Welcome Aboard

Gao focuses on building relationships as new chair of ECU construction management

For Dr. Jerry Gao, construction is part of his DNA.

“Both of my parents started their first jobs as construction laborers when they were teenagers,” said Gao, the new chair of the East Carolina University Department of Construction Management. “While my mother went back to our village as a farmer to raise our family for many years, my father stayed in the construction field as his career and had been through almost every single level of positions in a construction company. Dozens of my family members and relatives have been working in construction. … Therefore, it was natural for me to pick construction as a career direction when I chose my major for college.”

Gao began his new role as department chair late this summer. He came to ECU after 18 years as a faculty member at North Dakota State University where he also served in departmental leadership roles. He also worked as a graduate program coordinator as well as the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) and ABET assessment coordinator. He holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in civil engineering.

He said the support he received from his instructors when he was a student prompted him to seek a career as an educator.

Dr. Jerry Gao, chair of the Department of Construction Management, speaks to the College of Engineering and Technology Advancement Council.

“In every stage of my school time, I had a moment with my teachers that triggered my motivation and energy to work hard and to be the right person doing the right things,” Gao said. “The influence from my teachers was priceless. I thought maybe I could do the same thing to influence more people, so I decided to teach.

“Particularly I love to teach in higher education because this is a perfect place where I can use both my teaching philosophy and construction knowledge to help young people, while their energy can in turn help me stay hungry for more knowledge. I know I can build some amazing buildings or bridges with my own hands; however, I enjoy the feeling that I can help more people know how to build those. It’s just like the old saying — teaching people how to fish is far better than giving fish to people.”

In his first months at ECU, Gao said he has seen the passion for teaching in the faculty of the Department of Construction Management. He said the instructors are focused on building relationships with every student, which he said helps students become their best.

Gao said he first heard about ECU’s construction management program years ago at North Dakota State.

“I was on a faculty search committee, and the top candidate rejected the offer from my previous school and accepted the ECU offer. I thought there must be something good at ECU,” he said.

As a member of the ACCE Board of Trustees, he had the chance to review accreditation documents for ECU’s construction management program.

“I saw the match between my philosophy and experience, and the ECU and construction management missions, and I thought I’d love to be aboard and explore how to better serve students and produce a better workforce for the construction industry,” Gao said.

The ECU Department of Construction Management started more than 40 years ago and was the first in North Carolina to be accredited. It offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in construction management and has about 725 undergraduate students enrolled this fall, making it one of the largest programs in the nation.

“What makes our program so special is that we have outstanding support from the construction industry, especially our Industry Advisory Board,” Gao said. “And our students have at least 500 hours of internship or work experience before they graduate, in addition to our high-quality, hands-on learning activities with real projects used in the classroom. We are preparing our students to be career ready.”

Gao said graduates can enjoy a variety of careers in residential, commercial, industrial and infrastructure construction, such as field management; material transportation; estimating, scheduling and procurement; property management; manufacturing; installation; repair; and maintenance, among others. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual salary of construction managers is $104,900 with projected job growth at 9% through 2033, a faster rate than the average for all occupations.

For students to achieve that, Gao suggests they follow the ABCs.

“Ask. Ask for help whenever you feel it is difficult. Ask why even if you see a thing many times. Ask yourself before bedtime if you have finished today’s items,” he said. “Be. Be prepared for classes. Be patient when success comes too slowly and does not seem to come. Be yourself when facing too much temptation. C is for collaborate. Collaborate with other students as a team player. Collaborate with the industry as early as possible.”

Gao has spent his first months on the job learning administrative processes and meeting with students, faculty, program supporters and industry representatives. He said he appreciates the welcoming environment.

“I enjoy and greatly appreciate the tremendous support from the university, the College of Engineering and Technology, my colleagues, students, and the industry partners and advisory board,” he said.