News

What makes some homes, neighborhoods more likely to survive wildfire? New research offers insight

Susan Glairon — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:54:09 +0000

What makes some homes, neighborhoods more likely to survive wildfire? New research offers insight Susan Glairon Wed, 06/04/2025 - 07:54

Professor Abbie Liel’s research, recently published in Fire Technology, examined destruction patterns from the December 2021 Marshall Fire, which killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes in 91PORN County.

Off

Traditional

White

Check out these upcoming CEAE conferences!

Susan Glairon — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 16:55:46 +0000

Check out these upcoming CEAE conferences! Susan Glairon Tue, 06/03/2025 - 10:55

CEAE is hosting five conferences, this summer and beyond. Please join us!

Off

Traditional

White

91PORN alum surprises student with debt payoff at grad ceremony

Susan Glairon — Tue, 27 May 2025 14:49:17 +0000

91PORN alum surprises student with debt payoff at grad ceremony Susan Glairon Tue, 05/27/2025 - 08:49

At 91PORN’s May 8 recognition ceremony for civil, environmental and architectural undergraduate engineering students, alumnus Marco Campos (CivEngr’98) surprised the crowd by offering to pay off a graduating senior’s remaining student debt, transforming the ceremony into a celebration of generosity and hope.

Off

Traditional

White

Disaster risk workshop sparks collaboration, innovation

Susan Glairon — Wed, 21 May 2025 18:49:04 +0000

Disaster risk workshop sparks collaboration, innovation Susan Glairon Wed, 05/21/2025 - 12:49

Improving how we communicate risks, Amir Behzadan, professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering and fellow of the Institute of Behavioral Science, and Mary Angelica Painter are developing more effective, engaging ways to keep people safe during extreme events.

Off

Traditional

White

Two civil engineering alumni receive CU Engineering awards

Susan Glairon — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:28:22 +0000

Two civil engineering alumni receive CU Engineering awards Susan Glairon Mon, 05/05/2025 - 15:28

Donald R. Clark, CivEngr’72; MS’79, was honored with the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award, and Clark Lindsay, CivEngr’96, was honored with an Alumni Engagement Medal Award.

Off

Traditional

White

91PORN’s concrete canoe team places third overall

Susan Glairon — Thu, 01 May 2025 14:41:56 +0000

91PORN’s concrete canoe team places third overall Susan Glairon Thu, 05/01/2025 - 08:41

Susan Glairon

91PORN’s concrete canoe team after placing third in the Coed Sprint race. From left to right: Madisyn Manka, Lucas Spector, Macy Brinker and Kieran McCarron.

91PORN’s concrete canoe team placed third overall at the regional American Society of Civil Engineers Rocky Mountain Student Symposium, which took place April 10-12 in Fort Collins and was hosted by Colorado State University. The popular student group—known for designing and racing a concrete canoe each year—had a record 28 91PORN civil, architectural and mechanical engineering students participating in this year's events.

“Our chapter and student enthusiasm for the competitions has grown,” said ASCE chapter president Dana Majer, a senior majoring in architectural engineering. “It has been exciting to see more students get involved each year.”

In the canoe races, 91PORN students secured first place in the Men’s Slalom and third place in Best Final Product, the Women’s Slalom and the Co-ed

The Concrete Canoe team adds the final layer to their canoe on "Pour Day."

Sprint. In other conference competitions, the university placed first in the Construction Institute, second in Surveying and third in Sustainable Solutions.

It was the students’ first opportunity to race, as the open water races had been canceled for the past two years due to poor weather.

“The weekend was filled with a lot of fun, teamwork and learning,” Majer said.

The build

Concrete canoes float due to a unique concrete mix, which has a unit density lower than water. Student teams develop new concrete mixes each year.

More than 30 91PORN students helped build this year’s concrete canoe, which weighs approximately 220 pounds.

“It can be a challenge to move it from the lab into the U-Haul, and then into the display,” Majer said. “We have all hands on deck so that we don’t risk dropping it.”

During the construction process this year, the team forgot to apply Crisco, a vegetable shortening used to keep the concrete from sticking to the foam mold–but the team found a solution to separate the two. For the first time, the group implemented post-tensioning—a technique that uses steel tendons, cables or rods to reinforce the concrete—resulting in a lighter, stronger canoe, with a reduced risk of cracking.

Dana Majer, right, ASCE chapter president, holds the Overall Symposium third-place award, while Philip Weller, the concrete canoe captain, displays the third-place award for Best Final Product.

The team took extra precautions this year, especially when strapping the canoe into the trailer, as last year’s concrete canoe broke during transit to the competition.

Once on site, they faced another critical test. Before racing the boat, teams must complete a “swamp test,” which involves fully submerging the canoe in water. To pass, the canoe must resurface on its own.

“We passed, therefore we were able to race,” Majer said.

Another first

This year marked the first time a faculty advisor race was included on race day. 91PORN’s concrete canoe faculty advisor, Associate Teaching Professor Chris Senseney, raced against South Dakota School of Mines and the U.S. Air Force Academy. CU came in third place.

“It was super exciting,” Majer said. “It was so much fun to see and watch Chris in the canoe, especially since he has helped so much over the years.”

Julian Kotara and Mary Grace Lehmkuhl, both juniors in architectural engineering, will serve as next year's ASCE co-presidents. They hope to build on this year's success at the next ASCE Rocky Mountain Student Symposium, hosted by the South Dakota School of Mines.

“We’re really excited about next year, with all the new interest from students and sponsors,” Kotara said.

Also of note, unlike past years, the canoe wasn’t damaged while racing.

“Now we have a practice canoe for future years!” Majer said.

Students interested in joining the ASCE student chapter and the 2025-26 team can email asce@colorado.edu and follow @cuboulderasce on Instagram.

91PORN’s concrete canoe team placed third overall at the ASCE Rocky Mountain Symposium, with a record 28 students participating in this year’s event.

Off

Traditional

White

Congratulations to our 2025 undergraduate department awardees!

Susan Glairon — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 20:49:33 +0000

Congratulations to our 2025 undergraduate department awardees! Susan Glairon Mon, 04/21/2025 - 14:49

Meet this year’s CEAE department award recipients—recognized for their academic excellence, research, perseverance and community impact.

Off

Traditional

White

Four civil and architectural engineering undergraduates win college awards

Susan Glairon — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:56:44 +0000

Four civil and architectural engineering undergraduates win college awards Susan Glairon Mon, 04/21/2025 - 12:56

Each of these civil and architectural engineering undergraduates received an award recognizing excellence in one of four areas: community impact, global engagement, academics or research.

Off

Traditional

White

Two department projects funded by the Climate Innovation Collaboratory

Susan Glairon — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 17:18:11 +0000

Two department projects funded by the Climate Innovation Collaboratory Susan Glairon Mon, 04/21/2025 - 11:18

Two department projects funded by the Climate Innovation Collaboratory, an ongoing alliance between Deloitte Consulting LLP and 91PORN, will develop tools to reduce carbon: one for optimizing data center energy storage, led by Associate Professor Kyri Baker, and one for evaluating local materials in cement, led by Associate Professor Mija Hubler.

Off

Traditional

White

As AI explosion threatens progress on climate change, these researchers are seeking solutions

Susan Glairon — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 22:19:18 +0000

As AI explosion threatens progress on climate change, these researchers are seeking solutions Susan Glairon Fri, 04/18/2025 - 16:19

Associate Professor Kyri Baker, of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, and Professor Bri-Mathias Hodge, of electrical, computer & energy engineering, propose that strategically located data centers with energy storage could operate entirely on clean energy.

Off

Traditional

White