Dr. Tanya Komas

Education and Current Positions Dr. Tanya Wattenburg Komas holds a Ph.D. in Architecture and Certificate in Historic Preservation from Texas A&M University; a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University, New York; and a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from the University of California, Davis. Dr. Komas is currently an Associate Professor and Director of the Concrete Industry Management program at California State University, Chico; and Founding Director/CEO of the Concrete Preservation Institute, a non-profit educational foundation that partners with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area/National Park Service, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and concrete industry sponsors to advance preservation and the concrete industry at National Park Service locations such as Alcatraz Island through student experiential learning, preservation and stewardship projects, research, and community service.

Research, Projects, and Presentations Dr. Komas’ research and projects have focused on cutting-edge and innovative research and approaches for concrete durability, repair, and preservation for structures and infrastructure. Her work focuses on substantial involvement of undergraduate and graduate students and partnerships with industry for outcomes valuable to student academic and career success and advancement of the industry. Selected projects have included evaluation of the concrete bunkers at the WWII D-Day landing site at Pointe du Hoc, Normandy, France, with Texas A&M University; field validation research with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the concrete industry for concrete preservation including innovative surface preparation technology combined with ground-breaking new nano-technology for extending the service life of concrete in aggressive environments such as Interstate 80 in the Donner Pass/Lake Tahoe area; training and field projects utilizing the industry’s leading concrete durability prediction software (Stadium); co-leading volunteer student teams to build houses for the Catalyst Domestic Violence Center in Chico that were awarded LEED Gold Certification with substantial points for use of exposed stained and polished concrete floors; serving as project manager and designer for the rehabilitation of the Historic Havana Riverwalk Inn in San Antonio, Texas as a Federal Tax Credit Rehabilitation; developing a system for field digital documentation of Texas County Courthouses for the Texas Historical Commission under a research grant from the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training; appearing on multiple episodes of the History Channel’s "Life After People" series, the Discovery Channel’s "Big History" series, and the Military Channel's "Secret Guide to" series, and serving as technical advisor for concrete and construction for the production studio; and is routinely invited to give presentations on her work for national and international audiences. Professional Service and Affiliations Dr. Komas is on the Board of Directors for the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI); serves at the Chairman for the ICRI Evaluation Committee; is co-authoring ICRI’s Concrete Surface Repair Inspector Certification that will complement the American Concrete Institute’s (ACI) Concrete Repair Code soon to be released; is on the concrete repair research council for the ACI Strategic Development Council’s Vision 2020 for the concrete repair industry, and is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology International. 
Awards & Recognition Dr. Komas was honored in 2013 as one of Five Most-Influential People in the Concrete Industry by Hanley Wood and Concrete Construction Magazine at the World of Concrete event in Las Vegas. In 2012, she was named Professor of the Year for California State University, Chico, by the Chico Economic Development Council for success in building the CIM program based on a public/private partnership model that pairs academia and industry for increased student learning, career path development, industry advancement and research, and service to the community.