Engineering Fellowship for a U-T Tyler Student

TYLER – A University of Texas at Tyler graduate student, Alisha Khanal has been awarded the $9,500 Trent R. Dames and William W. Moore Fellowship from the American Society of Civil Engineers. The fellowship is intended to further the exploration of new applications of geotechnical engineering or the earth sciences to social, economic, environmental and political issues. Khanal, a civil engineer, is from Nepal. After a devastating earthquake in her country in 2015, she decided to dedicate the next phase of her educational career to developing a better understanding of earthquake effects in hopes of preventing future fatalities. One of two students nationwide to receive this fellowship, she is studying with UT Tyler assistant professor, Dr. Gokhan Saygili, who is an expert in the geotechnical field.

Khanal is researching how earthquake mainshocks and aftershocks affect the Earth’s natural hills and slopes. She says the fellowship affords her the opportunity to focus entirely on her research. After completing her master’s degree, Khanal plans to put her research to practical use by working as a geotechnical engineer and then pursue a doctoral degree.