William Likos Gary Wendt Professor Department Civil & Environmental Engineering Contact 2226, Engineering Hall 1415 Engineering Dr Madison, WI p: (608) 890-2662 e: likos@wisc.edu Featured news Studying soil can help uncover ancient engineering knowledge in mysterious Louisiana mounds November 13, 2025 Education PhD 2000, Colorado School of MinesMS 1996, Tulane UniversityBS 1994, Tulane University Research interests Unsaturated soil mechanicsExpansive clay behavior and applicationsLaboratory characterization of soil mechanical, hydraulic, and thermal behaviorPore-scale imaging and analysisField monitoring and instrumentationBeneficial reuse of recycled materials, industrial by-products Awards 2024 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vilas Associates Award2024 Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Editor’s Choice Award2024 WM2024 Conference, Superior Paper Award2023 Transportation Research Board, Geology and Geotechnical Engineering Section, Best Paper Award2022 ASTM International, Certificate of Merit2022 ASTM International, Emmett Franklin Bankston Award2019 ASTM International, C.A. Hogentogler Award2019 Institution of Civil Engineers, London, UK, Geosynthetics International Prize2017 Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, College of Engineering, Gary Wendt Professorship2015 Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, K.B. Woods Award2014 Vadose Zone Journal, Editor’s Citation for Excellence in Review2014 ASCE, Norman Medal2014 ASCE, Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize2007 ASCE, Norman Medal2005 ASCE, Arthur Casagrande Award2004 University of Missouri, College of Engineering, Faculty Fellowship2000 U.S. Department of Education, GAANN Fellowship1999 Colorado School of Mines, Edna Bailey Sussman Award1998 National Science Foundation, Graduate Research Traineeship1994 Tulane University, McDermott Award1993 Tulane University, Emmett Franklin Bankston Award Courses CIV ENGR 299 - Independent Study (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 530 - Seepage and Slopes (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 699 - Independent Study (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 990 - Thesis (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 999 - Advanced Independent Study (Fall 2025)GLE 530 - Seepage and Slopes (Fall 2025)GLE 699 - Independent Study (Fall 2025)GLE 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Fall 2025)GLE 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Fall 2025)GLE 990 - Research and Thesis (Fall 2025)GLE 999 - Independent Work (Fall 2025)CIV ENGR 699 - Independent Study (Summer 2025)CIV ENGR 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Summer 2025)CIV ENGR 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Summer 2025)CIV ENGR 990 - Thesis (Summer 2025)GLE 699 - Independent Study (Summer 2025)GLE 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Summer 2025)GLE 890 - Pre-Dissertator's Research (Summer 2025)GLE 990 - Research and Thesis (Summer 2025)CIV ENGR 430 - Introduction to Slope Stability and Earth Retention (Spring 2025)CIV ENGR 732 - Unsaturated Soil Geoengineering (Spring 2025)GLE 430 - Introduction to Slope Stability and Earth Retention (Spring 2025)GLE 732 - Unsaturated Soil Geoengineering (Spring 2025)GLE 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Spring 2025)CIV ENGR 330 - Soil Mechanics (Fall 2024)GLE 330 - Soil Mechanics (Fall 2024)GLE 790 - Master's Research or Thesis (Fall 2024)CIV ENGR 330 - Soil Mechanics (Spring 2024)CIV ENGR 430 - Introduction to Slope Stability and Earth Retention (Spring 2024)CIV ENGR 939 - Geotechnical Engineering Seminar (Spring 2024)GLE 330 - Soil Mechanics (Spring 2024)GLE 430 - Introduction to Slope Stability and Earth Retention (Spring 2024)GLE 900 - Seminar (Spring 2024)CIV ENGR 733 - Physicochemical Basis of Soil Behavior (Fall 2023)GLE 733 - Physicochemical Basis of Soil Behavior (Fall 2023)