Rudolph Bonaparte
B.S., University of Texas at Austin, 1977
M.S., University of California at Berkeley, 1978
Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 1981
Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Rudy Bonaparte has served as engineer-of-record and/or project manager for many major projects in the areas of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering; contaminated site and waterway assessment and remediation system design; and solid, hazardous, and radioactive waste disposal facility design, permitting, and performance evaluation. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a licensed professional engineer in 17 states, and has made many contributions that have been adapted by practice.
Bonaparte serve CEO of Geosyntec Consultants for 20 years and is currently a Senior Principal Engineer and Chairman of the Board. Under his leadership, Geosyntec grew to 1,200 employees in more than 60 offices practicing in seven countries. The firm is today widely recognized as a technical leader in the areas of environmental, water resources, geotechnical, and structural engineering, and in the earth and environmental sciences.
Major completed projects include a state-of-the-art LLR waste facility for the U.S. Department of Energy; three large-scale Superfund remedial design projects; seismic hazard evaluation for siting of a State of Alaska Anchorage Office Complex; design of major landslide stabilization and building foundation projects and numerous waste disposal facilities.Major completed projects include a state-of-the-art LLR waste facility for the U.S. Department of Energy; three large-scale Superfund remedial design projects; seismic hazard evaluation for siting of a State of Alaska Anchorage Office Complex; design of major landslide stabilization and building foundation projects and numerous waste disposal facilities.
Bonaparte's project experience also includes engineering design of a large dredged sediment containment area constructed on soft, compressible foundation soil; design of soil and sediment remediation measures for a site along Green's Bayou, Houston Ship Channel; technology pilot testing to chemically stabilize hexavalent chromium in harbor-front fill deposits of chromite ore process residuals; and, design and permitting of coal combustion residuals disposal facilities. He has also been active in research and design method development for geotechnical earth retention and ground improvement systems.
Bonaparte is the author or co-author of more than 50 peer-reviewed technical papers, several book chapters, and seven major reports published by the U.S. EPA, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Navy, and NASA on geoengineering-related topics. He has served on the editorial boards of the ASCE Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, the journal Geosynthetics International, and the International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories.
In 2007, Bonaparte was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. He is also the recipient of the J. James Croes Medal from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Engineer of the Year Award from the Georgia Alliance of Professional Engineering Societies in recognition of advancements he has made to the practice of geoenvironmental engineering. In 2016, he was selected by ASCE for its Outstanding Projects and Leaders (OPAL) Lifetime Achievement Award for Design
In the workplace, Bonaparte acts as a mentor, challenging and encouraging young engineers and scientists to develop their skills and provide exceptional service to their clients. He is also a part-time Professor of the Practice in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
