Dr. James Bryce has been selected to fill the Pat Parsons’ Asphalt Faculty Position within the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at West Virginia University’s Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
In accepting his new position, Dr. Bryce will be departing Marshall University where he currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. Dr. Bryce is a graduate of the University of Missouri where he received his BS in Civil Engineering. Later, he attended Virginia Tech where he received his MS and, subsequently, his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering.
John Crane, Asphalt Pavement Association Executive Director, said“ we are very excited to see Dr. Bryce take on this role. Dr. Bryce is an excellent professor with great knowledge and an eagerness to get involved. I have no doubt that he will help direct and serve our industry and our state into the future.”
Dr. Bryce’s primary expertise is the design and management of asphalt pavements, and he has several ongoing research projects with the Federal Highway Administration, Michigan DOT and other agencies on that topic. Much of his current work is in the area of pavement management, such as developing updated protocols for distress measurement and condition assessment or developing models to predict pavement performance.
The recently named Pat Parsons’ Asphalt Faculty Endowment was established by the asphalt industry of West Virginia in 1993, and subsequently employed Dr. John Zaniewski for over 20 years. Over the last few years, the asphalt industry has grown the endowment from a professorship to fully chaired position, raising a sum of $1 million in the process. Dr. Bryce said, “I am honored and excited to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Zaniewski, the advisor of my advisor at Virginia Tech, Dr. Gerardo Flintsch.” Dr. Bryce praised WVU saying, “the University has all the facilities and excellent students to make major advances in asphalt technologies that serve West Virginia and the nation.”
“Dr. Zaniewski’s contributions over the years to our industry are immeasurable,” said Crane. “We would be remiss to not recognize his commitment and dedication. However, we are delighted to have Dr. Bryce coming in the wake to pickup the torch and continue our mission.”