LANSING, Mich. - Howell resident Justin P. Schenkel, P.E., is among six recipients of the 2024 Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Director's Award, the department's highest employee honor for outstanding service. MDOT established the annual award more than 30 years ago to recognize those who exhibit leadership and exemplary public service.
"With a passion for people and positive results, Justin actively supports and collaborates with internal and external customers alike," said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. "Thanks to an inclusive approach and commitment to quality, Justin is building trust in MDOT among its partners and the public."
Schenkel, honored in the professional, specialist - engineer category, oversees research projects that require the collection of test data and material samples from active construction projects. Before any data collection occurs, Schenkel fosters buy-in from the contractor and construction staff by educating them on the benefits of the data. These efforts lay the groundwork for less resistance and better collaboration during the data collection process.
During a particular research project, data needed to be quickly collected on a layer of pavement before the next layer could be applied. Collecting this data required the use of a falling weight deflectometer (FWD). MDOT only has one FWD, so if it malfunctioned, the testing window would be missed. Recognizing this risk, Schenkel took the initiative to research and complete an as-needed contract with an FWD consultant. The contract also provides for another type of testing and material collection that MDOT may need, should equipment malfunction or if staffing issues arise. MDOT has worked with this consultant previously, ensuring that all necessary data is collected during construction, thereby eliminating any data gaps.
The Director's Award program represents the various work categories within the department. While MDOT employees nominate their peers, committees comprised of workers from each category make the final recommendations to the department.
