Tuesday, 17 April 2007
Virginia Tech Tragedy
It is also a black day for ASCE, as one of our own is a confirmed victim of these heinous acts. Dr. G.V. Loganathan, a long-time ASCE and active EWRI member, was shot and killed yesterday while teaching an Advanced Hydrology class in Norris Hall. An active member for many years, Loganathan served on various technical committees and contributed as a presenter at numerous EWRI/ASCE conferences. The recipient of several awards for excellence in teaching, he was a civil and environmental engineering lecturer at the university and served as an undergraduate student advisor to about 75 Tech students.
Although I did not know Dr. Loganathan personally, through my own years of involvement with ASCE I have come to know several members of the Virginia Tech faculty and count them among my close friends. When I heard of the tragedy, I was immediately concerned for their safety and well-being. I am sure many, many ASCE members had similar reactions given the long-standing stature and active contributions of the university's faculty, students and alumni to our profession. In the coming weeks and months, they will surely need and benefit from our support and expressions of sympathy and concern.
The engineering community and the world have suffered a great loss as a result of these tragic events at Virginia Tech. I join the nation in sorrow over the magnitude of loss and suffering caused by this senseless tragedy.