In memoriam: Antoine Hobeika, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering

Antoine Hobeika, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering in the College of Engineering, died on Sept. 20, 2021.

Hobeika served at Virginia Tech for 43 years, teaching courses in transportation infrastructure and systems engineering before retiring in 2016. Prior to joining the faculty at Virginia Tech, he lived in Lebanon, where he worked as a transportation consulting engineer until civil unrest in Beirut led him to relocate to Blacksburg.

Hobeika was the founding director of the Virginia Tech Center for Transportation Research, now known as the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. He was well-known for his work in intelligent vehicle highway systems, receiving approximately $18 million in research funding support.

He taught courses in planning transportation facilities, transportation and land use, and transportation systems planning. One of the highlights of his job was mentoring countless students throughout his career.

Hobeika was a Distinguished University Fellow of ITS America and was invited to testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works regarding the reauthorization of federal Surface Transportation Act. His testimony led to the authorization of $5.9 million for the “Smart Road.”

Beyond his work at Virginia Tech, Hobeika was a fixture in the Blacksburg community and was a recipient of the town’s Community Service Award. Following his retirement in 2016, he dedicated his time to his wife, children, and grandchildren while enjoying an active life on the water on the eastern shore of Virginia.

A celebration of his life was held on Saturday, Sept. 25. His obituary can be found here.