CEAE UpdateCivil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas

Fall 2016

Letter from the Chair

Dear Friends,

Welcome to CEAE Update. This has been another exciting year for the Department as we continue to strengthen both our programs and our facilities.

As you will read in this issue, we have returned to the Edwards Campus in Kansas City

with a strengthened program in the field of structural engineering, offering the Master of Civil Engineering (MCE) degree, our course-only master’s. The program is supported by funding from the Johnson County Education Research Triangle (JCERT). The director and primary instructor in the program is our brand-new Professor of Practice, Dr. William (Bill) Kirkham, who joined the department in August. Bill is licensed as a professional or structural engineer in 14 states and the District of Columbia, and brings 18 years of practical experience to the job. We are looking forward to a strengthened MCE program for the Kansas City area.

In the way of facilities, this past summer we added a state-of-the-art driving simulator to our transportation research laboratories. I am told by those who have taken it for a spin that it is, indeed, very realistic and that having Dramamine nearby may not be a bad idea.

In this issue, we highlight KU CE alum Harold Phelps, the president of Phelps Engineering Inc. (PEI). Harold’s route to a CE degree was definitely non-traditional. We are just as proud, as is Harold, of his firm’s 25th anniversary last year. We also highlight recent graduate Ryne Jackson, whose successful road to a civil engineering degree was both non-traditional and highly unconventional.

Speaking of unconventional students, another story covers engineering pioneer Nora Stanton Blatch Barney, the granddaughter of the famous suffragette Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the first woman to earn a civil engineering degree in the United States. Her recognition by the American Society of Civil Engineers is a process in which I was pleased to play a role.

A number of faculty members have been honored during the past year. Dr. Caroline Bennett was one of the first recipients of the Early Career Faculty Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction. Dr. Remy Lequesne received the Wason Medal for Most Meritorious Paper from the American Concrete Institute, as well as the Gould Teaching Award, an award that is bestowed by the Engineering Student Council each spring. Professor of the Practice of Architectural Engineering Michael Panethiere was elevated to the grade of Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Michael’s specialty is in power systems.

This summer Glen Marotz retired after 46 years at KU. We all wish Glen the very best.

As you will see, our students continue to win numerous awards and scholarships and our GeoWall team was selected for national competition for the ninth year in a row.

Our doctoral enrollment has reached 54, setting a record for the third year running, and at 95, our Masters enrollment continues to be strong. Overall, our department national standing continues to improve, with our Ph.D. program in Civil Engineering rising in the US News and World Report rankings for three straight years.

You can all be very proud to be members of the CEAE family. Thank you for your support of KU Civil, Environmental, & Architectural Engineering!

Sincerely,

Dave DarwinDeane E. Ackers Distinguished Professor and Department Chair

FAST FACT

Doctoral enrollment for CEAE has set a record for the 3rd year running.

Photo by Susan B. Scott

CONTENTS

2 News & Notes

4 Going (Back) to Kansas City

6 New Faculty

7 Student Spotlight

8 Lab Spaces

9 Engineering Pioneer

10 Alumni Profile

CEAE Update is published annually by:

The Department of Civil, Environmental

& Architectural Engineering at

The University of Kansas

Department Chair

David Darwin, Ph.D., P.E.

Editor

Susan B. Scott

Art Direction and Design

Chris Millspaugh Design

Comments, suggestions, or address

changes may be emailed to

sbscott@ku.edu or sent to our

address below.

2150 Learned Hall

1530 W. 15th St.

Lawrence, KS 66045

ceae.ku.edu

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ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a

veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity,

gender expression, and genetic information in the University’s programs

and activities. The following person has been designated to handle

inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of the Office

of Institutional Opportunity and Access, ioa@ku.edu, 1246 West Campus

Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, TTY 711.

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ON THE COVERPhotos taken by: Kent Dye, Susan B. Scott, Kent Hultgren, David Woody

CEAE UpdateCivil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas

Fall 2016

West Campus Structural Testing and Student Projects Facility

©2016 U

niversity of Kansas (source: M

arcom)

2 | CEAE Update

News & Notes

FACULTY UPDATES

Professor Glen Marotz retires after 46 years of service at KU.

Dr. Caroline Bennett was selected to be part of the inaugural class of recipients of the new

Early Career Faculty Award From the American Institute of Steel Construction.

Professor Michael Panethiere was elevated to the grade of Senior Member of the IEEE this year.

Dr. David Darwin has been elected as an Honorary Member of the American Concrete Institute for outstanding leadership as ACI President, for multiple contributions in research and for his mentorship of students and young professionals in the concrete industry.

Darwin was also honored on September 10, 2015 at the Kansas Statehouse for 40 years of service to the state (1974 – 2014).

Dr. Hongyi Cai (PI) and Dr. Steve Schrock (Co-PI) were awarded the 2016 KU Innovation & Collaboration (KUIC) Proof of Concept Fund ($39,408) to transfer the novel technology of self de-icing LED signals to market. This technology will solve a well-known problem of snow-clogged “cool” LED traffic lights and railroad signals.

Dr. Belinda Sturm was elected to the USA National Board of the International Water Association, she serves as the USA membership sub-committee chair. Sturm was also elected into the Water Environment Federation’s 5S Society at the 2015 Kansas Water Environment Association’s conference.

This year’s Miller Award for excellence in scholarly research was presented to Dr. Caroline Bennet, Dr. William Collins and Dr. Belinda Sturm.

Dr. Belinda Sturm’s Post-doc, Dr. Samik Bagchi received first place at the KU Postdoctoral Research Day on Feb 26, 2016 for his presentation titled “Fate of Microplastics in Water and Resource Recovery Facilities”

September 2015 — Dr. Mario Medina received the Changsha Friendship Award for contributions to the development of Changsha, China’s economy.

Dr. Matt O’Reilly received the Organization Leadership Award from the Center for Sustainability for his work with Engineers Without Borders.

Dr. Remy Lequesne received the Wason Medal for Most Meritorious paper from the American Concrete Institute. He was also awarded the Gould Teaching Award, selected by the Engineering Student Council for excellence in advising and teaching.

Former faculty member, Distinguished Professor Ross McKinney, Environmental Engineering, received the Distinguished Engineering Service Award (DESA).

Dr. David Parr has served the CEAE department for 35 years; Dr. Caroline Bennett, Dr. Steve Schrock and Dr. Edward (Ted) Peltier have each had 10 years of

service; Dr. Matt O’Reilly, 5 years; and Administrative Assistant Reta Solwa has been with the department 12 of her 25 years of service at KU.

STUDENT UPDATES

Graduate students S. Farzaneh Mahlab (ARCE) and Afnan T. Barri for Dr. Hongyi Cai were recently awarded the 2015 Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) Emerging Professionals (EP) Sponsorship ($1,500) to attend the IES annual conference.

The national 2015 – 2016 Robert J. Besal Fund Scholarships (Besal Scholarship) — First Prize ($5,000) awarded to Audrey Danser (junior) and Third Prize ($2,000) awarded to Jeehwan Lee (graduate), both students of Dr. Hongyi Cai.

Civil BS student Reid Poff was awarded a Kansas County Highway Association Scholarship. The scholarships are $1000 per semester.

Jeremy Stech received the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Civil Engineering, and Fawaz Al-Shatti was the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Architectural Engineering, December 2015.

In May, 2016 Jeffery Bloss received the Outstanding Graduating Senior in Architectural Engineering award. Jeff also won a National ACEC Scholarship and was one of the recipients of an American Council of Engineering Company State Award Scholarship.

Brett Wagner was the Outstanding Senior in Civil Engineering May, 2016. Brett was also awarded The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP). The GRFP provides Fellowships to individuals selected early in their graduate careers based on their demonstrated potential for significant achievements in STEM. Three years of financial support is provided by the program for graduate study that leads to a research-based master’s or doctoral degree in STEM or STEM education.

Marotz

Civil Engineering professors, Drs. Caroline Bennett and William Collins and Environmental Engineering professor, Dr. Belinda Sturm

Fall 2016 | 3

Duncan MacLachlan (Civil BS), Jennifer Warren (Civil BS), and Stefanie Carlisle (ARCE BS) were selected to receive scholarships in The Builders’ Association Scholarship Awards Program for the 2016 – 2017 academic year. Each scholarship was for an amount of $3,000. All our students were honored at The Builders’ Association 129th Anniversary Banquet on Feb. 12th.

Undergraduate Research Awards (UGRA), were awarded in spring 2016 to Duncan MacLachlan, a CE junior from Prairie Village, KS;

“Evaluating Fatigue Behavior of Steel Dovetail Style Connections for Use in Rapid Construction Systems,” mentored by Dr. Matthew Fadden, and Brett Wagner, a CE senior from Overland Park, KS; “Granular Sludge Treatment in Wastewater Sequencing Batch Reactors,” mentored by Dr. Belinda Sturm.

Yan Jiang (Ph.D, May 2016) won the ASCE Best Presentation Prize at the Geotech conference in Phoenix, AZ.

Congratulations to Xiangxiong Kong who successfully presented his research work “Model Calibration for a Soft Elastomeric Capacitor Sensor Considering Slippage under Fatigue Cracks” and to Parisa Asadollahi who successfully presented her research work “Statistical analysis of modal properties of a cable-stayed bridge through long-term structural health monitoring with wireless smart sensor networks “at SPIE Smart Structures / NDE in Las Vegas in March. Xiangxiong is a second year PhD student in Dr. Li’s Structural Health Monitoring research group

Bailey Rendzia (Civil BS) won the Sharon D. Banks Undergraduate Scholarship of WTS (Women Transportation Seminar)

Krista Simons, (ARCE –UG) was awarded First Prize ($4,000) for the National 2016 –17 Robert Besal Fund Scholarship.

Rouzbeh Khajehdehi was chosen for and then won the “2016 Capital Research Summit Championship Award”

in Topeka, KS, February 2, 2016 with the Cracking Group Research poster titled “The Construction of Crack-Free Bridge Decks.” This award also came with a $500 prize.

Poster presentation awards went to Danging Yu, James Coll and Rouzbeh Khajehdehi.

Jennifer Warren was awarded a $1000 scholarship from the Kansas Chapter of ACI.

Abigail Clem (UG) received the Student Leadership Award from the Center for Sustainability.

Jacob Cocke, Sean Cameron, Kelly Lowe and Meredith Megaffin of the Masters Design Project Class won first prize for the most innovative design in the National Timber Bridge Design Competition. Their entry also finished second for the most aesthetic design and best overall design (photo on front cover)

Graduate student, James Lafikes, was awarded the Graduate Ambassador Fellowship for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Kien Quang Nguyen received the Love of Learning Award from the HQ of Phi Kappa Phi. He also won a scholarship with the American Galvanizers Association for writing the 1st place essay.

Jamal Kakrasul (Ph.D candidate) received the 2016 Summer Research Fellowship from the KU office of Graduate Studies.

Graduate student, Ghaith Abdulrasool received lst place for the student poster presentation at the Kansas City Geotechnical Conference

Jeffrey Neemann was selected by the KU faculty to receive the 2015 J. Barron Award for outstanding student in the Environmental Engineering and Science program.

Jun Guo, Ph.D student received the GSI Fellowship, international competition based on merits of research proposals.

The ACI Student Chapter’s activities earned KU the distinction of Outstanding University for 2015.

The University of Kansas ASCE Student Chapter was selected to receive a Certificate of Commendation for its outstanding activities. This is a distinction earned by only the top 5% of all student organizations.

KU GeoWall team was selected to be one of the top teams with a $1000 travel grant for the 2016 National G-I/SEI Wall Competition held at the Geotechnical and Structural Engineering Congress, February 14-15 in Phoenix, AZ. Our GeoWall teams have been continuously selected for such national competitions since 2008.

The Concrete Canoe team placed 3rd in the final product and 4th overall. The men’s endurance team placed 2nd in the canoe race.

2016 Concrete Canoe Team

4 | CEAE Update

GOIN’ (BACK) TO KANSAS CITY

For Kansas City-area structural engineers, a comprehensive

graduate education is now within close reach.

By Anne McDonald

Photo by Susan B. Scott

Fall 2016 | 5

This fall, the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) returns to the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park after a three-year

hiatus, introducing a specialized ten-course curriculum in structural engineering as part of a new coursework-only Master of Civil Engineering (M.C.E.) degree program. Expanding upon its previous course offerings at Edwards, the department is making advanced training easily accessible to Kansas City-area engineers seeking to earn a graduate degree while continuing to work full-time.

The new curriculum responds to the high demand for advanced structural engineering in the Kansas City economy. The Edwards M.C.E. program is supported by the Johnson County Educational Research Triangle (JCERT), an initiative that aims to enhance the economy of Johnson County by funding academic, research, and business initiatives, including new degree programs at the Edwards Campus.

“This program is specifically aimed at the structural engineering community in Kansas City,” said Professor and CEAE Department Chair David Darwin. “It will allow students to advance their education in a high-demand field while remaining close to the innovative hub that is Kansas City.”

A number of large international engineering and architecture companies call Kansas City home. Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and HNTB — all ranked among the top 20 design firms in the nation — have world headquarters in the metropolitan area. Kansas City also boasts the world headquarters of Populous, the top sports architecture firm in the nation according to Building Design + Construction magazine. These companies require advanced structural engineering expertise to address technical problems in the design of large and complex structures, from sports stadia to nuclear power plants.

“We have lots of engineering talent in the area and we need a pipeline of well-trained, well-educated engineers,” said Jason Draper, Nuclear Structural Engineer at Burns & McDonnell. “Typically the structural analysis and structural engineering that we’re involved in requires a higher level of understanding.”

The expanded Edwards Campus curriculum in structural engineering goes far beyond the courses required for the bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. The ten-course lineup includes evening courses in structural mechanics and dynamics; matrix and finite-element analysis; and advanced design of concrete, steel, timber and masonry structures. Students may also take evening courses in other areas of civil engineering in Lawrence and courses in engineering management at Edwards. The M.C.E. degree requires 30 hours of graduate coursework with no thesis or final project.

“Young engineers will develop real expertise in

structural engineering through this comprehensive course of study. We also welcome engineers who would like to take one or more of the courses without pursuing the master’s degree,” said Professor Bruce McEnroe, CEAE’s Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.

The Edwards M.C.E. program will be led by newly hired Professor of the Practice William Kirkham, a licensed structural engineer with 18 years of structural design experience.

Sasha Weir, an M.C.E. student who works as a structural engineer in the energy division at Burns & McDonnell, said that the advanced training she will receive through her coursework at the Edwards Campus will be essential to success in her field. “In structural engineering in particular, the design work is very in depth and requires far more classes than you have time for as an undergraduate,” she said. Graduate coursework will allow her to work on more advanced projects, Weir said, such as structural systems for large generators and turbines in power plants. An advanced degree in structural engineering will also give her a competitive edge for future professional advancement.

Chad Wisham, a structural engineer at PMA Engineering in Overland Park currently working toward his M.C.E., said that graduate coursework at the Edwards Campus would supplement his on-the-job learning. Being able to focus on technical aspects of structural engineering will allow him to approach new projects with greater capability: “It just gives you more expertise from day one for a job,” he said.

The new curriculum at the Edwards Campus has caught the eye of managers at top local firms, who regularly encourage their employees to seek advanced training. “It’s very high-quality education,” said Draper, who recommends the KU M.C.E. program to his employees. “They are getting coursework that’s relevant to their job functions. In our group, we deal a lot with structural dynamics and seismic design. And they get to go to a night class that’s dealing exactly with these issues and giving them the practical experience and knowledge that they need to perform their work here.”

The introduction of a comprehensive graduate curriculum in structural engineering represents a new stage in CEAE’s long history of teaching in Kansas City. The department began to offer graduate courses in the area in 1966. In the beginning, the department utilized classroom space at the KU Medical Center. Later, classes moved to the Regents Center, then located in Leawood, and finally to their current home at the Edwards Campus in Overland Park. CEAE left the Edwards Campus in 2013 and is now happy to be returning.

Area engineering firms and their employees have responded positively to the expanded offerings at the Edwards Campus, finding the accessible location and

GOIN’ (BACK) TO KANSAS CITY

6 | CEAE Update

class times highly attractive. For Emily Jakubiak, a structural engineer at Kiewit Power Engineers in Lenexa, being able to continue working full-time was a major factor in her decision to enroll in the M.C.E. program in the fall. “I kept getting input from my manager and supervisor, saying it would be a really good opportunity,” Jakubiak said. Several of Jakubiak’s co-workers also plan to enroll in the program.

Weir, who has already taken a course toward the M.C.E. degree at the Lawrence campus, is pleased that she will be able to complete the remainder of her coursework at the Edwards Campus. “It will be much more convenient,” she said. As a Missouri resident, Weir will also enjoy reduced tuition beginning in the fall: the Edwards Campus will offer in-state tuition rates to qualifying Missouri residents.

By enhancing its course offerings at the Edwards Campus, CEAE continues to offer what Professor Emeritus Ernest Pogge sees as an important form of service to local engineers. “Engineering, like a lot of other areas, is a field that’s always developing into new areas and new practices and new discoveries, and to be a good engineer, you have to keep abreast of what’s going on,” said Pogge, who for decades taught graduate courses in Kansas City, beginning at the KU Medical Center in 1966. “It behooves us as teachers in the area to offer this opportunity for engineers to continue their education.”

Making advanced courses available at the Edwards Campus will also allow the department to continue to serve its alumni. “If you take a look at the center of gravity for our students after graduation, it’s towards Kansas City,” Darwin said. Teaching at the Edwards Campus keeps the department in contact with its graduates and helps them to continue to expand their capabilities, he said.

In advising students, Darwin highlighted one benefit of graduate study above all. “I tell students, the biggest advantage of taking more courses is that it makes your job more fun. You can do many more things. And once you get that extra capability, you’re not limited to the very basic design jobs; you can go and do the most sophisticated work out there. Many of our alumni have used their graduate work as a springboard to a great career.”

“If you take a look at the center of gravity for our

students after graduation, it’s towards Kansas City,”

— Dave Darwin WILLIAM J. (BILL) KIRKHAM, PH.D., P.E., S.E.Professor of the Practice of Civil Engineering

Bill is joining the faculty to lead the MCE program at the Edwards Campus. He is enthusiastic about the expansion of the KU engineering program and is looking forward to employing his entreprenureal experience toward growing the program and serving the Kansas City engineering community. He believes graduate studies are

critical for the structural engineers of today and is proud to be involved in promoting this program.

Bill is a practicing engineer with almost 20 years of post-licensure design experience in structural engineering. He presently holds licenses in 14 U.S. states and District of Columbia, and has designed projects in Canada, China, Mexico and Azerbaijan. He recently was elected Chairman of the ASCE/SEI Committee on the Performance of Wood Structures.

In addition to typical building design, Bill has focused on designing building envelopes or facades with different materials such as natural stone, glass, aluminum, concrete and exotic metals. His research has involved experimental and analytical studies of the current design practices for wood diaphragms, including new research on pitched-roof biocomposite panels, unblocked or unbraced roof diaphragms and design methods for semi-rigid diaphragm structures.

Though his appointment primarily involves teaching and promotion of the Edwards MCE program, Bill plans to remain involved with and colaborate with the faculty at the Lawrence Campus. Bill says, “Ninety percent of the buildings in the U.S. are wood residential buildings. We typically spend a minimum of 8 hours each day in these structures, yet current building codes are lenient because they are ‘just houses.’ Through my committee work and collaboration with the Lawrence faculty, we have an opportunity to increase the research footprint of KU, to save lives and reduce injuries in these critical facilities that we all call ‘home’.”

New Faculty

Fall 2016 | 7

Student Spotlight

Ryne Jackson grew up a country boy, hunting, riding and fishing near his family’s home in rural Douglas County. “I grew up in the woods of eastern Kansas and have been passionate about fishing since I could walk,” Ryne says. His close-knit family included avid walleye and crappie anglers who made him a lifelong fan of fishing and the lake.

After graduating from high school, Ryne pursued diverse path (and water) ways for several years before discovering that his love of water, along with his abilities in mathematics, were directing him toward the study of civil engineering. Planning to become a doctor, Ryne began his studies at Johnson County Community College, where he also pitched on the baseball team. After two years, he transferred to Northwest Missouri State University to continue his pre-med education and pitch for the Bearcats. While there, his career plans changed, and he followed his interests into other areas of study, from philosophy to conservation biology.

Ryne’s work experience became as wide-ranging as his study interests. After transferring to KU, still undecided as to his career goals, Ryne took a break from school and returned to another of his early interests: music. Ryne had learned to play a variety of instruments as a child and, as a teenager, played the drums in two different bands. Now, on hiatus from college, he traveled the country singing and playing the guitar, fiddle and harmonica in a country and bluegrass band. When not on tour, Ryne would help an exotic animal breeder make deliveries to zoos. During the holiday season he travelled across a six-state area unloading a trailer of dromedary camels, donkeys and sheep for live nativity scenes. Throughout his

travels crisscrossing the country, he continually looked for a place to throw out a fishing line.

After a year and a half on the road, Ryne returned to Lawrence. While working on a crew maintaining athletic fields for the city, he became interested in surveying and began to learn about engineering. “I found engineering via fishing,” he says. “I kind of connected fish-finding and sonars with the instruments used in surveying, especially the hydrographic survey.” In September 2011, he took a job at Landplan Engineering as a survey crew member for the Kansas River Aggregate Survey. Comfortable on water, Ryne piloted a hovercraft on the Kansas River as part of a team taking depth measurements in the river from Junction City to Kansas City. Learning about civil engineering on the job, Ryne began to see work in the field as a natural fit for his interests: “I felt like civil engineering combined a lot of the subjects and topics that I found interesting, like water and rocks and dirt,” he says.

Ryne returned to KU in the spring of 2012, this time determined to earn a degree in civil engineering. After balancing work with his studies for four-and-a-half years, Ryne graduated in the spring of 2016

and accepted a full-time job as a civil engineer for Schmidt, Beck, & Boyd Engineering in Topeka. His work includes both design and construction inspection, a combination Ryne finds enjoyable. He has designed and prepared plan sets for storm sewer and sanitary sewer projects, and he finds satisfaction in seeing his work come to life in the construction phase. “It’s a fantastic experience to see something go from paper to into the ground,” he says. As he had hoped, his work also gives him the opportunity to apply his engineering skills on lakes and dams.

Ryne considers his new job a happy ending to a long and winding path of work and study. After nearly a decade in school, he is still adjusting to nights without homework — “a really big lifestyle change,” he says. He would like his future work to spotlight natural resources and environmental aspects of engineering, including streambed stabilization and land reclamation.

In his free time, as ever, Ryne can be found at the lake. He hopes to compete on the National Walleye Tour and is currently working on a plan to achieve his goal. His focus is on his career in engineering and the fish at the end of his line.

“I found engineering via fishing”By Susan B. Scott and Anne McDonald

Checking depth readings in the Kansas River.

Photo by Joel Nelson

8 | CEAE Update

In July, the KU Transportation Engineering Analysis Laboratory (TEAL) acquired a driving simulator. The simulator is housed in an Acura MDX cab donated by Honda R&D Americas, Inc. The display system for the new simulator consists of three flat projection screens, arranged in an arc in front of the cab. A fourth screen, behind the cab, provides a rearview image that is reflected in the cab’s side and rearview mirrors. High-definition video is produced to record the simulator screen and the actions of the driver.

CEAE professors Alexandra Kondyli and Steven Schrock will conduct research to better understand driver actions and interactions with other vehicles and the influence of the roadway (geometry, traffic control and signal control) and environmental conditions. They will investigate emerging vehicle technologies such as advanced driver assistance systems. Their goal is to understand driver behavior and to develop safer conditions for the driving public. The KU Transportation Engineering group will collaborate with researchers

from the Mechanical Engineering Department, School of Psychology, and the School of Medicine to develop multidisciplinary solutions to the problems facing motorists and pedestrians.

The driving simulator will enable Drs. Kondyli and Schrock to add more active-learning components to their classes. Graduate students will learn to develop and test different scenarios for traffic safety, geometric design, and traffic control. Undergraduate students will use the simulator to learn about horizontal and vertical alignment design and the impacts of distracted driving.

The driving simulator is another example of strong collaboration between the Department and industry. The CEAE Department is truly grateful to all who have made the vision of a driving simulator a reality, including Dr. & Mrs. Tom Mulinazzi, Affinis Corp., GBA, and Honda R&D Americas, Inc.

Driving Simulator Finds A Parking Spot At KUBy Susan B. Scott

Lab Spaces

Photo by Susan B. Scott

Fall 2016 | 9

A professor from the University of Kansas School of Engineering played a key role in bringing a major distinction to a pioneer in the engineering field.

Nora Stanton Blatch Barney, a 1905 graduate in civil engineering from Cornell University, was the first woman to earn a degree in any type of engineering in the United States. While in college, she joined the professional engineering society, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), as a junior member. In 1916, she sought promotion to full member, but was denied because she was female. She challenged the decision in court, but the New York Supreme Court upheld the ASCE’s decision.

Dave Darwin, Distinguished Professor of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at KU, an alumnus of Cornell and an ASCE Distinguished Member, read about Stanton Blatch Barney’s plight in a recent newsletter from his alma mater. He contacted ASCE

in hopes something could be done to correct what he viewed as a century-long mistake.

“It’s all a matter of fairness. One group should not be able to exclude another group,” Darwin said. “I think of women like Nora Stanton Blatch Barney as pioneers, because they really were. She was tough, and didn’t back down from anything throughout her engineering career.”

ASCE supported Darwin’s request and in August 2015, the organization posthumously promoted Nora Stanton Blatch Barney to Fellow status. Her achievement was officially recognized in October 2015 at the ASCE annual convention. Darwin served as a representative at the ceremony along with several members of Stanton Blatch Barney’s family, including her granddaughter, Coline Jenkins, grandson, Morgan Jenkins, great-grandson, Eric Jenkins-Sahlin and great grand-daughter Elizabeth Jenkins-Sahlin.

“Not all battles worth fighting are won in a single lifetime,” said Eric Jenkins-Sahlin. “There are many seemingly intractable problems that still persist – poverty, war, disease, environmental degradation, personal alienation – and we need the best and the brightest to find solutions. By honoring Nora, ASCE is acknowledging that gender-based discrimination is an obstacle to progress on the world’s most important issues.”

Stanton Blatch Barney is from a line of pioneers. Her grandmother is famed women’s suffrage leader Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who is among the women’s rights pioneers who will be featured later this decade on a newly redesigned $10 bill. There is also a campaign under way to put her statue, along with Susan B Anthony, in New York’s Central Park, which would be the first statue of real women in the park.

“I knew my grandmother had sought and was denied membership in her professional organization,” said Coline Jenkins. “I knew she had sued the organization in the New York Supreme Court and lost the suit. I knew she was dead now, thus unable to enjoy the honor bestowed upon her posthumously. In any case, I thanked grandma for providing ballast for my life — yet again.”

Stanton Blatch Barney went on to build subway tunnels and bridges in New York and worked for the New York City Board of Water Supply System and the American Bridge Company. She died in 1971.

“We can’t do anything about what was done back then, but we have a chance to help make it right today,” Darwin said. “I’m thrilled that she finally received the recognition she deserved for so long.”

KU Professor Helps Engineering Pioneer Receive Long-Deserved Recognition By Chris Palmquist and Cody Howard

FAST FACT

Female undergrads comprise 42% of our ARCE and 29% of our CE undergrads.

10 | CEAE Update

Alumni Profile

Becoming an engineer wasn’t always part of Harold Phelps’ plans. Phelps, owner and president of Phelps Engineering Incorporated (PEI), was just 17 when he graduated from Joe Herndon Area Vocational Technical School in Raytown, Missouri, and began work as a draftsman for Black and Veatch in Overland Park. The exposure to professional engineering that he gained in his first job, and later while working at a smaller company, convinced Phelps that he needed further training to advance in the field. “I realized that if I wanted to reach my goals, I had to have an engineering degree,” he said.

After three-and-a-half years attending evening classes at Johnson County Community College, Phelps left his job and enrolled as a full-time student at KU. He spent long days on campus, focused on his goal of returning to the workforce with the skills he would need to start his own business. He completed 88 hours of coursework in just two years. “I knew what I wanted to get out of it,” Phelps said of his time at KU.

Phelps graduated in 1985 and founded PEI, a full-service civil engineering and land surveying firm, in 1990. PEI celebrated 25 years in business last year. Looking back on

his career in engineering, Phelps recognizes that strong technical training such as he received at KU is essential for success in the field. He also highlights another element as equally important:

“The key to any business is relationships — developing relationships with the people you work for, doing what you say you’re going to do. That’s the bottom line,” he says.

Having weathered multiple economic recessions, PEI has grown to a firm of more than 40 employees. The company has played a major role in the explosive southward

Harold PhelpsBy Anne McDonald

Harold Phelps on a residential development jobsite

Photo by Susan B. Scott

Fall 2016 | 11

growth in Johnson County over the past several decades. PEI does the majority of subdivision work in Overland Park, Phelps says, and more subdivision plats than any other company in the county.

Among PEI’s signature projects are Mission Farms, a 400,000-square-foot luxury apartment and retail complex in Overland Park, and Park Place, a 30-acre development in Leawood that will provide 1,200,000 feet of mixed-use space. PEI is currently cooperating with the City of Prairie Village and VanTrust Real Estate, LLC, on the redevelopment of the 136-acre site of the Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club into a large public park and commercial and residential space.

Working on both private developments and public works constantly brings PEI into contact with city and county officials, the public of various municipalities, and individual landowners — an aspect of his job that Phelps has found surprising and enjoyable. “You just develop a ton of relationships, especially in the kind of work we do. We just meet new people every day,” Phelps says.

Success in his work frequently requires him to win the trust not only of his clients, but also those who stand to be affected by their sometimes controversial projects.

“They have to have confidence that you know what you’re doing, so they trust you and are comfortable with giving you an easement, or allowing

you to disturb their property,” he says.Phelps’ ability to cooperate with the

various parties involved in approving development projects has earned him the esteem of area homebuilders. The Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City has named Phelps its president for 2017 — the first time a non-homebuilder has been selected for the office. “The cities respect him, and zoning and approvals have become a lot easier because Harold has a good working relationship with them,” says Tom French, president of Tom French Construction and a client of PEI since 1990.

While the majority of its clients are private developers, PEI resists being characterized as “the developer’s engineer,” Phelps says. In addition to road, stormwater, and sanitary sewer projects for various municipalities, PEI is responsible for the Tomahawk Creek Flood Study, the first of a series of comprehensive watershed studies commissioned by Johnson County. It also contributed to five of the subsequent six studies. The Tomahawk Creek study, completed in 1998, will leave a lasting impact on planning and construction in the area.

“We really set the standard by which the other six studies were done,” Phelps said.

For Phelps, the Tomahawk Creek study provided a welcome opportunity to maintain a relationship with the CEAE department at KU. PEI worked with professors David Parr and Bruce

McEnroe on a number of the Johnson County watershed studies, providing real-life material for KU civil engineering undergraduates to study in the classroom.

Phelps has maintained ties to his alma mater through service as well, sitting on the CEAE department’s advisory board for nearly 20 years. He also established a scholarship in the name of Professor Emeritus Ernest Pogge, with whom he developed a close relationship during his time at KU. The scholarship is awarded to students interested in water resources and hydrology, especially non-traditional students and those with financial need. Phelps sees the scholarship as an opportunity both to honor his mentor and to provide assistance to students leaving the workforce to seek an engineering degree, as he did. “Sometimes we forget how difficult it is to go to college, and it’s probably more difficult for a nontraditional student,” Phelps says.

Despite the sacrifices required, Phelps stresses that earning an engineering degree is a worthwhile investment. “The rewards are there,” he says. “There are so many opportunities in so many different areas.”

“The key to any business is relationships — developing relationships with the people you work for, doing what you say you’re going to do. That’s the bottom line.”

12 | CEAE Update

Premier Society: Individuals Giving $100,000 or more during their lifetimes

*Adaline L. Ames*Jane V. BarberFrank J. Becker and Barbara A. Becker

*Henry H. Benjes, Sr.John P. Fowler II and Doris M. FowlerGeorge E. Nettels Jr. and Mary Joanne Myers NettelsTed K. Pendleton and Marlene McGregor PendletonHarold A. Phelps and Donna R. Brady-Phelps

*John H. Robinson and Patricia Odell Robinson

*Thomas B. Robinson and Suzanne Robinson

*James M. Secrest and Betty Gunnels Secrest

*Charles E. Spahr and Mary Jane Bruckmiller Spahr

*Bert F. Steves and Dorothy F. StevesGerald A. StoltenbergJelindo A. Tiberti II and Sandee TibertiTito TibertiMurli Tolaney and Mona Tolaney

*James L. Tyson*C. Keith Willey

Deans Club Champions: Individuals who have given $50,000 or more Robert E. Crawford

Deans Club Ambassadors: Individuals who have given $25,000 to $49,999 Frank J. Becker and Barbara A. BeckerJames M. Kring Jr. and Donna M. KringHarold A. Phelps and Donna R. Brady-PhelpsGeldard H. Woerner

Deans Club Benefactors: Individuals who have given $5,000 to $24,999James R. BessDiane M. Darwin and David Darwin, PhDBrian A. Falconer and Virginia Lamb FalconerJeff L. FunkDouglas H. Hall and Judith K. HallDon R. LandeckRoss E. McKinney and Margaret C. McKinneyDave G. Ruf Jr. and Mary RufLucille J. SmithRichard A. Worrel and Susan M. Worrel

Deans Club Patrons: Individuals who have given $3,000 to $4,999J. Robert Benz and Janet B. BenzGregory P. Pasley, PhD and Sonia Martinez Pasley

James L. Patton and Marilyn S. PattonErnest C. Pogge, PhDJohn H. Robinson Jr. and Kyle Simmons RobinsonJelindo A. Tiberti II and Sandee Tiberti

Deans Club Donors: Individuals who have given $1,000 to $2,999Aziz Jamil Abu SamraE. J. Allison and Marjorie AllisonGlenn W. Anschutz and Margaret Gartner AnschutzJon B. ArdahlBrian J. Burke and Helen BurkeWilliam Clawson, PhD and Marnie ClawsonKenneth F. Conrad and Leslie Sauder ConradGlen E. DavisCraig K. Denny, PhDJohn P. Fowler II and Doris M. FowlerPhilip D. Gibbs and Kathleen G. GibbsWilliam J. Hall, PhD and Elaine Thalman HallLeaman D. Harris and Judith L. Harris, PhDSteven C. HughesAnthony G. Kempf and Teresa Mulinazzi KempfLes K. Lampe, DE and Karen Craft Lampe

Funding Our FutureInnovative research. State-of-the-art facilities. Talented and dedicated faculty. Distinguished alumni. All are part of the fabric that makes the KU Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) Department student experience one of the best in the region. Our success is due, in large part, to the philanthropic contributions from our alumni and friends.

From one’s first donation to the CEAE unrestricted fund, to the creation of endowed scholarships and professorships, the passion that our graduates have for the department makes the difference for our students and faculty.

Thank you to our donors below who contributed to the CEAE department from July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016.

Your support will encourage and guide the next generations of leaders in engineering. You have truly propelled our department to a higher level of excellence by participating in Far Above: The Campaign for Kansas. To discuss opportunities for investing in CEAE, such as creating a named endowment, and equipping our new spaces, or to learn more about how to include the department in your estate plans, please contact Susan Reilly 785-832-7351 or sreilly@kuendowment.org.

You can also donate to the CEAE department online by visiting kuendowment.org/engineering (be sure to specify that your gift is to the CEAE department).

Or you can send a contribution by mail to:KU EndowmentAttn: EngineeringPO Box 928Lawrence, KS 66044-0928

2015 – 2016 Donors (July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016)

Fall 2016 | 13

Warren K. Lucas, PhD and Bonnie Owens LucasBruce F. McCollom, DE and E. Irene McCollomJohn L. Meyer and Marilyn A. MeyerThomas E. Mulinazzi, PhD and Kathryn J. MulinazziTed K. Pendleton and Marlene McGregor PendletonEdwin C. RossillonLtCol Zachary T. Schmidt and Nicole Mehring SchmidtVicki J. SecrestGayle Slagell and Curtis W. Slagell, PEJeffrey A. Smith, PhDJ. Angelo Tiberti III and Lindsey Fisher Tiberti, PharmDKenneth J. Vaughn and Marilyn L. Vaughn

Campanile Club: Individuals who have given $500 to $999Robynn Andracsek and Michael E. AndracsekPaul D. Barber and Diane M. BarberTheodore J. Cambern Jr., DE and Marcia Alexander CambernStephen R. Cathey and Vicki E. CatheyMichael J. Falbe and Melanie A. FalbeDeena Goodman and Philip J. GoodmanThomas L. Jenkins and Judith Gripton JenkinsJeffrey A. LanaghanSteven M. LongJohn L. Meyer, Jr.Jeffrey R. Needham and Cristie L. NeedhamMarilyn Miller Pattison and David C. Pattison

Crimson and Blue Club: Individuals who have given $300 to $499Theresa C. Browning and Keith A. BrowningJoel A. Crown and Deborah A. EnglishDennis D. Lane, Ph.D. and Kristine L. LaneJessie L. Randtke and Stephen J. RandtkeLowell D. SeatonRobert L. SkaggsL. Darby SmithRADM James T. Taylor, CEC, USN, Retired and Rosa Lea TaylorDean M. Testa and Karen L. Testa

1865 Club: Individuals who have given $100 to $299K. David Anderson and Elizabeth Ann AndersonJ. Douglas Ashbrook and Marilyn Stone Ashbrook

James A. Bellerive and Dawn S. BellerivePaul E. Bengtson and Joyce L. BengtsonCreg S. Bishop, PhDRichard W. Bond and Susan Shockley BondElizabeth S. BrewerMarcus A. BrewerAmanda M. CarterTracy A. ClintonCynthia A. CogilH. Eugene CookWarren Corman and Mary CormanColin P. Davidson and Mary Adams DavidsonDaniel W. DeaverGary A. DittyElizabeth S. DuvallJoseph J. GurdaJessica L. HaberstockDaniel B. HaltonMary McGreevey Horner and J. Michael Horner, PEJames R. Iliff II and Linda Scott IliffJohn D. JohnstonStuart A. Knutson and Hazel Z. KnutsonRichard F. Luthy Jr.Marian K. Massoth and Vic RobbinsBruce M. McEnroe, PhDJohn F. Mehnert and Millie B. MehnertJohn A. Metzler and Suzanne M. MetzlerAlyssa Auld Meyer and Joseph D. MeyerKrista Wendt Murphy and Zach MurphyFrank B. NelsonJ. Michael Parrish, PEMolly E. Paugh and Clint PaughMargaret Perkins-McGuinnessShane M. PoppJerry D. Rees and Sallie L. Veenstra, MDFrank M. RichJohn T. Schwaller and Jennifer Pownall SchwallerGeorge D. Sloop and Nancy L. SloopDeborah L. Smith-Wright, MD and David I. Wright, PhDKatherin R. Steinbacher and Frank McMahonRandall J. Timi and Ann B. Timi, DDSMary Bridget Uhl and Terry S. UhlJeffrey M. Valentino and Jennifer Zammit ValentinoDennis R. Woodling and Marcia A. WoodlingCarl W. Woodward

Donors: Individuals who have given up to $99Carla P. AndersonNicholas S. ArtzDavid G. Beach

Laurence E. Benander and Beth Cook BenanderWilliam J. Benne and Veronica Rose Hellmer BenneJohn C. BocoxCraig A. Buhr and Ellen K. BuhrBehnaz Khodadadi DianatMarianne GlavinichJames F. HallCharles E. HuffmanGlenn A. JacksonJohn W. KoenigBob L. Kopfman and Ann C. KopfmanJames D. LordWarren G. Riekenberg, PE and Carol Lee RiekenbergFrank J. RozichMichael J. Schmidt and Tuija K. SchmidtJulia M. WerthmannVictoria R. WigleYuan Zhao, PhD

Engineering Industry Partners that have given $5,000 or moreBartlett & West, Inc.Henderson Engineers, Inc.Affinis Corp.American Society of Civil EngineersGeorge Butler Associates, Inc.

Corporate Donors that have given up to $4,999 or gifts in-kindApex Engineering, Inc.Black & Veatch FoundationBoeing Company Political Action CommitteeDavid E. Ross Construction CompanyDoherty Steel Inc.Doyle Field Services Inc.Eastover Investment Advisors, LLCExxon Mobil CorporationHNTB CompaniesKansas Contractors Assn. Construction Education FoundationKiewit PowerLexington Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.Schuff Steel CompanySega, Inc.Shafer, Kline & Warren, Inc.Tarlton CorporationTerracon FoundationTurner Construction Company

*Indicates that a donor is deceased

2150 Learned Hall 1530 W. 15th St. Lawrence, KS 66045

ceae.ku.eduPhotos by: Madan Neupane, Matthew Fadden, Alexander Weber-Kamin