FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ellen Rathje Elected to National Academy of Engineers
Principal Investigator for NHERI DesignSafe enters NAE class of 2025
Ellen Rathje, Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering, University of Texas, Austin
AUSTIN, Texas, February 2025 – Ellen Rathje, University of Texas geotechnical engineering professor and researcher, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Class of 2025, joining 128 new members and 22 international members. This is one of the highest professional honors for engineers. Members are elected by their peers.
NAE membership recognizes significant contributions in engineering research and practice, including pioneering new and developing fields of technology and making significant advancements in the engineering field and profession. Founded in 1964, the NAE provides independent analysis and advice to the nation.
Ellen Rathje is the Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at UT Austin. She is honored by the Academy “for contributions to seismic slope assessment and site response analysis and the development of cyberinfrastructure for natural hazards engineering.” Seismic slope assessment involves examining slopes that could deform due to earthquakes, potentially causing landslides.
In addition to her earthquake engineering research, Rathje was recognized for her work to establish the National Science Foundation-supported DesignSafe cyberinfrastructure. DesignSafe is part of the NSF Natural Hazards Engineering Research Infrastructure (NHERI) and enables natural hazards engineers to leverage data and computational approaches to improve resiliency from natural disasters.
“Of course, it is an immense honor to be elected to the NAE,” Rathje said. “But what I am most excited about is getting involved in the service aspects of the NAE that help fulfill its mission to provide engineering leadership in service to the nation.”
Ellen Rathje is the first American female geotechnical engineer elected to the NAE.
Individuals in the newly elected class will be formally inducted during the NAE's Annual Meeting on Oct. 5, 2025.