Boyer Honored with Turner Dissertation Fellowship Award

In 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. At 10 years-old Darla-Ena Boyer witnessed firsthand how that destruction devastated her community. This disaster inspired Boyer into pursuing a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Stony Brook University.

When recalling her experience, Boyer said, "Almost everybody there lost people in their lives. We also lost our homes, a lot of people had to live in the streets for sometime until finding somewhere to go. I liked drawing when I was a kid, so I loved architecture, but I didn't specifically think about civil engineering. But growing up after the earthquake, that idea grew into my mind."

Recently Boyer received the Turner Dissertation Fellowship award. The fellowship is awarded to a graduate student who demonstrates a commitment to facilitating and enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in their academic lives.

"I'm very grateful to so many people," Boyer said. "I was really happy to see that my background and my story can be inspiring to people."

Boyer's current research concerns earthquake engineering, which includes the design of structures made to withstand seismic forces and help support homes and buildings during severe earthquakes.

Her latest project is developing a new type of wall made to withstand seismic forces.

"The difference is that instead of having a flat base, they have a curve base. Thanks to this curve base, they are able to dissipate the energy that comes from the earthquake when it happens."

Boyer calls it a "pendulum wall" alluding to its unique properties.

"For other types of walls after absorbing the earthquake energy and trying to release it, they would get damaged. So for this type of wall, thanks to this geometry, it's able to slide against the base, like a pendulum."

"I am confident that her research will make significant contributions to the field of seismic design, paving the way for safer and more resilient structures," said Rigoberto Burgueno, Chair of the Department of Civil Engineering. "This fellowship will undoubtedly provide Darla with the encouragement and support she needs to continue her groundbreaking work."

Boyer exemplifies the spirit of the award. "I always try to encourage other people to pursue civil engineering," Boyer said. "For students or women who are interested in civil engineering, I've always tried to be available, and be a mentor to them."

- Mattia Stradella