Jimmy Martin

Jimmy Martin joined the Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty in 1991, and since then has distinguished himself with a number of awards, including recognition as a National Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation, and selection as Outstanding Faculty Award from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia. Dr. James Duncan, University Distinguished Professor at Virginia Tech, writes, "In my 30 years as a Civil Engineering faculty member, I have never known a faculty member who was more effective in communicating with undergraduate students." Nominating Professor W.R. Knocke describes Martin as "the best that we can hope for in our faculty when considering our mission as educators." Many praise Martin for his commitment to technological innovation in teaching with the application of cognitive learning theory to computer based multi-media packages for classroom instruction. He conducts successful recruitment programs, particularly with minority students.

His work in the classroom and in research focuses on "real world" projects. The Diggs selection committee was impressed with examples of such work in the area of earthquake engineering. A close correlation among Martin's teaching, professional research and service combine with compassionate and informed understanding of student learning and what some described as a rare grace and humility. For the Fall Roundtable, Martin will focus on the use of new teaching/learning methods (including technological advances) for delivering engineering courses to undergraduate students.