Robert W. Whalin, Ph.D., P.E., D.CE is Professor of Civil Engineering; College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Jackson State University (JSU) and Director Emeritus, Engineer Research and Development Center. He serves as Director for Education, Coastal Resilience Center of Excellence, University of North Carolina sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Dr. Whalin completed 36 years of exemplary civilian service in the Department of Army including 20 years in the Senior Executive Service as Director, Army Research Laboratory (ARL); Director, United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Waterways Experiment Station; and Technical Director, USACE Coastal Engineering Research Center. The ARL program exceeded $1.1 billion and had a 2,200-person workforce at six primary locations throughout the United States plus small groups in Japan and the United Kingdom. Dr. Whalin was a recipient of the Distinguished Presidential Rank Award, two Meritorious Presidential Rank Awards, Exceptional Civilian Service Award, three Meritorious Civilian Service Awards, two Department of Army Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Equal Employment Opportunity, the Silver Order of the DeFleury Medal and the President’s 2015 High Grant Award.
A registered professional engineer, Dr. Whalin holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree in physics from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in oceanography from Texas A&M University. Prior to his service with the USACE, he worked six years in southern California for Tetra Tech Inc., National Engineering Science Co., Interstate Electronics Corporation and Hughes Aircraft Co. Dr. Whalin is a renowned coastal engineer, widely recognized for pioneering experimental research of wave transformations in convergence zones and for innovative coastal models of long waves and non-linear wave transformations in harbors, bays, lagoons and estuaries. His JSU research since 2003 has focused on coastal natural hazards and engineering education. He has authored/co-authored more than 100 journal, conference or symposia publications and technical reports.