Civil engineering professor Wei-Chou (Virgil) Ping has been granted emeritus status in recognition of service to the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.
Professor Ping retired after thirty years with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where he made a wide and far-reaching impact. His primary research area was in the field of asphalt pavements and subbase materials. Many of his research projects were funded by the Florida Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration and led directly to technology transfer courses and materials that impacted the state of practice in Florida and across the country.
Professor Lisa Spainhour, department chair, said that Ping was instrumental in establishing the infrastructure of the department’s teaching and research laboratories where he guided dozens of graduate students to the successful completion of their degrees.
“Dr. Ping’s contributions were foundational to our department and our construction materials research area,” Spainhour said. “He was one of our most prolific researchers in our early years. He was successful in recruiting outstanding students even though we hadn't yet developed a Ph.D. program.”
Ping is a registered Florida Professional Engineer and a life member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, where he was active in numerous technical committees. He served on the Bituminous Materials committee, with multiple terms as secretary, vice-chair and chair. He also was active in numerous committees of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and chaired numerous technical sessions of the TRB annual meeting and other professional conferences.
He received over $4.5 million in grant funding and published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed journals, including Transportation Research Record: The Journal of the Transportation Review Board, and the American Concrete Institute Materials Journal.