Linda Figg, president and CEO of Figg Engineering Group—designers of Virginia's Smart Road Bridge and numerous other unique structures throughout the U.S. and abroad—will discuss "Creating Bridges as Art" at Virginia Tech on Friday, Sept. 28, at 4 p.m. in 2150 Torgersen Hall.
The event, which is open and free to the public, is part of the university's Vecellio Distinguished Lecture series. A reception will follow in Torgersen Hall Lobby.
Figg's presentation at Virginia Tech will illustrate the blending of precise engineering and artistry that has resulted in the creation of some of the most aesthetically pleasing and dynamic bridges in the world today.
The Figg Engineering Group, whose bridges have been built or are under design in 38 states and four foreign countries, has received more than 250 design awards, including three Presidential Awards through the National Endowment for the Arts. Bridges designed by the group include the Hanging Lake Viaduct in Colorado, Veterans' Glass City Skyway in Ohio, and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge & Observatory in Maine, which features the world's tallest observatory on a bridge.
Linda Figg, who earned her civil engineering degree from Auburn University, has been a leader in the development of signature bridge designs for more than 25 years. In 1998 she was named one of Engineering News-Record's Top Newsmakers for pioneering a unique community involvement process in bridge design, and in 2004 she received the Outstanding Service to the Profession Award from the Florida Engineering Society.
Figg serves on the boards of directors of the Construction Industry Roundtable, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, and the America Segmental Bridge Institute.
The Vecellio Distinguished Lecture Series is sponsored by a $1 million endowment provided for the Construction Engineering and Management Program in Virginia Tech's Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering by the Vecellio Family Foundation and individual family members: the late Mrs. Leo (Evelyn) Vecellio, Sr.; Leo and Kathryn Vecellio, Jr. and their sons, Christopher and Michael; and Patricia Vecellio.
The late Leo Vecellio, Sr. was a 1938 civil engineering graduate of Virginia Tech who became president and CEO of Vecellio & Grogan, one of the largest highway construction and mining companies in the eastern U.S. Leo Vecellio, Jr., a 1968 Virginia Tech civil engineering graduate, is now head of the Vecellio Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
The Vecellio endowment at Virginia Tech also supports scholarships, fellowships, and a professorship.