Dr. Todd Bridges is a Professor of Practice in resilient and sustainable systems in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia.  Prior to joining UGA in 2023, Bridges served for 17 years as the U.S. Army’s Senior Research Scientist (ST) for Environmental Science, one of 40 Senior Research Scientists in the Department of the Army.  Over his 30-year career with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bridges led >$250 million in research projects and programs in environmental science and engineering and sustainable infrastructure.  Bridges founded the Corps’ Engineering with Nature® program (www.engineeringwithnature.org) in 2010, which includes a broad range of research, field-scale applications, multi-sector collaborations, and communication efforts to advance the development and application of Nature-based Solutions.  Among his 100 publications, Bridges led a 5-year collaboration across the public and private sectors to develop and publish International Guidelines on Natural and Nature-Based Features for Flood Risk Management.  Dr. Bridges received a Distinguished Presidential Rank Award from President Biden in 2021 for exceptional leadership, accomplishments, and service.

Education

Ph.D., Biological Oceanography, North Carolina State University
M.S., Biology-Zoology, California State University, Fresno
B.S., Biology, California State University, Fresno

Professional Appointments

• Professor of Practice, Resilient and Sustainable Systems; College of Engineering, University of Georgia, 2023-present      
• Associate Director for Public-Private Partnerships, Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems, University of Georgia, 2023-present
• Adjunct Assistant Professor, College of Engineering, University of Georgia, 2018-2023    
• U.S. Army Senior Research Scientist for Environmental Science (ST), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 2006-2023       
• National Lead, USACE Engineering With Nature® Program, 2010-2023    
• Program Manager, USACE Dredging Operations Environmental Research Program, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 2006-2023           
• Director, Center for Contaminated Sediments, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 2003-2023          
• Research Team Leader, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Risk, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 1998-2003
• Research Biologist, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, 1992-1998   

Areas of Expertise and Research Interests

• Nature-based Solutions
• Sustainable infrastructure development
• The science and engineering of resilience
• Risk and decision science
• Sediment management and beneficial use

Example Publications

McKay, S.K., S.J. Wenger, C.B. van Rees, B.P. Bledsoe, T.S. Bridges. 2023.  Jointly Advancing Infrastructure and Biodiversity Conservation.  Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 4:657-677.

Bridges, T.S., J.K. King, J.D. Simm, M.W. Beck, G. Collins, Q. Lodder, and R.K. Mohan, eds. 2021. International Guidelines on Natural and Nature‑Based Features for Flood Risk Management. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Report Number ERDC SR-21-6, 989 pp.  DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/41946. 

Bridges, T.S., J.K. King, E.B. Moynihan, C.L. Allen, C.S. Vann, and K.L. Rhea. 2021. Engineering With Nature: Supporting Mission Resilience and Infrastructure Value at Department of Defense Installations. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Report Number ERDC SR-21-9, 83 pp. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/42207. 

Bridges, T.S., E.M. Bourne, B.C. Suedel, E.B. Moynihan, and J.K. King. 2021. Engineering With Nature: An Atlas, Volume 2. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Report Number ERDC SR-21-2, 321 pp. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681/40124. 

Bridges, T.S., E.M. Bourne, J.K. King, H.K. Kuzmitski, E.B. Moynihan, and B.C. Suedel. 2018. Engineering With Nature: an Atlas. Vicksburg, MS: U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Report Number ERDC/EL SR-18-8, 261 pp.  DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.21079/11681.27929. 

Bridges, T.S. and K. Gustavson. 2013. Risk Management for Contaminated Sediments. In Reible D. Editor, Processes, Assessment, and Remediation of Contaminated Sediment. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, New York, NY, USA. pp 197-226.

Linkov, I., T. Bridges, F. Creutzig, J. Decker, C. Fox-Lent, W. Kröger,  J.H. Lambert, A. Levermann, B. Montreuil, J. Nathwani, R. Nyer, O. Renn, B. Scharte, A. Scheffler, M. Schreurs and T. Thiel-Clemen. 2014. Changing the Resilience Paradigm. Nature Climate Change 4: 407-409.

Wood, M., A. Bostrom, T. Bridges, I. Linkov. 2012. Cognitive Mapping Tools: Review and  Risk Management Needs. Risk Analysis 32: 1333-1348.

Linkov, I., T.S. Bridges, editors. 2011. Climate: Global Change and Local Adaptation. Springer. Dordrecht, The Netherlands. 598 pp.

Linkov, I., D. Loney, S. Cormier, F.K. Satterstron, T. Bridges. 2009. Weight-of-evidence evaluation in environmental assessment: review of qualitative and quantitative approaches.  Science of the Total Environment 407: 5199-5205.

Kiker, G.A., T.S. Bridges, I. Linkov, A. Varghese, T.P. Seager. 2005. Application of multi- criteria decision analysis in environmental decision-making. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 1:95-108

Honors and Awards

• de Fleury Medal (Silver Order) from the Army Engineer Association in recognition for outstanding leadership in support of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2022.
• Distinguished Presidential Rank Award from President Biden in recognition of “sustained extraordinary accomplishments.”  The Presidential Rank Award is one of the most prestigious awards in federal career civil service, 2021. 
• Top 25 Newsmaker Award from Engineering News-Record supporting the engineering and construction industry, 2021.
• Distinguished Civilian Service Medal, Department of the Army; awarded by the Secretary of the Army for extraordinary contributions in leading the EWN initiative, 2020.
• Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, Department of the Army; awarded by the Secretary of the Army for leading USACE’s COVID modeling and analysis team, 2020. 
• Engineering With Nature Outstanding Leadership Award from the USACE Director of Civil Works, 2016.
• de Fleury Medal (Bronze Order) from the Army Engineer Association in recognition of outstanding leadership, technical expertise, and innovation in science, engineering and technology development supporting the U.S. Army and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2014.
• Outstanding Practitioner Award from the Society for Risk Analysis for excellence in the practice of risk analysis, 2012.
• Government Service Award from the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry for advancing risk assessment practice, 2009.
• Meritorious Civilian Service Award, Department of the Army; awarded by the Secretary of the Army for technical leadership in applying risk-informed decision-making for post-Hurricane Katrina planning, 2008.
• Graduate Dean's Medal, California State University, Fresno in recognition of academic excellence and community involvement, 1998.