Dr. Benjamin Trump, a research social scientist with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center’s (ERDC) Environmental Laboratory (EL), was recently named U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Researcher of the Year. 

The USACE Researcher of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding scientist or engineer whose work advanced the state of an art in a particular field, established a scientific basis for subsequent technical improvements in military, civil and operational capabilities and/or materially improved USACE technical capabilities. 

“It is humbling to be selected as USACE Researcher of the Year,” Trump said. “I have spent my entire research career affiliated with USACE in some way — as an intern, as a graduate student, as an ORISE Postdoc and as a federal employee. Through the years, USACE and ERDC have empowered me with a wonderful team that makes a difference in the lives of so many.” 

Trump led research in vaccine equity and distribution, COVID-19 epidemiology and impact, crisis and resilience modeling and general COVID-19-related support to multiple state governments, federal agencies, the U.S. Army and the White House. His efforts reflect great credit on him, the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 

“We are extremely proud of Dr. Trump for having earned the distinguished honor of the USACE Researcher of the Year,” said Dr. Edmond Russo, ERDC-EL director. “Dr. Trump and his team have been world-class leaders in unique, first-of-its-kind scientific data analytics that informed public health risk assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic, aimed at guiding leadership decisions on establishing workplace policies and best practices that kept employees safe from illness and productive in alternative work settings. His outstanding achievements were transformative in rapid response to this crisis and laid the groundwork for considering expanded alternative work site arrangements for our employees.” 

Trump was presented the award by Lt. Gen. Scott A. Spellmon, 55th Chief of Engineers and commanding general of USACE, and Command Sgt. Maj. Patrickson Toussaint, 14th USACE command sergeant major, on Jan. 11 in Washington, D.C. at the 2022 USACE National Awards Ceremony.