Buiilt by Desiign
Joseph A. Caliendo has made his mark in
geotechnical engineering through a dedication to
professional development and his steadfast belief
in education – even for educators
By Lisa Gordon
Joseph A. Caliendo says his big claim to fame is having a sandwich named after him at
the Utah State University food court.
Indeed, the “Marv ’n’ Joe” open-faced sandwich – made from provolone, tomato,
Italian seasonings, parmesan cheese and garlic butter on a piece of homemade bread – is a
well-known institution at the school in Logan, Utah. It was named after Caliendo and his
colleague, fellow engineering professor Marvin W. Halling.
Caliendo, 73, told PileDriver that the two professors always enjoy pointing out the menu
option to students and visitors. He is proud of designing a sandwich that is healthy, simple
and clearly appealing.
An academic and a teacher
Caliendo grew up in the Detroit area and got a Bachelor’s in civil engineering at the
University of Detroit.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he was a diver on a SEABEE underwater construction
team. The experience kindled an interest in oceanography; when he left the Navy, he
pursued a bachelor’s degree in that field at Humboldt State University in California. While
there, he took a technical elective course in foundation engineering that caught his attention.
“I went to work for the Navy as a civilian in the ocean engineering office in Washington,
D.C.,” said Caliendo. “At that point, I decided I wanted to be a geotechnical engineer and
needed a graduate degree.”
He contacted Loren Anderson, a friend and mentor he had met at Humboldt, who
had since taken a faculty job at Utah State University. Caliendo enrolled there, obtained his
Master’s in civil engineering and followed that up with a job at McClelland Engineers in
Houston, Texas.
However, the academic lifestyle called to him; he returned to Utah State to pursue his
Ph.D. in civil engineering with Anderson. As a Ph.D. student, he had the opportunity to
teach several undergraduate classes.
Post-doctoral degree, he spent “several really good years” working for the Florida
Department of Transportation as its State Geotechnical Engineer.
“That’s where I really got my experience in deep foundations and pile foundations in
particular,” he said. “Florida drives a lot of piles and builds a lot of bridges. That’s also when
I met some very influential people and made important connections in the industry. In fact,
some of my very best friends are from those days in Florida.”
In particular, Frank Townsend (University of Florida) and Mohamad Hussein (GRL)
remain close and are often co-teachers with Caliendo on American Society of Civil Engineers
and Federal Highway Administration short courses for deep foundations.
In 1992, Caliendo was offered a faculty job at Utah State and took it. He has never
looked back.
Today, as an Associate Professor in the university’s civil and environmental engineering
department, Caliendo’s name is associated with more than just the Marv ’n’ Joe sandwich.
Photos courtesy of GRL Engineering
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