WESTERN RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Personnel and Bios
The Western Research Institute ARC research team is composed of 21 experienced chemists, engineers, technicians and support staff. They are leading experts in the chemistry and physical properties of petroleum asphalt and have expanded the understanding of how chemical composition controls physical properties. WRI has identified variations in asphalt properties that affect roadway performance and are developing and validating practical tests for performance variables that are missing from the current purchase specification. They are refining chemical models and advanced analytical methods that will allow for more discriminating specifications, with the aim of reducing lifecycle cost and improving roadway safety.
Michael Harnsberger
Mr. Harnsberger is the former ARC program manager. In addition to coordinating and managing the ARC activities with the FHWA, his main area of work was planning and coordinating with state highway agencies to construct comparative pavement test sites and monitoring the performance of the sites. He was employed at Western Research Institute from 1984 till 2013 and has researched the chemical and physical property relationships of paving and roofing asphalts. His research has included analyzing oxidation–temperature relationships and the effects of asphalt oxidation on visco-elastic properties.
Raymond E. Robertson, Ph.D.
Dr. Robertson holds a PhD in organic chemistry. He is the Vice President (General Manager) of the Western Research Institute Transportation Technology (TT) Unit which conducts Federal Highway Administration research, plus asphalt as well as heavy oil-related private client research. He is responsible for acquisition of personnel, facilities and equipment necessary to conduct the work as well as budgets and oversight of planning. His experience is in asphalt aging, moisture damage and additives used in asphalt pavement. He has a background in petroleum production and processing as well as significant experience in organic synthesis.
Eric W. Kalberer, Ph.D.
Dr. Kalberer’s background covers a broad spectrum of research areas, ranging from synthetic to analytical chemistry. Prior to joining WRI, he completed a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Wyoming with formal training in organic and organometallic synthesis and kinetic studies. Following his graduate work, he completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Michigan with a concentration in the synthesis and kinetics of green catalytic transformations. Currently Dr. Kalberer is task manager for the moisture damage research conducted at WRI. He also aids in the development of new asphalt characterization methods and the study of the effects of asphalt additives/modifiers. His ARC project focus is on moisture damage and modified asphalts.
Fred Turner
Mr. Turner is principal investigator on the FHWA-sponsored Fundamental Properties of Asphalts and Modified Asphalts III contract and is task manager for the aging and low-temperature properties elements of the contract. He has 15 years’ experience in asphalt chemistry, distress modes, and thermal properties and 17 years’ experience with fossil fuel property measurement, pyrolysis kinetics, and process development. Mr. Turner is also the task manager for the moisture damage element of the asphalt research consortium.
Mike Farrar
Mr. Farrar provides important practical laboratory and field experience to the research team. Prior to joining WRI, he was a Materials Engineer with the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) from 1984 to 2004. As a Materials Engineer with WYDOT, he was involved in materials testing, pavement design, rehabilitation, maintenance and construction. Mr. Farrar has an MS in Civil Engineering and a BS in Chemistry and is a Professional Engineer licensed in Wyoming.
Will Grimes
Mr. Grimes has applied a variety of microscopy techniques, including optical, infrared, AFM and ESEM, for the determination of chemical and micro-structural properties of asphalt cements and mastics. Specific areas of interest include surface chemistry, and self-assembled micro-structures. Mr. Grimes has extensive experience in the development and application of experimental designs and apparatus with emphasis on data reliability and suitability as well as project cost control. Mr. Grimes has managed technical projects from concept through research and development and into the commercial market. He is aware of the many obstacles between research and commercial acceptance, and of how research projects can be tailored to minimize problems when a new idea is ultimately introduced to the market.
Troy Pauli
Mr. Pauli, a physical chemist, is the ARC program manager and the lead research scientist at Western Research Institute, conducting research in the field of material and surface science of asphalt. Mr. Pauli has also conducted research in petroleum asphalt and heavy oil chemistry, including the development of mathematical models relating asphalt rheological properties to the colloidal structure of bitumen applicable to the prediction of coke formation in refining processes. Mr. Pauli uses atomic force microscopy (AFM) to investigate asphalt solidification processes and fracture mechanics of asphalt paving materials. Specifically, he uses AFM as a tool for measuring surface energies and changes thereof, in order to predict microcracking and healing propensities and moisture susceptibility in asphalt pavements.
Shin-Che Huang, Ph.D.
Dr. Huang is a lead research engineer whose expertise covers thin asphalt film behavior, asphalt–aggregate interaction, the effect of water on asphalt–aggregate interaction, and the effect of additives on long-term aging characteristics of asphalt binders. In 1993, he received a presidential recognition award for his excellent research achievement. In 2002, Dr. Huang won the Road Materials and Pavement Design International Journal Merit Award for best published paper of the year.
Jacquelyn Greaser
Jackie is a senior office associate at WRI. She is best known in the asphalt community as a coordinator of the Petersen Asphalt Research Conference and the Pavement Performance Prediction (P3) Symposium held in Laramie each summer.
