Concrete institute honors College of Engineering for student activities
Friday, March 15, 2013
MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's College of Engineering is being named an American Concrete Institute "Excellent University" for its accomplishments in 2012. The university is one of just 16 to receive the institute's Award for University Student Activities. The honor recognizes universities that participated in institute-related activities.
Contributions from its department of civil engineering and department of architectural engineering and construction science helped the college earn the honor.
The university has 69 students who are American Concrete Institute members. In 2012 these students competed in two institute competitions.
The first was the Projects Competition, an undergraduate event. It includes projects such as computer programs, term papers, student activities, senior design projects and/or special projects. Kansas State University's Sean Wonderlich, senior in architectural engineering, Mahomet, Ill., placed second in the competition for his project, "Library Building Design." His faculty adviser was Kimberly Kramer, associate professor of architectural engineering and construction science.
The second institute competition was the Concrete Constructional Competition, where teams must address a problem associated with a certain project. They are judged on the basis of clarity -- is the presentation concise and easily understood; technical quality -- is the solution relevant to the problem and readily implemented at the job site; and economy -- was the solution cost effective.
Kansas State University students who participated in the Concrete Constructional Competition were Colton Easterberg, sophomore in pre-professional construction science and management, Clay Center; Tyson Fore, senior in construction science and management, Council Grove; and Stephen Lyon and Kaleb Fehlman, both juniors in construction science and management, Salina.
"By participating in these competitions, ACI students have the opportunity to use their knowledge from course work and apply it to consulting applications to solve problems similar to what they will experience on a job site," Kramer said. "They are also able to compare their knowledge base with students from other universities and countries."
The award was also based on student and faculty attendance to American Concrete Institute conventions and service on institute technical committees. Ahmed Abd El Fattah, a May 2012 doctoral graduate in civil engineering, served as a member of the American Concrete Institute 440 committee -- Fiber Reinforced Polymer Reinforcement -- and its 441 committee -- Columns. Kramer and civil engineering faculty members Hayder Rasheed, Kyle Riding and Asad Esmaeily were all actively involved with the institute.
"Receiving this honor is a great accomplishment for me, my colleagues, our students and Kansas State University," said Rasheed, associate professor of civil engineering. "It is a representation to our commitment to professional service activities in our field of expertise."
The award will be presented at the American Concrete Institute's 2013 spring convention, April 14, in Minneapolis, Minn.
