This page is no longer being updated and remains online for informational and historical purposes only. The information is accurate as of the last page update.
For questions about page contents, contact the Communications Division.
John Sullivan ’04 (Tyngsboro, Mass.) is studying a monumental traffic construction project in downtown Boston for a yearlong independent research project.
A double major in A.B. engineering and economics & business, Sullivan is working under the tutelage of David Veshosky, associate professor of civil & environmental engineering and chair of the A.B. engineering program. Veshosky has been researching this major project, entitled “The Big Dig,” for a few years, studying communication among different groups involved with it. His student research partners have included civil engineering major Theresa Kearney ’04 (Pearl River, N.J.) and A.B. engineering majors Janille Smith ’03 (Kingston, Jamaica) and Eric Ackerman ’02 (Mount Kisco, N.Y.).
Sullivan has encountered a number of challenges in the project, which, if successful, will enable him to graduate with honors.
“I want to do something that will be valuable and interesting to others in the industry,” says Sullivan, who is familiar with the Big Dig from working in Boston and living near the site. “Also, this project is still being constructed, so a lot of the information I want isn’t easy to get. Many times, people don’t want others looking at their work, and with the Big Dig being controversial, it is harder to get information from people involved.”
This project stems from work Veshosky and Sullivan did this summer through Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, in which students assist faculty in research while earning a stipend. Lafayette is a national leader in undergraduate research. Many of the 180 students who participate in EXCEL each year go on to publish papers in scholarly journals and/or present their research at conferences.
The Big Dig, also known as the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, aims to replace a six-lane elevated highway, known as the Central Artery, with an eight- to ten-lane underground expressway directly beneath the existing road. When the underground highway is finished, the crumbling elevated road will be demolished and replaced by open space and modest development. It is considered one of the most technically difficult and environmentally challenging infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the United States.
“John is a very self-motivated student. Doing a project like this will really help boost his credentials,” says Veshosky. “It also allows him to define and manage a project from start to finish.”
Sullivan plans on attending graduate school and is considering a career in the construction industry. He credits the mentoring and one-on-one attention from professors at Lafayette with helping him succeed at the College.
“The individual attention I have received from my adviser and other professors in the engineering department has definitely helped me in becoming a better student,” he says. “Without their help and encouragement, I don’t think I would be doing this thesis.”
He adds, “Professor Veshosky has been very helpful not only on my thesis, but over the four years I have been at Lafayette. This is a great place for me to do my thesis. I enjoy both my majors and have been happy with my choices.”
Veshosky has shared his research through articles in scientific journals, book chapters, and papers presented at conferences in the United States and Canada. He is a member of the research faculty at the Engineering Research Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems and a research associate at the Center for Innovation Management Studies. His past roles include researcher at the NATO Oceanographic Research Center in La Spezia, Italy; port and transportation industry consultant; and project manager for port studies in the United States, Kenya, and Egypt.
Sullivan is president of the men’s club soccer team and plays intramural sports.
He is a graduate of Tyngsboro High School.
As a national leader in undergraduate research, Lafayette sends one of the largest contingents to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research each year. Over the past five years, more than 130 Lafayette students have presented results from research conducted with faculty mentors, or under their guidance, at the conference.