Faculty Recognition Award
Photios G. Ioannou

Photios G. Ioannou, professor of civil and environmental engineering (CEE), is a world leader in Construction Engineering and Management (CEM) systems modeling and has provided a strong mathematical foundation for topics that previously tended to be highly qualitative. His innovations include models for underground construction, dynamic decision-making, competitive bidding, and information systems for emerging design and construction technologies. He is best known for developing discrete-event simulation systems such as STROBOSCOPE, used for teaching, research and professional practice worldwide.

A member of the College of Engineering (CoE) faculty since 1984, Ioannou has done pioneering work on project delivery systems, including models to evaluate private companies as promoters of large infrastructure projects. He also developed financial models to evaluate debt capacity and optimal capital structure for privately financed infrastructure projects.

Ioannou has directed the CEE Construction Lab since 1988. An excellent mentor and teacher, he assigns projects that require student teams to assume the role of contractors to produce detailed cost estimates, prepare proposals and schedule real construction projects using actual plans and specifications and subcontract prices.

He made CoE history in 1999 when he taught Construction Contracting simultaneously to students on the U-M campus and at Michigan State University through a live television broadcast. The course’s success paved the way for more collaborative teaching arrangements with other Big Ten universities.

Ioannou is the leader of the CEM graduate program, one of the most successful professional programs in the college. He currently serves on eight CEE and CoE committees, including the CEE executive committee. He is active in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and has served as chair of the ASCE Technical Committee on Computing in Construction.

Ioannou received the ASCE John O. Bickel Award for his pioneering research contributions in tunnel design and underground construction. He also has been recognized with the CEE Teaching Excellence Award, the CEE Research Excellence Award and the College of Engineering’s Teaching Excellence.