Robert P. Wadell, distinguished alumnus and former chair of CEE’s Advisory Council, has made a generous $500K donation to establish the Robert P. Wadell Endowed Fellowship for Civil Engineering Innovation. His gift was matched with $500K from Berkeley’s Graduate Division.
The fellowship will support high-achieving doctoral students in Berkeley’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.
“My goal is to foster innovation in both research and the practice of civil engineering,” said Wadell. “These doctoral students will be the future innovators and leaders in their fields.”
Wadell received his BS in 1967 and MS in 1968, both in Civil Engineering, with emphasis on transportation studies. His graduate work focused on airport planning and design through the Institute of Transportation and Traffic Engineering, which is now the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS). He worked at that time with Professor Robert Horonjeff, a national leader in airport design.
Five years after graduating, Bob founded Wadell Engineering Corporation, a Bay Area-based airport consulting firm, where he is President and CEO. His firm specializes in site selection, master planning, environmental analysis, design, and construction management for airports. As prime consultant, the firm has completed 500 civil and military airport projects across the US, the Pacific islands, the Philippines, and India, including entirely new international airports and new runways and hangars for the US military.
Wadell is the former chair of the CEE Advisory Council, and he is a current member of the ITS Advisory Council at Berkeley. In 2009, he established the Robert P. Wadell, P.E., F.ASCE Endowed Scholarship to assist outstanding undergraduate students in CEE and to provide for “the creation of outstanding civil engineers through opportunity.”
Recognizing his professional accomplishments and his work on behalf of Berkeley, Bob was inducted as a member of the inaugural class of the CEE Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2012. This is the highest honor awarded to alumni by the Department.
Wadell is a licensed Professional Civil Engineer in California and six other states. He has been a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) since his student days, and is a Life Member and ASCE Fellow. He is a leader in professional activities, receiving ASCE awards both regionally and nationally. In addition, he has been actively involved with the Airport Consultants Council, including four years of service on the Board of Governors.
“We are extremely grateful to Bob for his generosity and leadership in establishing the Wadell Fellowship,” says Robert Harley, CEE Chair. “The Fellowship will help us to attract and support top doctoral students who will lead the profession in addressing current and future infrastructure, design, and systems challenges.”