CU Engineering Employee News & Resources - Aug. 6, 2024
Employee Spotlight
What have been some meaningful ways in which you have felt welcomed to CEAS?
I have been a 鈥淔orever Buff鈥 鈥 my parents are both CU alumni and have been football season ticket holders since they were in school, and I have fond memories of being a 鈥淩alphie Stampeder鈥 as a child. I was privileged to receive both my BS and MS in civil engineering at CU. After working as a design-build project manager in Denver, I received my PhD at Stanford. Returning to CEAS in 2010 for my faculty career was a dream come true. I felt incredibly supported and welcomed by so many, including my colleagues in the department and the construction engineering & management (research group), and my department chair at the time, JoAnn Silverstein, who paved the way for welcoming more diverse faculty to CEAS. I am incredibly honored to serve as the associate dean of faculty advancement, a role initially served by JoAnn.
Describe one of your favorite traditions.
As a family, we try to eat dinner together most nights. At dinner, we each talk about what we were grateful for that day. We all feel much better after expressing their gratitude!
What has been your favorite work or personal project so far?
I am incredibly proud of many projects, but two stand out as particularly rewarding experiences due to great collaborations and the project鈥檚 impact on society. One, a project funded by NSF, I collaborated with Prof. Abbie Liel, PhD students, and a colleague in the Department of Communication, Prof. Matt Koschmann, to enhance the safety of homes and buildings in multi-hazard environments. By understanding builders鈥 perspectives of safety and comparing these to engineering assessments, we were able to target common misalignments. We partnered with local organizations and suppliers to conduct training and offer continued guidance at hardware stores. Another project, funded by USAID, enabled collaborations with Prof. Karl Linden, multiple graduate students, and international partners. We worked with local teams employing collaborative approaches to conduct systems analyses and target actions, such as policies, laws, and contracts, to improve the sustainability of water and sanitation services.
What is a motto or quote that you hold dear and why?
"Be curious, not judgmental." - Walt Whitman. I love Ted Lasso, where I was introduced to the quote.
What do you most like to do to unwind?
I like to walk, hike, cook, play pickleball, or watch my son鈥檚 baseball or soccer games!