Autumn 2021 Edition
A new wave of research
Making sense of chaos isn’t an easy task, but a team of UW CEE researchers is up for the challenge. With an elevated risk of a tsunami event in the Pacific Northwest, the researchers are working to better understand how debris collectively causes tsunami-induced damage in coastal communities.
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Satellite system success
Five years ago, when Professor Faisal Hossain helped implement a new satellite-based irrigation advisory system in Pakistan, it was uncharted territory. But that territory now includes three countries and more than 100,000 farmers who benefit from water conservation and improved crop yield.
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Meet ‘Hip Hop M.D.’ Maynard Okereke
CEE alumnus Maynard Okereke (BSCE ’06) has made a name for himself, quite literally. Known as the Hip Hop M.D., Okereke is a science communicator working to make STEM education accessible to underrepresented youth and more through entertaining programming.
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Chair’s message
Department chair Laura Lowes reflects on the return to in-person learning after one and a half years of online classes, research projects that made significant progress during remote operations and more.
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Three faculty promotions
Congratulations to the following three UW CEE faculty members who were promoted in September in recognition of their hard work and achievements: Associate Professors Paolo Calvi, Richard Wiebe and Mari Winkler.
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Remembering Demetrios Spyridakis
Professor Emeritus Demetrios “Dimitri” Spyridakis dedicated his life’s work to keeping waterways pristine. A longtime CEE faculty member who taught courses in water and soil chemistry and conducted research on water pollution, Spyridakis passed away in October 2021.
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Harris Hydraulics Lab renovation
Things are flowing much better in the Civil & Environmental Engineering fluids lab, located in the 100-year-old Harris Hydraulics Laboratory, following a substantial renovation project. The project enhances the student experience through more hands-on workstations and flexible teaching space.
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Center news
From SCTL’s real-time parking availability app to the RAPID Center’s $6 million renewal grant to continue innovating natural hazards research to PacTrans’ progress on tackling transportation problems in the Pacific Northwest, CEE’s centers continue to have notable impact.
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Research highlights
CEE researchers work to design urban societal systems that are efficient and resilient, investigate scenarios for the Champlain Towers collapse, work to increase resiliency among Pacific Northwest coastal communities and more.
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Awards & accolades
Congratulations to students and faculty who have received awards, scholarships and other honors.
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Enjoy the video: 2021 Wenk Lecture
A lecture on climate-driven coastal hazards and how to foster more risk-responsive policies was presented by University of Notre Dame faculty Tracy Kijewski-Correa.
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