Where Are They Now?

Many former NCAT students have benefited from the connections they made while at Auburn and continue to collaborate with the asphalt community. In this issue, we catch up with Mark Buncher, Jay Gabrielson, and Jamie Green to learn more about their journeys since graduation.

Mark Buncher

Dr. Mark Buncher was provided the opportunity to obtain a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering specializing in pavements while serving our country as an active duty Air Force serviceman. He began studying at Auburn in 1992, and after spending many days and nights in the NCAT lab he was awarded his doctorate in 1995.

Mark currently serves as the Director of Engineering for the Asphalt Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. The Institute's mission is to serve both users and producers of asphalt materials by advancing technology and improving pavement performance through programs of education, engineering, and research.

“I’ve always had the utmost respect for NCAT starting from when I was part of the NCAT family and up through the present,” said Mark. “Auburn was a great location to bring my family with lots of other young families and many activities offered through the university. I’m eternally grateful for my time there, all of the experiences and knowledge learned, and foremost for all the wonderful friendships that started there. So many of those friends are in the asphalt industry today; too many to name.”

He and Cathy, his wife of thirty-five years, have seven children and five grandchildren. They enjoy spending time outdoors hiking and biking and have recently begun Orange Theory Fitness. They are fans of SEC sports and enjoy following the University of Kentucky football and basketball teams.

Jay Gabrielson

Dr. Jay Gabrielson began his doctoral studies at Auburn University in 1990 researching the permanent deformation of hot mix asphalt at NCAT. After graduating in 1992, he joined the Vulcan Materials Company where he has worked for the last 25 years. Jay is currently the Director of Technical Services for Vulcan’s Central Division where they produce crushed stone from approximately 80 quarries and produce and place hot mix asphalt from plants located throughout middle Tennessee.

“Auburn and NCAT were a great match for me because of the balanced blend of research and practice,” said Jay. “It wasn’t just about the research; it was about the work ethic, the leadership, and practical application of engineering principles into pavement structures. I tip my hat to the NCAT staff and Dr. Frazier Parker, my Civil Engineering professor, for their approach to research, problem solving, and keeping the graduate students grounded. They molded us into productive asphalt citizens. Even now, twenty-five years later, I’m still the student as I continue to reach out to those people who molded me in the early nineties.”

He and his wife, Elsie, live in Knoxville, Tennessee with their children, Sydney, Keith, and Reese. Sydney is a junior at University of Alabama, Keith is a sophomore at Princeton University, and Reese is enjoying life as a tenth grader. The Gabrielson family enjoys spending time together at the lake, traveling, or working on projects at home.

Jamie Greene

Jamie Greene earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Auburn University. He began working at NCAT in 1994 as a part-time student and eventually transitioned to a full-time engineer when he graduated with his bachelor’s in 1997. In addition to regular lab work, Jamie assisted with some of NCAT’s contractor and professor training courses.

After graduating with a master’s in 1999, Jamie worked for Applied Research Associates under contracts with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida through 2003, and then under another contract with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

“I started working for FDOT in 2008 as a pavement research engineer managing FDOT’s Accelerated Pavement Testing program,” said Jamie. “I now work as a pavement evaluation engineer and manage FDOT’s network and project level pavement condition monitoring program. We sponsor test sections at NCAT, so I’m still routinely working with some of the Test Track staff such as Buzz Powell and Dave Timm.”

Jamie has lived in Gainesville, Florida since 2003 and has been married for 11 years. He and his wife enjoy taking road trips, hiking, and spending time at the beach. They recently bought a ‘fixer upper’ house, which keeps him busy most weekends.