Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

Even for those of us well-versed in our department’s rich legacy of academic success, we were pleasantly surprised this spring to see how many CCEE faculty and alumni were included in the ISU Alumni Association’s VISIONS magazine Top-150 listing of prominent sesquicentennial celebrities. This group of Iowa State ‘visionaries’ was picked to commemorate the university’s 150th anniversary, and with the following 10 civil, construction, and environmental engineers making the cut, we can all take great pride in their accomplishments and recognition:

• Henry Brunnier (BSCE 1904)
• John (Jack) Cleasby (PhDCE 1960; distinguished professor of civil and construction engineering)
• John S. “Jack” Dodds (civil engineering professor)
• Mary “M.K.” Hurd (BSCE 1947)
• Thomas H. MacDonald (BSCE 1904)
• Anson Marston (first dean of engineering)
• Conde McCullough (BSCE 1910)
• Elwood Mead (BSCE 1883)
• Col. Harold Pride (BSCE 1917)
• Merlin G. “Ib” Spangler (CE; ConE, BS 1919, MS 1928)

For details on these individuals’ contributions to Iowa State, please visit www.ccee.iastate.edu (click on Iowa State Visionaries).

Yet another noteworthy series of events will take place in the department this month: the retirements of two of our most popular senior faculty—F. Wayne Klaiber and Jim Cable. On both accounts, their contributions in terms of student education, graduate advising, and research outcomes have been truly stellar, and filling their shoes will be a major task. For those of you who enjoyed working with and learning from Klaiber and Cable, please drop them a note of thanks (klaiberiastate.edu and jkcableiastate.edu)!

As we reflect on our department’s past, we’re also looking forward to the future. We’re doing this, in part, by developing new graduate programs and continuing our tradition of innovative research. For example, beginning this summer, Iowa State’s Engineering Distance Education division is helping us initiate online graduate programs. These online programs make it more convenient than ever for you to earn a graduate degree or certificate in environmental engineering or construction engineering and management. Additionally, our professors and researchers are making great strides in their innovative research. Read about a method to improve soy processing and two graduate students’ work with rapid bridge construction, as well as meet the new director of the Center for Transportation Research and Education.

As always, best wishes for a great spring and summer!

James E. Alleman
CCEE Department Chair, Professor