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Dr. Halil Ceylan, a nationally and internationally recognized leader in transportation infrastructure engineering of Iowa State University (ISU), is the 2025 recipient of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association's (ARTBA) S.S. Steinberg Award.

The honor, named after ARTBA's eesearch and education division's founding president, recognizes "an individual who has made remarkable contributions to transportation education."

Among his work is the development of the first electrically conductive heated pavement test site at a United States airport, which garnered nationwide media attention from NBC's Today Show, NPR, Discovery Channel and others.

A prolific researcher and scholar, Dr. Ceylan has authored more than 500 publications and his work has amassed over 9,200 citations.

He serves as the Pitt-Des Moines Inc. endowed professor in ISU's department of civil, construction and environmental engineering, and directs the Program for Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Research (PROSPER) at ISU's Institute for Transportation. He also is the ISU site director for FAA's PEGASAS Center of Excellence on General Aviation.

Valued at more than $27 million, Dr. Ceylan's research portfolio spans more than 145 funded projects supported by federal and state agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, National Cooperative Highway Research Program and multiple state DOTs. His innovations encompass artificial intelligence and machine learning in infrastructure design, advanced infrastructure monitoring systems, heated and self-sensing pavements, sustainable transportation geotechnics and climate-resilient transportation infrastructure systems.

Dr. Ceylan's has mentored more than 70 graduate students and 17 postdoctoral researchers, and taught courses to more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Under his guidance, dozens of his former students and mentees have become leaders in academia, transportation agencies and industry. According to peers and students, his ability to inspire and develop talent has magnified his influence beyond his own pioneering research, ensuring a lasting impact on the future of transportation infrastructure.

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