Michael Chajes, Ph.D, P.E.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware

Michael Chajes is a Professor and Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware. Dr. Chajes is also a registered Professional Engineer in Delaware, and he served on the state's Professional Engineering Registration Board from 1995 to 2000.

Dr. Chajes is a member of the ASCE. Within ASCE he is the incoming Chair of the Department Heads Council Executive Committee (DHCEC), and also served as a Member of the Task Committee that planned the summit on the "Future of the Civil Engineering in 2025" that was held in the summer of 2006. Dr. Chajes is also a member of the American Concrete Institute, and the American Society of Engineering Education. He serves on several committees, including TRB's Committee AFF40, Dynamics and Field Testing of Bridges and AHD30, Structures Maintenance Committee.

Dr. Chajes was an undergraduate civil engineering student at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and graduated with honors in 1984. After receiving his bachelor's degree, he attended the University of California at Davis (UCD) and received his M.S. in 1987 and his Ph.D. in 1990. While at Davis, Dr. Chajes was twice awarded the University's Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award.

In 1990, Dr. Chajes joined the faculty at the University of Delaware as an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1996, and to Professor in 2002. He served as Acting Associate Chair in 1996, and as Associate Chair from 1998-2001. In July of 2001, Chajes was appointed Chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, a position he still holds. Dr. Chajes served for three years as a member UD's Chairs Caucus Steering committee and also served on the University's Task Force on Oral and Written Communication.

In terms of research, Dr. Chajes's areas of specialization are bridge evaluation and rehabilitation, including the use of nondestructive evaluation techniques and the application of advanced materials, primarily fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP). Dr. Chajes has an active research program in these areas. He has served as PI or co-PI for research grants funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Academy of Sciences, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, the Delaware Department of Transportation, and several industrial groups and foundations. Based on this research, Dr. Chajes has published more than 90 papers and presented his work through more than 70 talks.