Lin appointed chair of the civil and environmental engineering department

Lian-Shin "Lance" Lin was appointed chair of the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Lian-Shin “Lance” Lin, professor of  civil and environmental engineering in the Statler College of Engineering Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, has been named chair of the Wadsworth Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, effective August 14, 2023.

Story by Paige Nesbit, Director of Marketing and Communications
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Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

“I am honored for the opportunity to grow the programs, research and student experience in the department,” said Lin. “Building upon our existing strengths as a unit, one of my goals is to build a stronger tie between the industry and our curriculum to encourage student success.”  

Lin was integral in launching the new bachelor’s degree program in environmental engineering now available for the Fall 2023 semester. 

“This new curriculum is designed to prepare workforces to take on challenges that cross the fields of engineering, environmental science, sustainability, and public health,” Lin explained. “Leveraging our resources and those across the colleges of WVU through course offerings will enrich the learning experiences of the students and broaden the impacts of the program.” 

Lin’s research has a focus on developing novel water and wastewater technologies that enable resource recovery from municipal and industrial wastewaters. He continues to lead a multidisciplinary team for stream monitoring and watershed assessment to evaluate anthropogenic activities on aquatic ecosystems.  

Since 2004, Lin has led as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on 34 projects with external funds ranging more than $54 million from various federal and state agencies and water/wastewater industries. Lin’s shares of those funds are approximately $9 million. 

Lin became an associate professor in the department in 2010. Along with teaching and research, Lin has been the faculty advisor for the WVU Chapter of Engineers Without Borders since 2008. Their mission is to develop innovative solutions for sustainable community development. 

“I believe that bringing in real-world projects into classrooms and involving practitioners in our curriculum will make our curriculum more relevant to industry and help meet the market demands," said Lin. 

“I am excited that Dr. Lin has accepted the chair position in the civil and environmental engineering department,” said Pedro Mago, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College. “Dr. Lin is a dedicated teacher and an excellent researcher in the Statler College.”  

Lin has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nuclear engineering from National Tsing-Hua University in Taiwan and received his doctorate in civil engineering with a focus on environmental engineering from Purdue University in 1997.  

“I am looking forward to working with him in his new role, and I have no doubt that with his enthusiasm, energy, and vision, the Department will thrive under his leadership,” Mago said. “I want to thank Dr. Kecojevic for his leadership and service as interim chair of the Department during the last academic year.” 

Prior to joining the WVU, Lin worked for the Illinois State Water Survey, and California Regional Water Quality Control Board where he was involved in nutrient criteria and Total Maximum Daily Loads programs. He taught at the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California during 1997-1998.  

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