Tarunjit Butalia

Tarunjit Butalia is a Research Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geodetic Engineering at The Ohio State University. He serves as Director of the OSU Coal Combustion Products Program and is an Affiliated Faculty member of the Sustainability Institute. His research focuses on beneficial utilization of industrial byproducts, geotechnical engineering, and environmental remediation, particularly in mine reclamation and sustainable infrastructure. He holds multiple awards, including the David C. McCarthy Engineering Teaching Award (2020) and the Charles Ellison McQuigg Award for Outstanding Teaching (2019).

His expertise includes coal combustion byproduct applications, soil mechanics, computational mechanics, and interreligious dialogue through the Center for the Study of Religion. Recent work emphasizes rare earth element recovery from acid mine drainage, smart safety systems for construction workers, and full-scale pavement testing using coal byproducts.

Dr. Butalia’s research integrates environmental engineering with geotechnical innovation, addressing challenges in waste management and sustainable resource utilization. Collaborative projects span academia, industry, and government to advance land reclamation and infrastructure resilience.