amy l. rechenmacher - usc viterbi school of engineering · amy l. rechenmacher sonny astani...

Amy L. Rechenmacher Sonny Astani Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

University of Southern California 3620 S. Vermont Ave, Suite KAP 210

Los Angeles, CA 90089-2531 213-740-3615 (voice), 213-590-3701 (mobile), [email protected]

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 2000 M.S., Civil Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 1994 B.S. with distinction, Civil Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 1991

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE • Associate Professor of Engineering Practice, University of Southern California, 2013-present • Assistant Professor, University of Southern California, 2005-2013 • Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University, 2000-2004 • Faculty Intern, Northwestern University, 1999 • Staff Engineer, Woodward Clyde Consultants, Santa Ana, CA, 1995-1996 • Geotechnical Engineer, Nicholson Construction Company, Bridgeville, PA, 1993-1995 • Summer Intern, Turner Construction Company, Chicago, IL, 1988, 1989

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS • American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) • American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Member • United States Universities Council on Geotechnical Education and Research (USUCGER)

PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION: Civil Engineer, CA, License No. C 85799

COURSES TAUGHT

Undergraduate: Freshman Academy (ENGR 102), Design and Planning of Civil Engineering Systems (CE 106), Statics (CE 205), Dynamics (CE 235), Geotechnical Engineering (CE 467L), Foundation Design (CE 482)

Graduate: Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering (CE 533), Design of Earth Structures (CE 534) SERVICE ACTIVITIES Professional Service • Workshop Open Review Session, National Academies Committee on Geological and Geotechnical

Engineering (COGEE) Report, “State of the Art and Practice in the Assessment of Earthquake-Induced Soil Liquefaction and its Consequences,” Costa Mesa, CA, February 2017

• Judge, GeoWall Competition, 2013 ASCE Pacific Southwest Conference, USC • Conference co-chair, ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI) 2010 Annual Conference • Editorial Board Member, ASTM Geotechnical Testing Journal, 2008-2013 • Study author, National Research Council Decadal Study on Life and Physical Sciences Space Research,

Applied Physical Sciences Panel Member, 2009-2011 • Committee Chair, Experimental Analysis and Instrumentation Committee, ASCE Engineering Mechanics

Division (Vice-Chair 2004-2006; Chair, 2007-2008) • Reviewer: o Books: “Rapid Penetration into Granular Media: Visualizing the Fundamental Physics of Rapid Earth

Penetration”, Elsevier (2013); “Craig’s Soil Mechanics, 9th ed.”, Spon Press (2016).

o Journal Papers (ongoing): Acta Geotechnica; Granular Matter; J. of the Mechanics & Physics of Solids; International J. of Solids & Structures; Geotechnical Testing J.; J. of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Engineering; J. of Engineering Mechanics; J. of Computing in Civil Engineering; J. of Materials in Civil Engineering; Int. J. Numer. Anal. Meth. Geomech.; Pure and Applied Geophysics; Canadian Geotechnical J.

o NSF Proposal Review Panels: CAREER (2015, 2018); CMMI-Geomechanics (2002, 2012, 2013, 2017); NEES (2010)

o Grant Proposals Reviews (ongoing): NSF, US DoE, US ARO • Conference session/mini-symposium co-chair or co-organizer: o “Granular Materials: Interconnecting Engineering and Physics Perspectives,” 2008 Engineering

Mechanics Institute Conference, Minneapolis, MN, May 18-21, 2008. o “Particle-scale processes in granular systems: experiments and model validation,” 2005 Joint

ASME/ASCE/SES Conference on Mechanics and Materials, Baton Rouge, LA, Jun 1-3, 2005. o “Advances in Laboratory Methods for Soil Property Characterization,” Geo-Frontiers, ASCE Geo-

Institute 2005 Congress, Austin, TX, Jan 24-26, 2005. o “Uncertainty and Reliability in Geomechanics,” Joint ASCE EMD/SEI/GI/AD Specialty Conference

on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, Albuquerque, NM, Jul 26-29, 2004. o "Optical Diagnostics for Soils and Structures" 15th Engineering Mechanics Conference, ASCE/EMD,

Columbia University, New York, NY, Jun 5, 2002. University Service • USC Center for Excellence in Teaching (CET) Fellows Leadership Institute (Fall 2018-present) • VSoE Baum Maker Space project committee (Fall 2018-present) • ASCE USC Student Chapter, Faculty Advisor (2017-present) • Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) Teaching Faculty Networking Group: Co-organizer (2016-

present); Teaching Faculty Retreat, organizing committee (Fall 2018) • ASCE USC Student Chapter “GeoWall” team, Faculty advisor • Engaged Learning Initiative, Viterbi School of Engineering, Departmental early adopter, 2013-present • Engineering Faculty Council (EFC), 2009-2011 • Faculty panel member, USC Viterbi School of Engineering “Spotlight” Series Program, 2009 • Undergraduate Presidential and Trustee Scholarship candidates interviewer, 2008, 2010-2013 • Faculty speaker, “Explore USC”, 2007, 2010, 2012 • USC Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Committee, 2005-2008 • Civil Engineering Departmental Service: o Curriculum reform committee (2016-present) o ABET committee (2017-present) o Ph.D. applicant review committee, 2006-2012 o Merit Review committee, 2006, 2008, 2017 o Open House, Departmental Coordinator, 2003-2004 o Seminar Coordinator, 2001, 2003

Other Service • High school student summer research mentor:

o Institute for Educational Advancement (IEA), Summer Apprenticeship Program, 2011 o The Ingenuity Project, Baltimore Polytechnic High School, 2003

• Academic Panel Member, JHU Center for Talented Youth, Annual College Colloquium, 2001-2004 HONORS AND AWARDS • NSF (National Science Foundation) CAREER grant awardee

• NSF Fellowship, Multiscale Modeling and Simulation of Nano Mechanics and Materials, NSF Summer Institute on Nano Mechanics and Materials, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 2004

• NSF Travel Grant, International Wkshp on Bifurcations & Instabilities in Geomaterials (IWBI), 2002 • GE Faculty of the Future Internship Award, Northwestern University, 1999 • ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) Foundation Scholar, 1998 & 1999 • Walter P. Murphy Fellowship, Northwestern University, 1996-1997 • NSF Undergraduate Research Fellow, Northwestern University, Summer 1990

REFEREED JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS

Lakeland, D.L., Rechenmacher, A.L., and Ghanem, R.G. (2014), “Towards a Complete Model of Soil Liquefaction: The Importance of Fluid Flow and Grain Movement,” Proceedings of the Royal Society A, 470, 20130453.

Walker, D.M., Tordesillas, A., and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2013), “Transmission of kinematic information in granular systems: local and nonlocal network sensing,” Acta Geotechnica, 8(5), 547-560.

Borja, R.I., Song, X., Rechenmacher, A.L., Abedi, S., and Wu, W. (2013), “Shear band in sand with spatially varying density,” Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 61 (1), 219-234.

Walker, D.M., Tordesillas, A., Pucilowski, S., Lin, Q., Rechenmacher, A.L., Abedi, S. (2012), “Analysis of grain-scale measurements of sand using kinematical complex networks,” International Journal of Bifurcation and Chaos, 22 (12), DOI: 10.1142/S021812741230042X.

Abedi, S., Rechenmacher, A.L., and Orlando, A.D. (2012), “Vortex formation and dissolution in sheared sands,” Granular Matter, 14 (6), 695-705, DOI: 10.1007/s10035-012-0369-5.

Chupin, O., Rechenmacher, A.L., Abedi, S. (2012), “Finite Strain Analysis of Non-Uniform Deformations in Shear Bands in Sand,” International Journal of Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 36 (14), 1651-1666 (published online 18 Jul 2011, DOI: 10.1002/nag.1071).

Rechenmacher, A.L., Abedi, S., Chupin, O., and Orlando, A.D. (2011), “Characterization of Mesoscale Instabilities in Localized Granular Shear using Digital Image Correlation,” Acta Geotechnica, 6, 205-217.

Rechenmacher, A., Abedi, S., Chupin, O. (2010) “Evolution of Force Chains in Shear Bands in Sand,” Geotechnique, 60 (5), 343-351.

Medina-Cetina, Z. and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2010), “Influence of Boundary Conditions, Specimen Geometry and Material Heterogeneity on Model Calibration from Triaxial Tests,” International Journal of Numerical and Analytical Methods in Geomechanics, 34 (6), 627-643.

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Medina-Cetina, Z. (2007), “Calibration of Soil Constitutive Models with Heterogeneous Parameters,” Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 133 (12) 1567-1576.

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2006), “Grain-scale processes governing shear band initiation and evolution in sands,” Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 54, 22-45.

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Finno, R.J. (2004), "Digital Image Correlation to Evaluate Shear Banding in Dilative Sands," Geotechnical Testing Journal, 27 (1), 13-22.

Finno, R.J. and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2003), "Effects of Consolidation History on Critical State of Sand," Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, 129 (4), 350-360.

CONFERENCE PAPERS Refereed Conference Proceedings

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Abedi, S. (2011), “Length scales for nonaffine deformation in localized, granular shear,” Advances in Bifurcation and Degradation in Geomaterials: Proc 9th Intl Wkshp Bifurcation and Degradation Geomat, S. Bonelli, C. Descalu, F. Nicot, eds., Porquerolles, Provence, France, May 23-26, 2011, p. 59-65.

Tordesillas, A., Walker, D.M., Rechenmacher, A., Abedi, S. (2011), “Discovering community structures and dynamical networks from grain-scale kinematics of shear bands in sand,” Advances in Bifurcation and Degradation in Geomaterials: Proc 9th Intl Wkshp Bifurcation and Degradation Geomat, S. Bonelli, C. Descalu, F. Nicot, eds., Porquerolles, Provence, France, May 23-26, 2011, p. 67-73.

Rechenmacher, A.L., Abedi, S., Faoro, I. (2011), “Experimental Evidence of Structural Development Inside Shear Bands in Sands,” Multiscale and Multiphysics Processes in Geomechanics, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Multiscale and Multiphysics Processes in Geomechanics, R.I. Borja, E.M. Dunham, E. Kuhl and J.A. White, eds, Stanford, CA, Jun 23-25, 2010.

Rechenmacher, A.L., Abedi, S., Chupin, O. (2009), “Force Chain Lifetimes in Shear Bands in Sands,” Powders and Grains 2009, 6th International Conference on the Micromechanics of Granular Media, M. Nakagawa and S. Luding eds, Golden, CO, Jul 13-17, pp. 267-270.

Rechenmacher, A.L., and Abedi, S. (2008), "Imaging-based evaluation of material heterogeneity and its impact on strain localization," Deformational Characteristics of Geomaterials, Proc. Fourth Int’l Symp. Deformation Char. Geomat., S.E. Burns, P.W. Mayne, J.C. Santamarina, eds, Atlanta, GA, Sep 22-24, Vol. 1, p. 383-388.

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2006), “Grain Scale Processes Associated with Shear Banding in Sands,” Geomechanics II: Testing, Modeling and Simulation, Proc 2nd Japan-US Wkshp on Testing, Modeling and Simulation in Geomechanics, P. Lade and T. Nakai, eds., Kyoto, Japan, Sep 8-10, 2005, ASCE Geotechnical Special Pub No. 156.

Rechenmacher, A.L., Z. Medina-Cetina, and R. Ghanem (2005), “Calibration of Heterogeneous, Probabilistic Soil Models,” Geotechnology in Harmony with the Global Environment, Proc. 16th Int’l Conf. Soil Mech. Geotech. Eng., Osaka, Japan, Sep 12-15, Vol. 1-5, pp. 851-854.

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2005), “Imaging Based Experimental Soil Mechanics,” Geomechanics: Testing, Modeling and Simulation, Proc. 1st Japan-US Wkshp on Testing, Modeling and Simulation in Geomechanics, J. Yamamuro, J. Koseki, eds, Boston, MA, Jun 27-29, 2003, ASCE Geotechnical Special Pub. No. 143.

Rechenmacher, A.L. and R.J. Finno (2003), "Shear Band Displacements and Void Ratio Evolution to Critical State in Dilative Sands," Bifurcations and Instabilities in Geomechanics, Proc. Int’l Workshop on Bifurcations and Instabilities in Geomechanics, IWBI 2002, J. Labuz and A. Drescher, eds, Collegeville, MN, Jun 2-5, 2002, 193-206.

Non-Refereed Conference Papers Rechenmacher, A.L. and Orlando, A.D. (2012), “Effect of Grain Shape on Micromechanical Behavior of Sheared Granular Layers,” ICTAM 2012, Beijing, China, Aug 19-24.

Song, A., Medina-Cetina, Z., and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2012), “Numerical Investigation on the Localized Deformation Effects of Dense Sand Specimens”, 2012 ASCE Geo-Congress, Oakland, CA, Mar 25-29 (poster presented by A. Song).

Abedi, S. and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2011), “Vortex Structures inside Shear Bands in Sands,” Geo-Frontiers 2011, Proc. ASCE Geo-Institute Annual Conference, Dallas, TX, Mar 13-16.

Chupin, O. and Rechenmacher, A. (2007), “Kinematics of Localized Shear in Granular Materials,” Proceedings 18th ASCE Engineering Mechanics Conference, Blacksburg, VA, Jun 3-6.

Medina-Cetina, Z. and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2006), “Image-Based Sensing of 3-D Displacements for Enhanced Soil Model Calibration,” Proceedings ASCE Geo-Congress, Atlanta, GA, Feb 26-Mar 1.

Borja, R.I., J.E. Andrade and A.L. Rechenmacher (2005), “Meso-scale Finite Element Modeling of Strain Localization in Dense Sands,” 11th International Conference of the International Association of Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG), Turin, Italy, Jun 19-24.

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Jones, Nathanial. L. (2005), “Patterns of Local Displacements in Shear Bands in Sands,” Poromechanics III, Proc. 3rd Biot Conference on Poromechanics, Y. Abousleiman, A. Cheng, F. Ulm, eds, Norman, OK, May 24-27, p. 795-800.

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2005), “Onset, Growth, Progression and Uniformity of Shear Bands in Dilative Sands,” 11th International Conference on Fracture, Turin, Italy, Mar 20-25.

Medina-Cetina Z., Rechenmacher A.L. and Ghanem, R.G. (2004), “Parameterization of Constitutive Models Using Data from 3D Displacement Fields and the Theory of the Inverse Problem”, 20th National Conf. on Soil Mech., Mexican Soc. Soil Mech., Guadalajara, Mexico, Nov 18-20 (in Spanish).

Rechenmacher, A., R. Ghanem, and Z. Medina-Cetina (2004), “Calibration of Soil Constitutive Models with Heterogeneous Parameters,” 9th Joint Specialty Conference on Probabilistic Mechanics and Structural Reliability, Albuquerque, NM, Jul 26-28.

Abi Saab, N. and A. Rechenmacher (2004), “Deformation Processes Associated with Localized Instabilities in Dense Sand,” 17th ASCE Engineering Mechanics Conference, Newark, DE, Jun 13-16.

Ghanem, R., A.L. Rechenmacher and Z. Medina-Cetina (2003), "Identification of the Probabilistic Structure of Soil Constitutive Models from Boundary Feedback," Proceedings 5th Euromech Solid Mechanics Conference, Thessaloniki, Greece, Aug 17-22.

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Z. Medina-Cetina (2003), "Digital Imaging-Based Measurements of Deformed Shapes of Axisymmetric Soil Specimens," Proc 16th ASCE Engineering Mechanics Conference, Seattle, WA, Jul 16-18.

Rechenmacher, A.L., Z. Medina-Cetina, and R. Ghanem (2003), "Predictions for Heterogeneous Soil Behavior: Towards a Probabilistic Characterization of Soil Design Parameters," International Workshop on Limit State Design in Geotechnical Engineering Practice, Cambridge, MA, Jun 26.

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2003), "Measurement of Full-Field Displacements and Shear Banding in Sands," Soil and Rock America 2003, Proc. 12th Panamerican Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering/39th U.S. Rock Mechanics Symposium, P. Culligan, H. Einstein and A. Whittle, eds, Cambridge, MA, Jun 22-26, Vol. 1, 751-756.

Rechenmacher, A.L. and N. Abi Saab (2002), "Digital Image Correlation to Evaluate Progression and Uniformity of Shear Bands in Dilative Sands," 15th ASCE Engineering Mechanics Conference, New York, NY, Jun 2-5.

Conference Abstracts, Posters, and Presentations Rechenmacher, A.L., Alamilla, C., and Orlando, A.D. (2012), “Experimental observations of grain shape effects on micromechanics of confined, dense granular shear,” Gordon Research Conference on Granular and Granular-Fluid Flow, Jul 22-26, Davidson College, Davidson, NC (abstract and poster).

Rechenmacher, A.L., Orlando, A.D., Collins, R.W. (2012), “Vortex Structures and Macroscopic Response in Dense Granular Shear,” 8th European Solid Mechanics Conference, Graz, Austria, July 9-13, 2012 (abstract and presentation).

Abedi, S., and Rechenmacher, A.L. (2011), “Length Scale Characterization in Localized Granular Shear,” ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI) Annual Conference, Boston, MA, Jun 2-4 (abstract only, presentation by S. Abedi).

Abedi, S., Rechenmacher, A.L., Faoro, I. (2010). “Structural Development Inside Shear Bands in Granular Materials,” ASCE Engineering Mechanics Institute Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA, Aug 8-11 (abstract only, presentation by S. Abedi).

Abedi, S., Rechenmacher, A., and Chupin, O. (2009), “Experimental characterization of kinematics activities inside shear band in granular material,” 10th US National Congress on Computational Mechanics, Jul 16-19, Columbus, OH (abstract, presentation by S. Abedi).

Rechenmacher, A. (2008), “Grain-scale kinematics of localized shearing in dense sands,” Gordon Research Conference on Granular and Granular-Fluid Flow, Jun 22-27, Waterville, ME (abstract, oral presentation and poster).

Rechenmacher, A.L., Chupin, O. and Abedi, S. (2008), “Grain column Evolution in Shear Bands in Sands,” 8th International Workshop on Bifurcation, Instabilities and Degradation in Geomechanics, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, May 28-31 (abstract and presentation).

Rechenmacher, A.L., Chupin, O. and Abedi, S. (2008), “Evolution of Inhomogeneous deformation in shear bands in sand.” Inaugural International Conference of the Engineering Mechanics Institute (EM08), Minneapolis, May 18-21 (abstract and presentation).

Rechenmacher, A., Chupin, O., Varjavand, R. (2006), “Experimental Study of Characteristic Length Scales Associated with Localized Shear in Granular Materials,” 15th US National Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Boulder, CO, Jun 25-30 (abstract and presentation).

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2005), “Particle-scale processes associated with shear localization in granular materials,” Eos Trans. AGU, 86(52), Fall Meeting Supplement, Abstract T14B-06, American Geophysical Union Fall meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec 5-9 (abstract and presentation).

Rechenmacher, A.L. (2005), “Grain scale processes governing shear band initiation and evolution in sands,” 7th International Workshop on Bifurcation, Instabilities and Degradation in Geomechanics, Chania, Crete, Greece, Jun 13-16 (abstract and presentation).

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Jones, N.L. (2005), “Particle Scale processes in shear bands in sands,” 2005 Joint ASME/ASCE/SES Conf. on Mechanics and Materials, Baton Rouge, LA, Jun 1-3 (abstract and presentation).

Rechenmacher, A.L., Medina-Cetina, Z. and Abi Saab, N. (2004), “Localized Observations of Deformation Band Formation and Progression in Sands,” American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, Apr 18-21 (invited poster).

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Finno, R.J. (2001), "The Influence of Consolidation History of Sands on Critical State Line Position," 2001 ASME/ASCE/SES Mechanics and Materials Summer Conference, San Diego, CA, Jun 27-29 (abstract).

Rechenmacher, A.L. and Alarcon, M.A. (2000), "Direct Measures of Strain in Simulated Fault Gouge," EOS Trans. AGU, Vol. 81, Spring Meeting Supplement, American Geophysical Union Spring Meeting, Washington, DC, May 30-Jun 3, p. S408 (abstract and oral presentation).

Alarcon, M.A., Rudnicki, J.W., Finno, R.J., Rechenmacher, A.L. (1999), "Effects of Strain Localization on Fault Gouge Constitutive Relations," Society of Engineering Science ’99, Austin, TX, Oct 25 (abstract, presented by M. Alarcon).

INVITED WORKSHOPS Advancing the State of Practice in the Assessment of Earthquake-Induced Soil Liquefaction and Its Consequences, sponsored by The National Academies, Costa Mesa, CA, February 2017

International Workshop on Education of Future Geotechnical Engineers in Response to Emerging Multi-scale Soil-Environment Problems, sponsored by NSF, University of Cambridge, Sept. 5-6, 2014.

X-Terramechanics: Integrated Simulation of Planetary Surface Missions, sponsored by Keck Institute for Space Studies, California Institute of Technology, Jun 20-24, Jul 11-13 and Aug 1-3, 2011.

Micro-Geomechanics Across Multiple Scales, sponsored by NSF, Cambridge, England, Mar 20-23, 2005.

International Workshop on Uncertainties in Nonlinear Soil Properties and their Impact on Modeling Dynamic Soil Response, sponsored by NSF and PEER Lifelines Project, Richmond, CA, Mar 18-19, 2004.

INVITED LECTURES “Overview of Soil Mechanics – Limitations and Future Directions,” X-Terramechanics: Integrated Simulation of Planetary Surface Missions, Keck Institute for Space Studies, Caltech, Pasadena, CA, Jun 20-24, 2011.

“Force Chain Kinematics in Sheared, Dense Granular Layers,” USC Earthquake Physics Seminar, Fall semester, 2009.

“Grain Scale Processes Associated with Shear Band Growth and Evolution in Sands,” California Institute of Technology, Nov 15, 2005.

“Imaging Based Analysis of Strain Localization and Material Heterogeneity and Their Impacts on the Behavior of Sand,” Naval Research Lab, Marine Geosciences Division, Stennis Space Center, MS, Jan 30, 2004.

“Impacts of Strain Localization and Specimen Heterogeneity on the Behavior of Sand,” Columbia University, Oct 23, 2003.

"Imaging Based Measurement of Shear Bands in Sand and Implications for Critical State," Stanford University, January 8, 2003; AND Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Apr 22, 2003.

"The Effects of Deposition Void Ratio and Rate of Shear on Critical State in Sands," University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, Mar 18, 2002.

"Impact of Shear Banding on Critical State of Sands and Rate Response of Simulated Fault Gouge," Sandia National Laboratories, Aug 7, 2001.

OTHER WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES ASEE National Effective Teaching Institute (NETI) NETI-2 Workshop, Salt Lake City, June 2018 (participant).

ASEE National Effective Teaching Institute (NETI) NETI-1 Workshop, New Orleans, June, 2016 (participant).

Engaged Learning Retreat, VSoE Dean’s Office Division of Engineering Education, 2014-2016.

FUNDED RESEARCH • CAREER: The Kinematics of Localized Failure and Flow in Granular Materials, National Science

Foundation, $400,000, 05/08-4/13; REU Supplement, $6,000. • Collaborative Research: Experimental Imaging-Finite Element Modeling of Strain Localization in

Granular Soils, National Science Foundation, $177,587, 08/03 through 07/06 (co-P.I. with R. Borja, Stanford Univ.); REU Supplement, $11,250.

• Enhancement of Experimental Imaging Capabilities for Advanced Study of Shear Band Growth and Evolution, National Science Foundation, $74,714, 7/02 - 06/04; REU Supplement, $12,500.

• Dewatering of Sacred Lake of the Temple of Mut and the Conservation of monuments retrieved from the lake, American Research Center in Egypt, Inc./Egyptian Antiquities Project (ARCE/EAP), $400,000, 01/02 through 03/04 (co-PI. PI was B. Bryan, JHU Near East Studies).

• GE Faculty of the Future Research Development Award, GE Faculty of the Future Internship, $15,000, 09/00 through 08/05.

STUDENTS SUPERVISED Ph.D. • Dan Lakeland (co-advised with R. Ghanem): “Continuum Modeling Techniques and Their Application

to the Physics of Soil Liquefaction and Dissipative Vibrations”, 2008-2013 • Mehdi Mollanouri, 2012-2013 • Dong Wang, 2012 • Rodney Collins, 2011 • Sara Abedi: “Meso-scale kinematics in shear bands and impact of material heterogeneity on shear band

development in sand,” 2006-2011 (currently Assistant Professor, Texas A&M Univ) • Zenon Medina-Cetina (at JHU; co-advised with R. Ghanem): “Probabilistic Calibration of a Soil

Model,” 2001-2006 (currently Associate Professor, Texas A&M University) Post-Docs • Andrés Orlando, 2011-2012 (currently at Jenike & Johanson, Inc., Tyngsboro, MA) • Igor Faoro, 2010 • Olivier Chupin, 2006-07 (currently at Université Nantes-Angers-Le Mans, France)

M.S. • Nidal Abi Saab, 2001-2004.

Undergraduates • Carlos Alamilla, Summer, 2012 (M.S., USC) • Colleen O’Brien, USC Merit Research Fellow, 2011-2012 • Rafi Halajian, NSF REU, Summer, 2011 • Nina Arroyo, NSF REU, 2010-2011 • Michael Makris, Rose Hills Foundation Scholar, Summer 2010; NSF REU, 2010-2011 • Nan Wang, Viterbi Summer Intern, 2009 (M.S., UC Berkeley)

• Paloma Paredes: NSF REU and WiSE Research Fellow, 2008-2009 • Lisa Okamoto: USC Merit Research Fellow, 2007-2009 • Katie Hickey, NSF REU, 2009 • Robert (Reb) Burky: NSF REU, 2007-2008. • Matthew Elliot: Viterbi Summer Intern, 2007 (M.S., Georgia Tech) • Yu-Chi (Claire) Chang: NSF REU and WiSE Research Fellow, 2006-2008 (currently at LADWP) • Nathaniel Jones (JHU): NSF REU, 2004 (M.S., Cornell University) • Allison Reilly (JHU): NSF REU, 2004 (Ph.D., Cornell University)

Ph.D. Committee Member • Thomas Gobel: USC Dept. Earth Sciences (Ph.D. 2013) • Hadi Meidani: USC Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering (Ph.D. 2012) • Whitney Behr: USC Dept. Earth Sciences, 2009-2011 (Ph.D. 2011) • Fang Liu: USC Civil and Environmental Engineering (Ph.D. 2009) • Yigang Liu: Univ. of Delaware, Civil Engineering (Ph.D. 2004)

CONSULTING PROJECTS • Round Mountain Gold Corporation – Coarse Ore Pile (COP) Tunnel (2015): Analyzed reports and

provided information and developed geotechnical recommendations related to observed tunnel failure • Texas A & M University Galvaston Campus – Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) Foundation

Design (2016): Analyzed geotechnical report and recommended an appropriate foundation design for a packaged WWTP.

Amy Rechenmacher 2018 Merit Review 2018 Calendar Year Highlights Teaching New Courses

• ENGR 102 Freshmen Academy, 2 sections, 69 students * Note: while this was the 2nd year I taught this course, in the 1st year, 2017, I was asked to teach it (as an overload) 1 week before classes started: so I had little time for preparation. So, 2018 was the first year I actually had time to generate content.

Teaching Development:

• American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) National Effective Teaching Institute NETI-2 Workshop, Salt Lake City, UT, June 28-29, 2018

Second of two NETI workshops teaching active and engaged learning methods. This 2-day workshop focused on advanced methods, such as Cooperative Learning and Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

• USC Center for Excellence in Teaching (CET) Faculty Fellowship Leadership Institute,

Fall 2018-present 3 hours/week, every other week. Training and study on CET-developed curriculum for School-Based Institutes for Advancing Teaching (SBIAT).

Service

• Search Committee, Science and Engineering Librarian Position #347, Fall 2018 2-4 hours/month reviewing applications, conducting interviews and attending job talks

• Viterbi School of Engineering Baum Maker Space Committee, Fall 2018-present 2-4 hours/month attending meetings and reviewing architectural plans

• CEE Department Curriculum Committee, Spring 2018 2-8 hours/month attending meetings and undertaking curricular developments

• CEE Department ABET Committee, Spring 2018 1 hour/month

• ASCE Student Chapter Faculty Advisor, Ongoing 1-2 hours/month: meet with students to discuss issues and advise; and attend annual student conference

• National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Panel, October 2018

Project Title:

Courses Audience:Responses Received:Response Ratio:

Individual Report for InstructorRechenmacher (28520-20183 : ENGR-102Engineering Freshman Academy (28520))

Learning Experience Evaluations - Fall 2018

3419

55.88%

Report Comments

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Creation Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2019

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LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS

Learning Experience Subscale Average Score

CompetencyCourse-instructor

StandardDeviation

Course Design 3.27 +/-0.75

Instructional Practices 3.46 +/-0.60

Inclusion Practices 3.39 +/-0.71

Assessment Practices 3.29 +/-0.67

Course Impact 3.16 +/-0.94

University of Southern California

Individual Report for Instructor Rechenmacher (28520-20183 : ENGR-102 Engineering Freshman Academy (28520)) 2/13

COURSE DESIGN

N Mean Std. Deviation

The course objectives were well explained. 19 3.16 0.76

The course assignments were related to the course objectives. 18 3.33 0.69

I understood what was expected of me in this course. 19 3.32 0.82

INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES


The instructor carefully explained difficult concepts, methods, and subject matter. 19 3.37 0.76

The instructor encouraged questioning and discussion of course topics from the students. 19 3.47 0.51

The instructor encouraged me to do my best work. 19 3.53 0.51

INCLUSION PRACTICES


The course materials included diverse perspectives OR applications to diverse populations. 19 3.42 0.77

The instructor used a variety of teaching approaches to meet the needs of all students. 19 3.32 0.82

The instructor was receptive to the expression of diverse student viewpoints. 19 3.47 0.61

The instructor demonstrated sensitivity to students’ needs and diverse life experiences. 19 3.37 0.68

ASSESSMENT PRACTICES


The assessments/assignments reflected what was covered in the course. 19 3.11 0.81

The grades I have received thus far reflect the QUALITY of my performance in the course. 19 3.47 0.51

The criteria for good performance on the assignments or assessments were clearly communicated. 19 3.37 0.50

The instructor’s evaluation of my performances was constructive. 19 3.21 0.79

COURSE IMPACT

N MeanStd.Deviation

I learned a lot from this course.I learned perspectives, principles, or practices from this course that I expectto apply to new situations.

19 3.21 0.98

This course challenged me to think critically and communicate clearly about the subject. 19 3.11 0.99

This course provided me with information that may be directly applicable to my career or academic goals. 19 3.16 0.90



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: COURSE DESIGN

COURSE DESIGN





1. The course objectives were well explained.

2. The course assignments were related to the course objectives.

3. I understood what was expected of me in this course.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES






1. The instructor carefully explained difficult concepts, methods, and subject matter.

2. The instructor encouraged questioning and discussion of course topics from the students.

3. The instructor encouraged me to do my best work.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: INCLUSION PRACTICES

INCLUSION PRACTICES






1. The course materials included diverse perspectives OR applications to diverse populations.

2. The instructor used a variety of teaching approaches to meet the needs of all students.

3. The instructor was receptive to the expression of diverse student viewpoints.

4. The instructor demonstrated sensitivity to students’ needs and diverse life experiences.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: ASSESSMENT PRACTICES







1. The assessments/assignments reflected what was covered in the course.

2. The grades I have received thus far reflect the QUALITY of my performance in the course.

3. The criteria for good performance on the assignments or assessments were clearly communicated.

4. The instructor’s evaluation of my performances was constructive.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: COURSE IMPACT

COURSE IMPACT

N MeanStd.Deviation


19 3.21 0.98



1. I learned a lot from this course.I learned perspectives, principles, or practices from this course that I expect to apply to newsituations.

2. This course challenged me to think critically and communicate clearly about the subject.

3. This course provided me with information that may be directly applicable to my career or academic goals.



If you have selected at least a "Strongly Disagree" or "Disagree" option with one of the previousstatements on COURSE DESIGN, INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES, ASSESSMENT PRACTICES or COURSEIMPACT, please describe a change that would improve that aspect of the course.

Students

This course is awful. The coaches are pretty mean. The professor dose not what she is talking about. I didn't learn anything in thisclass even though I got an A. This class is a huge waste of my money and time and significantly compromises my learningexperience at USC. It's just utterly useless, EVERY SINGLE CLASS is about bullshit. I think it's a shame for Viterbi.

Professor Rechenmacher is a wonderful teacher. The issues I have are with the course itself. It seems completely pointless.Throughout the entire semester, we simply covered one topic: the grand challenges. The rest were all things that weren’t necessary.Although they could’ve slightly benefited, this class isn’t worth the time. However, the professor was always nice with a positiveattitude. I would love to have her as a professor again.

The course is too basic and seems unnecessary and elementary at times. Add more challenging subject material and real worldapplications.

More engaging and relevant material



Is there additional information or feedback that you would like to share with instructor AmyRechenmacher?

Students

The only thing I would suggest would be making the out of class "social bonding" events optional, because there were only somany offered and I had to attend one the night before a midterm and the other the night I had a paper due. The other out of classspeakers felt beneficial though.

I enjoyed this class and had no idea what to expect but felt like I learned a lot of valuable information by the end. You did a great jobof making this class the best experience it could be with little unnecessary hassle. Thank you for a great experience!

You might be a very smart researcher, but, to be honest, at least for ENGR102, I don't think you know what you are talking about. It'snot your fault. It's administrator's fault. I think this class is redundant. It's a waste of student's time.

She was a great professor and did a good job of explaining and exposing us to different issues that included our majors. Shepushed our class to be the best every time we met and has demonstrated much commitment in her field.

I thoroughly enjoyed every class.

Bring more engineering guest speakers

Keep the class how it is its great



STUDENT ENGAGMENT ANALYSIS

Number of Instructor Interactions Outside of Class

1. Approximately how many times did you interact with instructor Amy Rechenmacher outside of class? (e.g., via email, office hours)

Approximately how many hours did you spend on coursework outside of the classroom?

1. Approximately how many hours did you spend on coursework outside of the classroom?

In what ways have you participated in your learning for this course? (Please select all that apply.)



Please describe the MOST valuable aspect(s) of this course.

Comments

I learned the skills of effective communication.

It was beneficial as both an intro to the world of engineering (the biggest issues, some lingo, engineering business norms, etc.,especially with the outside speakers that came to talk in class) and college life in general – the coaches power points etc. were verybeneficial and it's always a nice gesture to know you have someone to talk to especially on your first day of class at a universityacross the country from home.

The semester long research project was a good experience for me.

None. I don't thing anything is valuable in this class.

Meeting new people

TA presentations on living on campus taught me useful information as a freshman.

The coachesDiscussing housing and the surrounding area

course project

Learned useful things like the business model

Helpful to new students figuring out USC

Good introduction to USC and LA as freshmen. The Coaches were really nice and helpful.

Working with others

Learning about Viterbi resources from the Academy Coaches.

The most valuable aspect of this course had to be the interactive learning environment the professor always had every time wewalked into class. I was always looking forward to attending this class on Wednesday.

Please describe the LEAST valuable aspect(s) of this course.

Comments

There were instances where the class felt a bit disorganized.

The outside of class social events felt unnecessary and I felt most of the best social experiences were actually in the class.

Weekly assignments on watching videos or reading, I would rather have done more lectures like the one where we learned aboutthe Millennium Tower or pitched a business idea.

I think this entire class is utterly useless.

Nearly everything else. A pointless course in my opinion. Would be more bearable if it was only 50 minutes. With two hours, TA’swere just filling in time

Very basic discussions about how to communicate or how to work as a team

Pecha Kucha presentation

Some week's topics were uninteresting, not useful, or I wont be using those "skills"

Should only be one hour long two hours is not needed

Lectures

Doing a final presentation on a NAE Grand Challenge

None



VITERBI SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

Overall, how would you rate Instructor Amy Rechenmacher?

1. Overall, how would you rate Instructor Amy Rechenmacher?

Statistics Value

Response Count 19

Mean 3.84

Median 4.00

Mode 4, 5

Standard Deviation 1.01

Overall, how would you rate this course?

1. Overall, how would you rate this course?

Statistics Value

Response Count 19

Mean 2.95

Median 3.00

Mode 3




Project Title:

Courses Audience:Responses Received:Response Ratio:

Individual Report for InstructorRechenmacher (28513-20183 : ENGR-102Engineering Freshman Academy (28513))

Learning Experience Evaluations - Fall 2018

3519

54.29%

Report Comments

Please download and save a PDF copy of this report

Creation Date: Wednesday, January 30, 2019

http://www.explorance.com/

http://www.explorance.com

LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS

Learning Experience Subscale Average Score

CompetencyCourse-instructor

StandardDeviation

Course Design 3.53 +/-0.63

Instructional Practices 3.45 +/-0.70

Inclusion Practices 3.53 +/-0.65

Assessment Practices 3.54 +/-0.63

Course Impact 3.44 +/-0.82



COURSE DESIGN










INCLUSION PRACTICES












COURSE IMPACT

N MeanStd.Deviation


18 3.44 0.86





LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: COURSE DESIGN

COURSE DESIGN





1. The course objectives were well explained.

2. The course assignments were related to the course objectives.

3. I understood what was expected of me in this course.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES






1. The instructor carefully explained difficult concepts, methods, and subject matter.

2. The instructor encouraged questioning and discussion of course topics from the students.

3. The instructor encouraged me to do my best work.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: INCLUSION PRACTICES

INCLUSION PRACTICES






1. The course materials included diverse perspectives OR applications to diverse populations.

2. The instructor used a variety of teaching approaches to meet the needs of all students.

3. The instructor was receptive to the expression of diverse student viewpoints.

4. The instructor demonstrated sensitivity to students’ needs and diverse life experiences.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: ASSESSMENT PRACTICES







1. The assessments/assignments reflected what was covered in the course.

2. The grades I have received thus far reflect the QUALITY of my performance in the course.

3. The criteria for good performance on the assignments or assessments were clearly communicated.

4. The instructor’s evaluation of my performances was constructive.



LEARNING EXPERIENCE SUBSCALE ANALYSIS: COURSE IMPACT

COURSE IMPACT

N MeanStd.Deviation


18 3.44 0.86



1. I learned a lot from this course.I learned perspectives, principles, or practices from this course that I expect to apply to newsituations.

2. This course challenged me to think critically and communicate clearly about the subject.

3. This course provided me with information that may be directly applicable to my career or academic goals.



If you have selected at least a "Strongly Disagree" or "Disagree" option with one of the previousstatements on COURSE DESIGN, INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES, ASSESSMENT PRACTICES or COURSEIMPACT, please describe a change that would improve that aspect of the course.

Students

I feel that we did not really do anything useful in the class, especially compared to what I had heard from students in otherFreshman Academy classes. I feel like a lot of the class was just listening to the professor talk at us about engineering conceptsthat I had no interest in and I really do not feel like I got anything out of the course.

Some assignments specific criteria wasn’t always super clear.

I don't totally get the point of this class? I guess the goal is to foster teamwork and stuff like that but I feel like we don't need asemester long class to help us work in a team. I just feel like the class was unproductive and still don't really get what the point of itwas

offer more constructive criticism rather than being harsh in feedback with no clear way of fixing it

I just feel as though sometimes it wasn't clear what was expected of us during assignments.

This class was not extremely complex, so the concepts were not difficult. I was occasionally confused as to project criteria.



Is there additional information or feedback that you would like to share with instructor AmyRechenmacher?

Students

I feel that more should be done to allow students in the class to interact with each other. I feel like I hardly know any of myclassmates, even though I had the impression that interaction between students from different engineering disciplines was one ofthe major objectives of the course.

More activities like the teamwork building one would have been fun

overreacted when someone suggested something about apologizing to a professor in an email, sometimes offensive to students Icould imagine

Thanks for a great semester! :)

This was a good class! I think it was an excellent introduction and I got to know a lot of people!



STUDENT ENGAGMENT ANALYSIS

Number of Instructor Interactions Outside of Class

1. Approximately how many times did you interact with instructor Amy Rechenmacher outside of class? (e.g., via email, office hours)

Approximately how many hours did you spend on coursework outside of the classroom?

1. Approximately how many hours did you spend on coursework outside of the classroom?

In what ways have you participated in your learning for this course? (Please select all that apply.)



Please describe the MOST valuable aspect(s) of this course.

Comments

Entrepreneurship workshop was very interesting and a valuable experience. Also, the out of class activities/

I really enjoyed the entrepreneurship in engineering module –– it was very interesting to learn about a business perspective forengineering

Study tips and entrepreneurship skills were helpful for the future.

Learned about the 14 grand challenges

The presentations

I absolutely loved this class because it not only provided a great, slow introduction into the workload and practices for Viterbistudents but the idea of having "coaches" helped to acquaint me to campus and to LA as a whole. They honestly served as reallyhelpful general mentors during the fall semester to answer any questions about going out to eat in LA, finding time to explore andwhere to live sophomore year.

Guest lecturers talking about all aspects of engineering

Quite frankly, I'm not really sure. The class was kind of enjoyable because it was rather easy but I don't know what im supposed toget out of it

The coaches! It's hard meeting freshmen and upperclassmen is a whole different thing. The fact that we at least know two peoplewho've gone through what we've gone through is really valuable. Not to mention that Julia and Daniel are just really great.

Engineering methods and college tips

The amazing coaches!

Working with other outstanding students from different engineering majors.

Professor Rechenmacher was very intelligent and knowledgeable. She is also very passionate about her field of engineering (civil)

The advice from coaches and the guest lectures were very valuable.

Learning about Practices in Engineering and the Grand challenges

Please describe the LEAST valuable aspect(s) of this course.

Comments

The readings that we had every week.

The semester–long project on the grand challenges seemed somewhat pointless as I do not feel like I learned anything aboutengineering as a result. Our research, and seemingly the research of others, was not very in depth about the actual engineeringthat related to our chosen topic and instead was very surface level general information.

Communication skills that were taught were somewhat basic.

Some readings

none

Some of the modules were very slow or felt a little unnecessary

Two week entrepreneur project – not as helpful as other aspects and took up too much time

I don't know what the point of it is, I can learn teamwork when I'm thrust into a group project in one of my other classes. Learningabout communicating in a team for 2 hours doesn't change the way I interact as part of a team and the games that followed toreinforce our skills didn't do much

Some of Professor Rechenmacher's lectures. Like ones of civil engineering... not all of us are majoring in civil engineering.

library activity

I honestly felt like I was the only one who did the readings and it didn't even matter. They seemed largely unnecessary.

The one class activity with the gummies and sticks

Working with people who are less intelligent and motivated than I am and having to carry the group project,

The USC Libraries presentation



VITERBI SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

Overall, how would you rate Instructor Amy Rechenmacher?

1. Overall, how would you rate Instructor Amy Rechenmacher?

Statistics Value

Response Count 19

Mean 3.84

Median 4.00

Mode 4


Overall, how would you rate this course?

1. Overall, how would you rate this course?

Statistics Value

Response Count 19

Mean 3.63

Median 4.00

Mode 4




amy l. rechenmacher - usc viterbi school of engineering · amy l. rechenmacher sonny astani...

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