The professorship was established in 1984 by Roy W. Carlson, an alumnus and Berkeley research engineer who died at the age of 90 in 1990. Carlson, who received a master's degree in civil engineering from Berkeley in 1933 and was awarded a doctorate from MIT, is renowned for his research in concrete technology and for inventing several widely used instruments for gauging the behavior of concrete over time. His expertise led him to play a vital role in the construction and testing of dams throughout the world.

“I am deeply honored to be named to the Carlson chair and thank my colleagues profusely,” Wachs said. “Dr. Carlson was a pioneer in our field, and I will try to live up his example of creativity and commitment to civil engineering.”

Wachs holds faculty appointments as Professor of City and Regional Planning and of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Before becoming director of ITS, Wachs was Professor of Urban Planning and Director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCLA. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering from the City University of New York, and MS and Ph.D. degrees in Transportation Planning from the Civil Engineering Department at Northwestern University.