Quick Facts on Dr. Chandra R. Bhat

• Born in Madras, India; earns his bachelor’s in civil engineering in June 1985 from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras

• Earns his master’s in transportation engineering in August 1987 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Receives his doctorate in civil engineering in December 1991 from Northwestern University
• In 1997 joins the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin, where he conducts mathematical modeling of how people make decisions about their activity and travel choices
• Helps identify ways to reduce pollution and improve public health, which helps transportation policymakers identify competitive positioning strategies for transportation services
• Creates models that help evaluate the effectiveness of alternative strategies to relieve traffic congestion such as telecommuting, urban form design to reduce auto dependency, work schedule changes, pricing strategies including tolls, ride-sharing incentives, nonmotorized travel such as bicycling and walking, and real-time driver information regarding traffic delays
• Receives the 2004 Walter L. Huber Award and the 2005 James Laurie Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers in recognition of his contributions to “innovative methods in transportation systems analysis and modeling”
• Receives the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award for 2006-2007 from the UT Graduate School for his inspirational teaching style, mentoring, and approachable manner

• Students have said of Dr. Bhat: He’s “the best teacher I ever had in my life,” and he “has genuine interest in the students' understanding”

• Now associate chairman of the Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering Department, Dr. Bhat says that his two most important accomplishments are his two children, ages 10 and 13.