John S. McCartney

John S. McCartney is a Professor and Hal Sorenson Endowed Chair in the Department of Structural Engineering at the University of California San Diego (UCSD). He directs the Englekirk Structural Engineering Center and holds editorial roles at journals such as ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering and Computers and Geotechnics. His research focuses on unsaturated soil mechanics, energy geotechnics, and geosynthetics engineering, with applications in thermal energy systems, landfill covers, and seismic response analysis.

Education: B.S. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from University of Colorado Boulder (2002), Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from University of Texas at Austin (2007).

Research interests include thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of soils, geothermal energy piles, tire-derived aggregates, and seismic performance of geotechnical systems. His work combines laboratory testing, centrifuge modeling, and numerical simulations to address challenges in sustainable infrastructure and energy systems.

Key awards include the Walter L. Huber Research Prize (2016), NSF CAREER Award (2011), and multiple teaching and service recognitions. He actively contributes to ASTM standards and serves as President of the IGS-NA chapter.

Lab facilities are located in the Structural and Materials Engineering Building (SME 409). Courses taught include advanced soil mechanics, energy geotechnics, and geotechnical earthquake engineering.