipline assessment and feedback system

Administer $50K scholarship program

 

U.S. Navy

Officer-in-Charge, Navy Seabee Unit, Naval Air Station Alameda, CA

Directly responsible for 90 enlisted personnel carrying out construction operations

Reported to NAS Commanding Officer and Bay Area Naval facilities managers

Managed all aspects of materials, equipment, budgets, personnel evaluation and scheduling

 

Assistant Officer-in-Charge, Navy Seabee Unit, various overseas locations

Administration of 90 to 150-person units, including materials, equipment and logistics

Managed deployment/redeployment to remote area and host Naval bases