February 24, 2025
The Vellore and Anantha Gopalaratnam Civil Engineering Excellence Scholarship will go to two civil engineering undergraduates each year.
Professor Emeritus Vellore S. Gopalaratnam and his wife, Anantha, have established the Vellore and Anantha Gopalaratnam Civil Engineering Excellence Scholarship to support future generations of Mizzou Engineers.
“After 40 years of motivating students to build strong academic foundations, engage in practical research, and contribute to society in meaningful ways, the endowment was a logical next step,” Gopalaratnam said.
The scholarship awards at least two outstanding senior-level students each year enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering program. The first scholarships of $4,000 were awarded to Michael Mann and John Powell in December 2024.
“Over the past four years, I have dedicated significant effort to both academic and extracurricular pursuits, which have positioned me for this opportunity,” Powell said. “This scholarship reinforces my appreciation for the opportunities and support available within Mizzou’s Civil Engineering program.”
Mann agreed.
“The scholarship is allowing me a strong finish to my undergraduate degree and a great start toward my master’s degree,” he said. “In addition, it has given me affirmation and validation of my previous academic efforts and readying me for any challenges to come.”
Gopalaratnam joined Mizzou in 1985 after completing his PhD at Northwestern University. His many significant contributions in research include a groundbreaking National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project that changed the way fiber-reinforced concrete composites are evaluated.
“We are grateful to Dr. Gopalaratnam for his generosity and his continuing commitment to Mizzou Engineers,” Civil and Environmental Engineering department chair Praveen Edara said. “By his service and character, he stands as an example for us all.”
Gopalaratnam’s research on wearing surface systems on orthotropic steel bridge performance resulted in impactful engineering solutions, including his role as the primary author of chapter in the key Federal Highway Administration bridge manual. His monitoring of Missouri’s first high-performance concrete bridge placed him at the forefront of national research on infrastructure health monitoring of high-performance concrete bridges.
He was also a driving force in the creation of the long-running structural engineering seminar series and of the new minor in engineering sustainability. Gopalaratnam is particularly proud of leading the Mizzou Engineering STEM Scholars program. This NSF-funded initiative provides scholarships, academic mentoring and industry partnerships to students with unmet financial need, significantly improving retention and graduation rates in STEM fields.
“The outcomes of the Mizzou Engineering STEM Scholars program made us realize that we would like the impact to be ongoing and lasting for civil engineering students,” Anantha Gopalaratnam said. “Our hope is that the scholarship recipients will go on to have successful careers, fulfilling lives and lead the new generation of engineers.”
Gopalaratnam hopes to share his 40-year expertise in structural and materials engineering developed at Mizzou by accepting short assignments at other institutions and exploring new pastures along with Anantha. Currently he serves as a Visiting Erskine Fellow at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, where he is teaching a graduate course on instrumentation and health monitoring of structures.
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