TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama will receive the 2015 Curriculum Partner Award at the Construction Industry Institute, or CII, Annual Conference in Boston in August.
The award is sponsored by the CII Professional Development Committee and given to universities that successfully incorporated published CII research findings in their curriculum over the previous calendar year.
At the CII Annual Conference, all award winners receive a plaque commemorating the award and are also listed at the awards section of the CII website and in other publications.
Several of the College’s faculty members are actively involved with CII, by serving on the Academic Committee and CII research teams.
Dr. W. Edward Back, director of the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure and department head of civil, construction and environmental engineering, has served on a variety of CII sponsored research projects. CII previously honored Back with two Instructor of the Year Awards, the Distinguished Professor Award and Researcher of the Year Award.
Dr. Eric Marks, an assistant professor in civil, construction and environmental engineering, was a winner of CII’s Graduate Student Poster Contest and recipient of the first-ever CII Graduate Research Assistant Award.
Dr. Stephanie Vereen, assistant professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, was recognized earlier this year as a CII New Scholar, an award given to only four assistant professors nationwide that recognizes excellence in the development of CII research proposals.
The UA College of Engineering began incorporating CII research into its curriculum after the introduction of a new construction engineering program in 2006. Since then, the number of students in civil, construction and environmental engineering has more than doubled, and the program now includes more than 700 students. Enrollment is expected to remain strong with the addition of new programs in environmental engineering and architectural engineering.
CII, based at the University of Texas at Austin, is a consortium of more than 140 leading owner, engineering-contractor and supplier organizations from both the public and private arenas. These organizations work together to enhance the business effectiveness and sustainability of the capital facility life cycle through CII research, educational initiatives and industry alliances.
A research organization creating a wealth of expert knowledge and practical information, CII provides vital leadership to the engineering and construction industry.
Contact
Adam Jones, engineering public relations, 205/348-6444, acjones12@eng.ua.edu; Judah Martin, engineering student writer, jmmartin5@crimson.ua.edu