Shaily Mahendra Appointed to Richard G. Newman AECOM Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering

Shaily Mahendra, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering whose research focuses on mitigating environmental hazards, has been named the new holder of the Richard G. Newman AECOM Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering, effective July 1.

The endowed chair was established in 2009 with a $1.5 million gift from the executive team of AECOM, a leading global infrastructure company, in honor of Richard G. Newman, the company’s longtime former chairman and CEO. Mahendra succeeds William Yeh, a UCLA Samueli distinguished professor emeritus who held the chair from 2010 until his retirement in 2023.

“We are proud to support the advancement of civil and environmental engineering through the Richard G. Newman AECOM Endowed Chair,” said Matt Crane, chief executive of AECOM’s U.S. West region. “Professor Mahendra’s pioneering research in sustainable water treatment and environmental protection reflects the innovative spirit and purpose that drive AECOM’s mission to deliver a better world. Her work aligns with our commitment to creating resilient, sustainable infrastructure solutions that protect communities and the environment for generations to come.”

Mahendra’s research focuses on incorporating advanced molecular, synthetic and systems biology applications in the monitoring and control of natural and built environments. She is internationally recognized for pioneering enzyme–nanohybrid approaches in water treatment, characterizing the impacts of nanoparticles and emerging contaminants, and designing diagnostic tools for bioremediation. She aims to expand nature-inspired solutions for sustainable, scalable and accessible treatment of groundwater, stormwater, as well as industrial, mining and municipal wastewater.

A member of the UCLA Samueli faculty since 2009, she was a Samueli Fellow from 2015 to June 2025. At UCLA, she is also a member of the California NanoSystems Institute, the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, and the Environmental and Molecular Toxicology Interdepartmental Program. Before joining UCLA, she was a research scientist at Rice University.

Notable among Mahendra’s honors are a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, a DuPont Young Professor Award, a Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize, a Paul Busch Award from the Water Research Foundation and a Distinguished Service Award from the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors. She has also received UCLA Samueli’s Northrop Grumman Excellence in Teaching Award. She served as secretary of the AEESP Board of Directors from 2018 to 2020. Since 2022, she has been editor-in-chief of the Journal of Hazardous Materials Letters and was editor of the Journal of Hazardous Materials from 2020 to 2025.

“I am truly excited about this endowed chair established by AECOM, which has provided vital support for advancing faculty research and innovation for a better world,” said Ah-Hyung “Alissa” Park, the Ronald and Valerie Sugar Dean of Engineering. “Professor Shaily Mahendra has exemplified innovation in civil and environmental engineering, and this support will enable her to further her work mitigating environmental hazards and developing sustainable solutions that protect communities.”