— LISTEE'S SPOTLIGHT —

Dr. Michael I. Darter has demonstrated expertise in civil engineering within the transportation and higher education sectors. From 1973 until attaining emeritus status in 2003, he was a professor of civil engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, during which time, he published hundreds of technical publications on transportation engineering infrastructure. Likewise, he developed and taught the first highway/airport pavement evaluation and rehabilitation course in the U.S. Previously, he served with the Utah Department of Transportation, the Center for Transportation Research at The University of Texas at Austin, and the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Laboratory, where he developed the Pavement Condition Index for the U.S. Air Force. Remarkably, the index was adopted and is still used by military branches and the FAA today. He also fulfilled longstanding tenures with ERES Consultants Inc. and Applied Research Associates Inc. until his retirement in 2022. Dr. Darter authored the book “Vanished in Valor: Cold Case Search for My MIA Brother” in 2024, detailing the true story of the disappearance of his brother, Sgt. Eugene Darter, who served in the 8^th Air Force during World War II. Currently, he is working with a Hollywood producer to develop it into a screenplay and feature film.