Title: Senior Geotechnical Engineer
Company: Jacobs
Education: PhD, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University (2011-2014);
MS, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University (2009-2010);
BE, Civil Engineering, Bangalore Institute of Technology (2003-2007)
Career History: Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Jacobs (2023-Present);
Project Engineer, Geosyntec Consultants (2021-2023);
Engineer, Geosyntec Consultants (2019-2021);
Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Cathie Associates (2018-2019);
Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Distinct Engineering Solutions, Inc. (2017-2018);
Assistant Project Engineer, Distinct Engineering Solutions, Inc. (2017-2018);
Structural Engineer, R&O Engineers and Architects (2016-2017);
Engineer I, Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants (2014-2016);
Research Assistant, Texas A&M University (2010-2014);
Structural Designer & Draftsman, Architecture Continuous (2008);
Associate System Engineer, IBM Global Services (2007-2008)
Ajay Shastri, Senior Geotechnical Engineer at Jacobs, has been recognized as a Marquis Emerging Leader for their contributions and achievements in the field of engineering.
Dr. Shastri first gravitated toward his profession in 2001 after a massive earthquake hit India, his home country, and claimed several lives. The devastating event drew his attention to civil engineering as a way of understanding how buildings are impacted by such natural disasters. He pursued and ultimately earned a Bachelor of Engineering in the field from Bangalore Institute of Technology in 2007 and subsequently attained a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy from Texas A&M University. He launched his career as an associate system engineer at IBM Global Services and then found success as a structural designer and draftsman at Architecture Continuous, a research assistant at Texas A&M University, an Engineer I at Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants, and a structural engineer at R&O Engineers and Architects. He was subsequently active as an assistant project engineer-turned-senior geotechnical engineer at Distinct Engineering Solutions, Inc., a senior geotechnical engineer at Cathie Associates, and advanced from an engineer to a project engineer at Geosyntec Consultants.
Since 2023, Dr. Shastri has excelled as a senior geotechnical engineer at Jacobs, where he demonstrates his dual expertise in geotechnical and structural engineering and accrued work in the construction and energy industries. In his leadership role, he has proven to be adept at providing innovative and cost-effective solutions to challenging problems backed by sound engineering and extensive research. He is currently in the process of constructing a large reservoir west of Houston in Texas and designing flood control along the Texas-Louisiana border.
Outside of his primary endeavors, Dr. Shastri has been active as the chair of the Houston Geo-Institute Chapter since 2021, through which he oversees the organization of lectures and talks for the organization, and the chair of the Texas Board, helping to organize conferences for Texas ASCE. In addition, he is a dedicated member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Society for Underwater Technology. As a testament to his accomplishments in the field, he was recognized with the Emerging Award from the Offshore Technology Conference in 2022.
Looking toward the future, Dr. Shastri aspires to work on public interest projects; he wishes to contribute his expertise toward the development of infrastructure for the next generation. He focuses on helping with large projects and playing a vital role in their execution.