A former Utah State University professor of civil engineering and former director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory has died after a month-long battle with COVID-19, his wife said.

USU officials said L. Douglas James died at age 83 on Friday, April 3. His wife, Zhida Song-James, a USU alumna, told friends and colleagues that the couple contracted the virus while on a Nile River cruise.

The couple were living in the Washington, D.C. area.

More From KDXU 890 & 92.5