Nishant GargView profile
Assistant Professor
Nishant Garg is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research focuses on sustainable construction materials, particularly cement-based systems, leveraging advanced characterization techniques such as X-ray scattering, neutron diffraction, and Raman imaging. His work addresses environmental sustainability through innovations in low-carbon materials, waste utilization, and durability enhancement. Education: Ph.D. in Nanoscience, Aarhus University (2015) M.S. in Civil Engineering Materials, Iowa State University (2012) B.E. and Diploma in Civil Engineering, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology and Chandigarh College of Eng. & Tech. (2010, 2007) Research Interests: Sustainable cement chemistry, material characterization, carbonation processes, and development of eco-friendly construction materials. His lab, the Garg Group, emphasizes multi-scale analysis (nano-to-macro) to bridge fundamental science and practical applications. Key Contributions: Innovations include the UR2 test for cement reactivity, SorpVision for automated sorptivity assessment, and VR tools for materials education. These advances aim to reduce costs, improve material performance, and promote circular economy practices. Awards and Roles: Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research (2025) Member, Transportation Research Board AKM 50 Committee (2025–Present) Recipient of American Ceramic Society’s Stephen Brunauer Award (2021) Advising and Grants: Actively recruiting MS/Ph.D. students. Leads initiatives on low-carbon concrete, funded by NSF and industry collaborations. Serves on CEE advisory committees and graduate admissions. Labs/Teams: The Garg Group integrates interdisciplinary approaches, collaborating with materials scientists, engineers, and data scientists to tackle global infrastructure challenges.









