Jack Montgomery

Jack Montgomery is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Auburn University's College of Engineering, specializing in Geotechnical Engineering. He holds a Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California-Davis and California Polytechnic State University. His research focuses on Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Landslides, Dam Engineering, Sinkholes, and Advanced Site Characterization. He has received the prestigious NSF CAREER award for his work on piping mechanisms in unsaturated soils. His projects include developing landslide warning systems for Alabama highways, studying liquefaction effects in earthquakes, and integrating geophysics into infrastructure assessments. He collaborates with agencies like ALDOT and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on critical infrastructure resilience. His lab work includes centrifuge modeling, geotechnical reconnaissance, and advanced numerical simulations.

Education:

• Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of California-Davis
• M.S. Civil Engineering, University of California-Davis
• B.S. Civil Engineering, California Polytechnic State University

Research emphasizes landslide prediction, dam stability, and seismic risk mitigation. Recent efforts include machine learning applications for foundation design and sinkhole tracking via media reports.

Key Awards:

• NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program Award

Advising and Grants: Collaborates with federal agencies on $1M NRC-funded advanced nuclear reactor research and leads Auburn’s geotechnical engineering outreach. His work appears in 20+ peer-reviewed articles and field investigations.

Labs/Teams: Active in Auburn’s Advanced Structural Engineering Lab and Highway Research Center, contributing to Alabama’s transportation infrastructure resilience.