Villanueva wins HENAAC Award

Evelyn Villanueva

Evelyn Villanueva, a research geologist in Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, was named among the USACE winners of the HENAAC award. HENAAC, established in 1989, strives to identify, honor and document the contributions of outstanding Hispanic Americans in the fields of science, engineering, technology and math.

Villanueva works in the Engineering Geology and Geophysics Branch of the Geosciences and Structures Division. She has a bachelor’s in geology from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez and a master’s in geosciences from Mississippi State University.

Currently, Villanueva is the principal investigator of the Breaching Mechanics for Embankment Dams under the Dam Risk Focus Area, conducting research in overtopping models of earthen structures to determine their suitability for USACE application, and is also the principal investigator of the Gravel Study of the Lower Mississippi River. She has been instrumental in the organization and execution of ERDC’s recruiting partnership with UPRM.

Villanueva is married to Dr. Guillermo Riveros, who works in ERDC’s Information Technology Laboratory, and has two children, Stephanie and Michael.