Biography

Islam H. El-adaway, a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the United States (US) and a registered Chartered Engineer (CEng.) in the United Kingdom (UK), is the Associate Dean for Academic Partnerships and the tenured Hurst-McCarthy Full Professor within the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering (CArEE) and the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering (EMSE) at Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T, formerly known as the University of Missouri – Rolla). Prior to that, he held tenured positions at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville and Mississippi State University, respectively. At Missouri S&T, he is the Founding Director of the Missouri Consortium for Construction Innovation (MO-CCI), which is a partnership focusing on research, student development, and professional education between Missouri S&T and the construction stakeholders (including as of now: McCarthy Building Companies, Arco Construction, Brinkmann Constructors, Clayco, Alberici, Paric Corporation, BJC HealthCare, Good Developments Group, Keeley Construction, NorthPoint Development, UB Greensfelder, and Tarlton Corporation). Dr. El-adaway earned his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Iowa State University, and his M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Construction Engineering from the American University in Cairo. 

As of today, Dr. El adaway’s scholarly efforts have been supported by around 42 projects funded by various agencies including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Education, Department of Transportation, Construction Industry Institute, Sloan Foundation, Regional Transportation and Safety Research Centers, and other private entities. This resulted to-date in 247 peer-reviewed papers (141 journal papers and 106 conference papers) with his research team, all of which were respectively published/accepted and presented in the most highly regarded journals and highly attended conferences in the CEM specialty area. This is not to mention multiple pending-review and under-preparation journal and conference papers. He mentored 11 PhD students, 6 MSc students, and 2 undergraduate NSF research scholars towards earning their respective degrees as well as earning multiple recognitions at the national and university levels. His current research team includes 8 PhD students.

The efforts of Dr. El-adaway resulted in multiple honors and recognitions. Professionally, he is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (F. ASCE) and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (F.ICE). Nationally, his co-authored work with his graduate students was chosen in March 2024 and January 2024 for the Editor’s Choice collections in the ASCE Journal of Infrastructure Systems and the ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering, respectively. His work was also selected in October 2022 for the Editor’s Choice peer-reviewed paper by the ASCE’s Journal of Energy Engineering, and in July 2020 as the Editor’s Choice peer-reviewed paper by ASCE’s Journal of Management in Engineering, earned the 2020 ASCE Thomas Fitch Rowland Prize, was designated in September 2018 for the Editor’s Choice peer-reviewed papers by the ASCE’s Journal of Infrastructure systems and Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, and was awarded the 2017 ASCE Best Peer-Reviewed Journal Paper by the Journal of Management in Engineering. Also, he was selected 7 different times as an Outstanding Reviewer by ASCE, and was invited by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) to attend its Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium as being one of the most innovative engineering educators. Regionally, he is selected as a 2019 Top Young Professional by the Engineering News Record, and a recipient of 2014 Young Faculty Research Award by the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). At the University level, he was selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award at Iowa State University; Campus Faculty Research Award and two Outstanding Contributions to Graduate Studies Certificates at Missouri S&T; Outstanding Teaching Recognition Award at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville; and Academy of Distinguished Teachers Award, a Young Faculty Research Award, the David Carlisle Hull Faculty Leadership Award, and the Chip Crane State Pride Award at Mississippi State University.

Dr. El-adaway serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Management in Engineering (ASCE), Journal of Construction Management and Economics (Taylor & Francis), Journal of Civil Engineering Education (ASCE), and Journal of Practice Periodical on Structural Design Construction (ASCE). Further, he is a Guest Editor for special issues of peer-reviewed journals by ASCE and Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI). In addition to being invited as Keynote Speaker and Organizing Committee Member for various conference and repeated member of the Scientific Committee for the ASCE’s Construction Research Congress; Dr. El-adaway is member of the Global Leadership Forum of Construction Engineering and Management (GLF-CEM) where he serves on the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Committee.