Dr. Matthew Yarnold, an assistant professor in the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University, received the 2019 American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Early Career Faculty Award. The award honors individuals who demonstrate promise in the areas of structural steel research and teaching, and other contributions to the structural steel industry. The award will be presented to him in April. “I appreciate receiving the AISC award and look forward to furthering steel teaching and research in my career,” said Yarnold. He is also an assistant research scientist at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
Yarnold’s research interests include structural steel behavior, bridge engineering, the experimental assessment of structural systems, novel techniques for structural health monitoring and engineering education. He has extensive experience with the experimental testing of structural systems and has led research projects for the National Science Foundation, state departments of transportation and private engineering firms. He is an active member of several national committees through the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Transportation Research Board.
Yarnold has roughly 15 years of structural engineering research and design experience. He began his career at Lehigh University, where he received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. Following graduation he accepted a position with the engineering firm Ammann & Whitney, where he contributed to more than 15 bridge design and rehabilitation projects while also obtaining his professional engineering license. After a successful career as a consultant, he returned to academia and completed his Ph.D. at Drexel University. He joined the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering in 2017.