NEWS

The North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) honored Dr. John Matthews, director of Louisiana Tech’s Trenchless Technology Center and associate professor of civil engineering and construction engineering technology at the University, Lynn Osborn, Trenchless Technology Center board member, and James Barbera, former TTC board member, at the 2021 No-Dig Show.

The NASTT bestowed the 2021 NASTT Chair Award for Distinguished Service on Matthews for prominent, long-standing service in the trenchless technology industry. At the same show, Osborn and Barbera were inducted into the NASTT Hall of Fame Class of 2020 for outstanding accomplishments and exceptional contributions to the advancement of the North American trenchless industry.

“I am very honored and was truly shocked when I heard about the award,” Matthews said. “This award is given annually by the NASTT Board of Directors Chair. Two previous TTC Directors have won this award (Dr. Tom Iseley in 2006 and Dr. Rod Sterling in 2009), so I am very humbled to join them.”

Matthews earned a B.S. in Construction Engineering Technology, an M.S. in Civil Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Louisiana Tech University and served as a post-doctoral research associate at the Trenchless Technology Center. He was a principal research scientist at Battelle and a program manager at Pure Technologies before returning to Louisiana Tech as an associate professor and director of the TTC.

Osborn has served on the TTC’s industrial advisory board (IAB) since its inception and was selected as a TTC Honorary IAB Member in 2019. He joins four other active IAB members (Dr. Sterling – Class of 2014, Mr. Bob Affholder – Class of 2014, Mr. Kaleel Rahaim – Class of 2015, and Dr. Tom Iseley – Class of 2017) that were elected to previous NASTT Hall of Fame classes and former board member Barbera, who was also inducted into the Class of 2020. The TTC honored Barbera and his brother Leo with Lifetime Achievement Awards and unveiled the Barbera Underground Infrastructure Research and Training Facility to train the next generation of trenchless experts in 2018.

The No-Dig Show was held in-person in Orlando, Florida, March 28-31, and through online attendance. Recorded meetings are available on-demand to registered attendees through June 30.