Leadership & Researchers

Dr. Bora Cetin - Director

Dr. Bora Cetin is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University (MSU). He is also an Associate Director of the National Center for Infrastructure Transformation. His research activities are mainly focused on: (1) Improvement of the sustainability of geotechnical structures; (2) environmental suitability of geotechnical structures built with waste materials and industrial byproducts; (3) remediation of contaminated soils with industrial byproducts; (4) characterization of shale media for nuclear waste disposal; (5) improvement of the quality of the mechanistic-empirical pavement design approach, (6) prediction of frost heave-thaw weakening and frost/thaw depths of soils; (7) heated pavement systems; and (8) engineering education. This research has been sponsored by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)-Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), USDOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Road Research Alliance (NRRA), and multiple state DOTs.

Khyle Clute - Co-Director

Khyle Clute is the State Planning and Research (SPR) Research Engineer in the Research & Analytics Bureau at IOWA DOT. He manages the research component of the federally funded State Planning and Research program, including developing research ideas, coordinating contracts and finances, overseeing projects through closeout, and implementing and promoting research results across Iowa and nationally. 

His professional background combines civil engineering, psychology, traffic safety, crash-data analysis, and transportation research. His interests include using research and performance data to support roadway design, work-zone safety, pavement markings, roadside safety, asset management, and operational decision-making. He is particularly interested in the growing potential of smart and connected vehicle data to provide real-time information on roadway conditions, traffic conflicts, maintenance needs, and traveler safety.

Dr. Michele Lanotte - Co-Director

Dr. Michele Lanotte is an assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Michigan State University (MSU). His research interests primarily include low-carbon transportation materials, pavement materials optimization, and structural analysis. His research focuses on optimizing sustainable paving solutions, connecting mechanical performance and environmental burdens, valuation of environmental impacts for green procurement policy, and chemo-mechanical characterization of polymeric agents from end-of-life products.