For research and science to really matter, they must not be contained within the academic bubble. Hota GangaRao, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Wadsworth Distinguished Professor and Director of Constructed Facilities Center, knows this.

Story by Jake Stump, Director, Research Communications

A world-renowned expert on infrastructure and engineering construction, GangaRao spoke to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee this year on the benefits of manufacturing composite materials, which are cost-effective alternatives to traditional building materials.

Composites can be used to construct a wide range of products and infrastructure from bridges to wind turbine blades to flying electric cars, with the potential of creating currently providing one million high paying jobs with tremendous growth potential in the next decade in the plastics industry, according to GangaRao.

Composite materials are kinder to the environment, too. For example, GangaRao told senators that fiber-reinforced plastic polymer composites can have 80 percent less carbon dioxide emissions in manufacturing than their steel counterparts. GangaRao and Yoojung Yoon, associate professor, have an ongoing project to quantify the CO2 emissions and embodied energy of composite systems versus those of conventional material-based infrastructural systems.

It’s vital information from within his wheelhouse that could benefit the country’s economy, environment and infrastructure.

“It is critical for academic scholars to share their knowledge and insights with our non-peers,” GangaRao said. “Research is only important meaningful if it reaches beyond any university confines benefiting the public, as we may hold options for including effective change in public policies.

This wasn’t his first time testifying before Congress, either.

GangaRao gladly accepts invitations to Capitol Hill to speak on his line of work, as his expertise filters out from the labs and field sites and into the general masses, helping inform the population, such as policymakers, on how to address society’s most pressing issues.

During the subcommittee hearing, titled “Petrochemicals to Waste: Examining the Lifecycle Environmental and Climate Effects of Plastic,” GangaRao advocated for the U.S. and the federal government to invest in research and development focusing on multi-functional commodity materials that are durable, recyclable and biodegradable - transitioning away from single-use plastics.

GangaRao also gave testimony on composites in 2018 to the U.S. House of Representative’s Committee on Science, Space and Technology, and in 2017 to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

“Composites won’t corrode or rot like conventional materials, resulting in a longer service life (up to 100 years),” GangaRao said. “Infrastructure is commonly built with timber, steel, or steel reinforced concrete, all of which degrade faster than composites over time due to natural or man-made conditions. Composites will never fully replace conventional materials for many infrastructure applications, but they should be viewed as another tool in the toolbox because of their inherent advantages over traditional materials.”

Xingbo Liu, Associate Dean for Research, Statler Chair of Engineering, said it’s imperative for researchers to communicate their expertise outside academia.

“The primary aim of our research is to serve the greater good of society,” Liu said. “It is crucial for our researchers to actively engage in outreach efforts, including dialogue with policymakers. This ensures that our research findings can effectively inform and influence the formulation of sound policies that ultimately benefit our fellow citizens.”

If you are a faculty member interested in meeting with federal representatives or receive an invitation to speak or testify on Capitol Hill, please contact WVU Director of Federal Relations Suzanne Bentzel at Suzanne.bentzel@mail.wvu.edu