Rate My Professor Brett Gunnink

Brett Gunnink serves as Dean of the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering and Professor and Department Head in the Department of Civil Engineering at Montana State University, positions he has held since August 2002. Prior to this, he was Associate Chair of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at the University of Missouri-Columbia from February 1999 to August 2002, Associate Professor from September 1994 to August 2002, Doctoral Faculty from January 1991 to August 2002, and Assistant Professor from November 1987 to August 1994. His earlier appointments include Instructor/Research Associate and Teaching/Research Assistant in the Department of Civil & Construction Engineering at Iowa State University from August 1984 to October 1987, Research Assistant there from August 1981 to August 1983, and Geotechnical Engineer at W.G. Jaques Co. in Des Moines, Iowa, from September 1983 to July 1984. Gunnink is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and holds Professional Engineer licenses in Montana (No. 15611PE) and Missouri (No. 24175, inactive).

His research focuses on stability analysis of road crossings for trenchless technology, field testing of major road crossing methods, ground displacement monitoring during horizontal directional drilling and other trenchless installations, stability analysis of boreholes in innovative horizontal directional drilling applications, writing and critical thinking in engineering curricula, process for forming coal compacts, optimal moisture for rapid compaction of coal logs for freight pipelines, measurement of pore size distribution of geomaterials using conductometric phase transition porosimetry, and rapidly compacted coal logs for pipelines including binder and pressure effects. Selected publications include Najafi, M., G. Davis, and B. Gunnink, 'Stability Analysis of Road Crossings for Trenchless Technology' (Proceedings of No Dig International 2003); Najafi, M., B.W. Gunnink, and G. Davis, 'Field Testing of Major Road Crossing Methods' (Proceedings of ASCE 2003 Construction Research Conference); Gunnink, B., and K.L. Sanford Bernhardt, 'Writing, Critical Thinking and Engineering Curricula' (Frontiers in Education 2002 Conference); and Gunnink, B.W., 'Process for Forming Coal Compacts and Product Thereof,' United States Letters Patent No. 6,375,690 (April 23, 2002). Gunnink has served as a reviewer for the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (2002), the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering (ASCE, 1999), and six refereed journal articles. He was an invited speaker for Helical Anchor & Foundation Seminars sponsored by A.B. Chance Company in 2002, 2001, and 1996. University service includes chairing the College Budget Committee, serving on the Department Class Scheduling Committee, and advising transfer students. Courses taught include Highway Technology (CET 303) and Mechanics of Materials (EM 253).