Russell Gentry

Russell Gentry is a Professor of Architecture and Civil Engineering (by courtesy) at the Georgia Institute of Technology, serving as the Associate Dean for Faculty in the College of Design. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Michigan (1992), and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from Georgia Tech (1986 and 1985). His expertise spans structural engineering, composite materials, and sustainable infrastructure design. He chairs ASTM D30.10 on composites for civil structures and leads the NSF-sponsored RE-WIND initiative to repurpose wind turbine blades. As Acting Director of the Digital Building Laboratory (DBL), he focuses on computational design, BIM, and AEC industry technologies.

Research interests include composite material testing, lifecycle analysis of wind turbine blades, and innovative applications for decommissioned materials. He is a Fellow of the International Institute for Fiber Composites (IIFC) and contributes to standards development in structural composites. His work integrates computational methods with traditional engineering practices, emphasizing sustainable solutions for civil infrastructure.

Notable projects include blade-based transmission poles, pedestrian bridges from recycled turbine blades, and thermal management strategies for mass concrete. His awards include IIFC fellowship, and he actively engages in interdisciplinary collaborations between architecture, engineering, and computational design. Ongoing efforts explore robotic fabrication, heritage building documentation via UAS, and digital tools for masonry systems.