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Dr. Mohammad “Shahidul” Islam, Ph.D., P.E., BCWRE, a subject matter expert in the Hydrology & Hydraulic Branch of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District, has been named Engineer of the Year for the USACE Hydrology, Hydraulics & Coastal Community of Practice (HH&C CoP) for Fiscal Year 2025.
Dr. Islam has over 24 years of distinguished expertise in HH&C engineering, specializing in advanced numerical modeling, field monitoring, and the integration of environmental information systems to inform critical water resource management decisions. He is also a board-certified water resources engineer through the American Society of Civil Engineers and a licensed professional engineer in Connecticut.
Q1: Dr. Islam, how does it feel to be recognized with this award?
It is a profound honor to be recognized as the HH&C CoP Professional of the Year. This award is more than a personal milestone—it represents the collective dedication, collaboration, and innovation of the many colleagues, partners, and mentors with whom I have had the privilege to work.
I joined the USACE SWG just prior to Hurricane Harvey, and from the very beginning, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of flooding on our communities. That experience reinforced for me the critical importance of working hand-in-hand with our federal, state, and local partners to increase flood resiliency across Texas. In many ways, this recognition is not about me alone. It is about the importance of the mission we share with our stakeholders to protect lives, property, and the natural environment.
To my mentors and supervisors, past and present, thank you for believing in me, challenging my thinking, and encouraging innovation even in the face of daunting technical and operational hurdles. To my USACE colleagues and friends, your commitment, teamwork, and unwavering support have made this work not only possible but deeply fulfilling.
I am also profoundly grateful for the enduring partnerships we have built across universities, architecture and engineering (A/E) firms, and our collaborators at every level of government. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Texas General Land Office and the Texas Water Development Board—your steadfast collaboration has been instrumental in advancing flood resiliency and protecting communities across the Texas coast.
This award, to me, underscores the impact we can achieve when we come together with a shared vision of building stronger, more resilient communities for the future.
Q2: Which projects were you working on during the award timeframe?
Over the past year, I’ve been fortunate to work on projects that embody the innovation, technical rigor, and collaboration at the heart of our mission.
Much of my focus has been on advancing compound flood hazard analysis for the Texas coast, providing better tools to understand and predict the combined impacts of riverine and coastal flooding. I’ve also worked with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) to enhance coastal watershed modeling and develop new approaches that will benefit engineers across the nation.
At the state level, I’ve contributed to major flood resilience efforts, including the Texas Integrated Flooding Framework and the River Basin Flood Study, while also supporting navigation improvements on the Houston Ship Channel and Sabine-Neches Waterway through advanced shoaling analyses.
These accomplishments were only possible through strong partnerships across agencies, academia, and industry. Together, we’re building integrated solutions to protect our waterways, coastlines, and communities for generations to come.
Q3: Do you have any advice or work habits you’d care to share with others?
Three habits have consistently guided my work:
1. Collaboration is key – seek out diverse expertise; the best solutions often emerge from interdisciplinary teamwork.
2. Stay curious – invest time in learning new tools, methods, and perspectives; innovation thrives on curiosity.
3. Be consistent – complex projects take time; steady, incremental progress builds lasting results.
Q4: Do you have any advice for engineering students or others about working for USACE?
Working for USACE offers a unique opportunity to make tangible, lasting contributions to public safety, environmental stewardship, and economic vitality. Our mission spans disaster risk reduction, emergency response, water resources management, environmental protection, and ecosystem restoration. We play a vital role in navigation, flood risk management, and regulatory functions, delivering engineering solutions that secure the nation, energize the economy, and build resilience against future disasters. For engineering students, it’s a chance to apply technical skills to projects that truly matter, with direct, meaningful impacts on communities and the environment. For engineering students, I’d recommend:
• Embrace complexity – USACE projects often address multifaceted problems that require both technical depth and broad systems thinking.
• Learn from the field – real-world site visits and interactions with stakeholders provide insights you can’t get from models or data alone.
• Value mentorship – seek guidance and be ready to mentor others; our mission is advanced by sharing knowledge.
Q5: Is there anything else you’d like to say about the award or USACE?
I am grateful to be part of an organization where technical excellence, innovation, and service to the public are deeply valued. USACE’s culture of collaboration allows individuals to contribute locally while making a national impact. This award reinforces my commitment to advancing hydrology, hydraulics, and coastal engineering solutions that support resilient communities and sustainable waterways. I also want to express my appreciation to the HH&C Community of Practice for fostering a network where ideas, challenges, and successes are shared openly.
| Date Taken: | 08.20.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.20.2025 15:22 |
| Story ID: | 546066 |
| Location: | GALVESTON, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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