2018 CEE Update Newsletter

Dear Alumni and Friends,

First, I cannot say thank you enough for your support on Giving Day, March 16. Thank you for your action and continued engagement with the school.

In this issue we have a feature on how water quality is assessed by using a “prototype pathogen panel.”  Associate Professor Ruth Richardson leads this testing effort with the help of a colleague at Northwestern University and Dr. Monroe Weber-Shirk which is showcased in the article, “Rapid Testing for Waterborne Diseases,” on page 4.

We also feature the research of CEE Assistant Professor Greg McLaskey who studies the mechanics of friction, earthquakes, fractures and other processes that generate sounds and vibrations in large-scale rocks.  Recently he is interested in studying the flow of underground fluids to determine how to map them. Very interesting!

3D printing is a rising technology, and Associate Professor Derek Warner has been working with students to produce a variety of pieces via this means. On page 8, “Printing Parts that Don’t Break: From Processing to Performance,” shows the series of production.

In June 2017, Professors Philip Liu and Christine Shoemaker retired, and together their careers culminated in a joint event held in July 2017. Read about them and what they are up to in post-CEE retirement on pages 10-13. If you took CEE 5950: Construction Planning and Operations starting in 2001, you must know Dr. Paul Carr. He too decided to retire and did so on December 31, 2017. Paul was instrumental in teaching this course as he structured it to provide students with knowledge about all of the phases of construction management. The class was exciting, challenging and professionally facilitated. 

As Giving Day was inspiring for all of you, as well as students, faculty and staff, we reached out to ask three alumni who serve on CEE’s Advisory Council to share their feelings on why they give back.

We provide updates on our students’ experiences, faculty awards, and the staff changes that have occurred.

My sincerest thanks for reading this issue, staying connected to the school, and attending our events. Please keep in touch.

Sincerely,

Linda K. Nozick
Professor and Director of Civil and Environmental Engineering