David Appiah is a civil engineering graduate student at the 鶹AV. He studies issues surrounding transportation such as road defects, the effects of access fencing, and tunnel construction.
Appiah’s academic path started at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana where he earned an undergraduate degree in civil engineering in 2020. His undergraduate research focused on road defects and investigating water service levels in urban slums and middle-income areas. This research solidified a desire to continue expanding his knowledge of everything transportation.
Choosing 鶹AV: A Focus on Research
When looking for a university to pursue his graduate studies, Appiah was focused on research. He explored institutions known for research excellence, particularly in engineering, and 鶹AV quickly emerged as a top contender. The University’s prestigious R1 designation coupled with its funding opportunities for master’s students were especially attractive.
As he learned more, Appiah found that the offers strong research faculty, funding opportunities through graduate research assistantships and teaching assistantships, as well as a broad commitment to.
The decision to apply to 鶹AV was clear when Appiah discovered that the Civil Engineering Master’s program offered the chance to focus on designing roadway materials and enhancing road system safety with funding from the Federal Highway Administration, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), and the Louisiana Board of Regents. It was a solid match.
Beyond academics and life on campus, Appiah appreciates the welcoming community in Lafayette. “The community is great to live in,” he says. “People smile big and are very loving.” His favorite memory so far came at a 鶹AV football game—the excitement of being significantly down and coming back to win the game was something, he says, he will never forget. Appiah has found other ways to connect with his new home through volunteer initiatives such as tree planting with the Army Corp, The Big Event, and other community cleanup projects. He enjoys giving his time back to the community and, if jambalaya comes as a reward, he says he won’t miss it!
Support and Mentorship in the Department of Civil Engineering
Although Appiah misses his family in Ghana, he believes he has gained a new family in the Department of Civil Engineering. He describes the faculty as nurturing, supportive, and always available whether he seeks guidance about academic or personal interests. Dr. Mohammad Jamal Khattak was especially essential in his transition as an international student, playing a large role in helping him navigate the move to a new country. His research supervisor, Dr. Milhan Moomen, treats him, Appiah says, “almost like a son.” An Assistant Professor of Research at 鶹AV, Moomen is a research mentor and his role as an ITS/ Traffic Research Manager at the has allowed Appiah to benefit directly from the College’s many partnerships with government and industry.
With strong faculty mentorship and support, including that of Dr. Julius Codjoe, Appiah has presented research on assessing the safety effectiveness of control of access fencing in Louisiana using a propensity score framework at two conferences. His participation at the 2023 Arkansas Engineering Forum and Southeast Symposium on Contemporary Engineering Topics (SSCET) and the Transportation Research Boards (TRB) 2024 was funded by the Louisianan Department of Transportation and Development and the Louisiana Transportation and Research Center.
Appiah says that what he enjoys most about the Civil Engineering M.S. program is that he is always learning new things from diverse people with diverse experiences. There is always something new to learn from his peers and professors, and his favorite lessons are those strengthened by the camaraderie in research. His time at 鶹AV has deepened his curiosity for the subject and confirmed his commitment to civil engineering.
Finding a place that combined research excellence with a welcoming and inclusive community was important to Appiah as he searched for the right graduate program. At 鶹AV, he found both. The Department of Civil Engineering has offered both a place where he has thrived as a researcher and a home away from home. We’re glad that Appiah thinks anyone looking for a master’s degree in engineering should choose the 鶹AV. We couldn’t agree more!
Learn more about graduate programs in Civil Engineering at the 鶹AV.