Dr. Daekyoo Hwang

He was born in Masan, Korea, on April 10, 1945 to his father, Yongsun Hwang, and his mother, Soonho Lee, as the second of four children.

Dr. Hwang graduated from the prestigious Seoul National University in 1970 with a degree in Civil Engineering, and married his wife, Young Eun, in April 1972. After working at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, he immigrated with his family to the United States in 1975. He received his Master’s degree in 1977, and his Ph.D degree in 1980, in geotechnical engineering, from the University of Maryland.

He enjoyed a very accomplished career in geotechnical engineering for nearly four decades, in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Korea, most notably in the field of landfill design for the remediation of contaminated groundwater and soils. He was well recognized and respected as a leading expert in this field.

He was a devoted Christian who regularly attended Korean American churches, and he always spent quality time with his wife and two sons, including memorable family vacations to the beach, Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and the Outer Banks. In addition, he also enjoyed being physically active, including playing tennis, tending his garden, and being very handy with tools to work on both his own house and his older son Philip’s house.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Young Eun, his sons Philip and Eugene, and his granddaughter, Emily. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Crest Lawn Memorial Gardens, 2150 Mt View Rd, Marriottsville, MD 21104, on Friday, October 11, at 1:30 pm.