Bankrate.com lists AE, Construction degrees among most valuable college majors
Recently bankrate.com rated the most valuable college majors in 2021 from reviewing 159 different degrees, and the two that topped that list are offered by the Durham School -Architectural Engineering, and Construction. For this study, Bankrate looked at the median incomes and unemployment rates of American workers based on the subject of their bachelor's degrees. The higher the income level and the lower the unemployment rate, the better.
Four Durham School faculty recognized at College's 2021 Excellence in Research reception

Four Durham School faculty - Josephine Lau, Marc Maguire, Zhigang Shen and David Yuill - were among the faculty who were recognized at the College of Engineering's 2021 Excellence in Research reception.
Durham School student team takes second in ASC Region 4 competition

A team of students from the Durham School took second place in the Commercial 2 Healthcare track at the Associated Schools of Construction Region 4 Student Competition on Oct. 24-26. Congratulations to the students - Jay Davis, Edward Miller, Logan Jacobsen, Terrance Ball, Caden Rimers, and Breson Pillen, and to team mentor Matt Barrows.
Lau's paper selected by Indoor and Built Environment for Open Access

Josephine Lau, associate professor of architectural engineering, had a recent paper – "The Facility Infection Risk Estimator™: A web application tool for comparing indoor risk mitigation strategies by estimating airborne transmission risk" – selected by the journal Indoor and Built Environment to be available by Open Access at no cost. The paper presents the development of a web application that meets two needs created during the COVID-19 pandemic - estimating the existing airborne risk of infection from CARS-CoV-2 in existing facilities and new designs, and estimating and comparing the impacts of engineering and behavioral strategies for reducing the risk.
Alsaleem selected to join UNMC's Center for Intelligent Health Care

Fadi Alsaleem, assistant professor of architectural engineering, has been selected to join the Center for Intelligent Health Care (CIHC) as one of the faculty representing the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Alsaleem is an active researcher in the areas of nonlinear dynamics of MEMS, smart MEMS, IoT, smart building, online monitoring and diagnostics, and Big Data analysis.
Part of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the CIHC draws from all four University of Nebraska campuses, uniting clinicians, clinical informaticists, data scientists, and computer scientists to envision with a goal of enabling the next generation of healthcare in three core areas – good data, good design, and optimization of human and computer cognition.
AE team wins $10,000 prize in NCEES Engineering Education Award competition
A team of Nebraska Architectural Engineering faculty, students and industry professionals earned a $10,000 secondary prize in the 2021 NCEES Engineering Education Award competition. Nebraska teams have won awards in five of the past six competitions - the grand prize in 2016 and 2019, and secondary prizes in 2015, 2018 and 2021.
The Nebraska team included:
Students: Stephanie Ahrens, Noor Albahrani, Juhaina Alnabhani, Ali Al Lawati, Thuraiya Alwashahi, Nicole Aschoff, Richard Branton, Jenny Briggs, Jonathan Brito Mendoza, Meredith Butler, Kevin Chesire, Nathan German, Adam Hansen, Andrew Heithoff, Matt Long, Jacob Marsh, Emily McCann, Colin Miller, Kevin O'Connell, Dalton Rabe, Jonah Sandin, Nathan Schmidt, Mitchael Sieh, Jennifer Solheim, Ryon Sommerer, Kelsey Stithem, Ben Stodola, Samuel Underwood, David Uwinganji Gatete, and Andi Walter
Faculty: Clarence Waters, Ph.D., P.E.; Todd Feldman, S.E.; and Doug Nelsen, P.E.
Professional Engineers: Adam Brumbaugh, P.E.; Shane Cherney, P.E.; Ryan Curtis, P.E.; Darren Dageforde, P.E.; Dan Dellovechio, P.E.; James Dougherty, P.E.; Matt Enstrom, P.E.; Don Foster, P.E.; James Franks, P.E.; Abby Goranson, P.E.; Eric Granzow, P.E.; Sam Haberman, P.E.; Todd Herrmann, P.E.; Trevor Hollins, P.E.; Tyler Hopson, P.E.; Ken Kilzer, S.E.; Eric Kamin, P.E.; Dan Karnes, P.E.; Todd Kielty, P.E.; Tim Koch, P.E.; Brent Kraay, P.E.; Dmitri Lamianski, P.E.; Lisa Lyons, P.E.; Todd Mack, P.E.; David Manley, P.E.; Jake McConnell, S.E.; Tim Morrison, S.E.; Brian Nevole, P.E.; Ron Ostendorf, P.E.; Jenn Puhlman, P.E.; Jake Pulfer, P.E.; Beth Redding, P.E.; Chris Reed, P.E.; Ben Ries, P.E.; Andrew Roche, P.E.; Jason Rohe, P.E.; Cary Schroeder, S.E.; Joe Selzle, P.E.; Alex Skillman, P.E.; Nate Timm, P.E.; Pete Uhing, P.E.; Steve Vo, P.E.; Kevin Wenninghoff, S.E.; Andrew Wilson, P.E.; Josh Wilson, P.E.; James Wingert, S.E.; Tyler Winnike, P.E.; Geof Wright, P.E.; and Mary Wurst, P.E.
Additional participants: Erin Froschheiser, AIA; Bernie Gehrki, AIA; Tim Hemsath, AIA; Sheila Ireland, AIA; Doug Peters, AIA; Andrew Portis, AIA; Stuart Shell, AIA; Jon Bergren, EI; Maggie Hilgenkamp, E.I.; Cody Largent, E.I.; Layne Micek, E.I.; Mark Niechwiadowicz, E.I.; Brendan Walsh, E.I.; Adam Dailey; Michel Mason; Travis Stangl; and Christopher Wozny
AE team places in NCEES Engineering Education Award competition
A team from Nebraska's architectural engineering program earned a $10,000 prize at the 2021 NCEES Engineering Education Award competition.
The team is a collaboration that connects students in the AE program's capstone course – AREN 8030-4040 Interdisciplinary Team Design Project "Team Design" – with industry professionals. Nebraska's Team Design has placed in five of the past six competitions, achieving the grand prize twice (2016, 2019) and secondary prizes in 2015, 2018 and 2021.
The Nebraska AE program is housed in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction.
- Read more about NCEES Education
Fifteen engineering faculty promoted or granted tenure
Fifteen faculty from the College of Engineering were among the 109 University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty on the 2021 Promotion and Tenure List. The Nebraska Engineering faculty receiving the honors at 2021 Promotion and Tenure were:
Biological Systems Engineering
Troy Gilmore, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure (academic home is IANR)
Sibel Irmak, promotion to Full Research Professor (academic home is IANR)
Daran Rudnick, promotion to Associate Research Professor (academic home is IANR)
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Vitaly Alexandrov, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Wei Niu, Associate Professor Granted Tenure
Computer Science and Engineering
Justin Bradley, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Stephen Cooper, promotion to Full Professor
Brittany Duncan, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure (academic home is Arts & Sciences)
Suzette Person, promotion to Full Professor of Practice (academic home is Arts & Sciences)
Witiwas Srisa-an, promotion to Full Professor (academic home is Arts & Sciences
The Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
Michelle Eble-Hankins , promotion to Associate Professor of Practice
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Christos Argyropoulos, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Master of Engineering Management program
Jena Asgarpoor, promotion to Full Professor of Practice
Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Michael Sealy, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Jung Yul Lim, promotion to Full Professor
Wang on American Institute of Physics panel on reimagining meetings

Lily Wang, associate dean for faculty and inclusion and professor of architectural engineering, was chosen to be part of a panel of experts assembled by the American Institute of Physics (AIP) to reimagine meetings of the future to be "more impactful for and valuable to society stakeholders."
Wang is an internationally renowned expert in acoustics, including the effects of noise and reverberation on human perception and performance. Wang is also a former president of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA).
The panel's report – "The Future of Association Convening: Envisioning for The Sciences (FACETS)," offers ideas and suggestions on how scientific conferences can integrate valuable lessons learned from retooling in-person meetings to virtual formats over the past year while also meeting changing demands of their research communities and the conduct of science.
The report looks at conferences and conference planning from design to execution and gives practical insight for navigating innovation while keeping an eye on business requirements and the needs of the scientific society.
77 College of Engineering employees honored at UNL Service Awards
55 YEARS
Bing Chen, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Jerald Varner, Electrical & Computer Engineering
45 YEARS
Dennis Alexander, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Shelly Everett, Computer Science & Engineering
40 YEARS
Larita Lang, Computer Science & Engineering
35 YEARS
Thomas Grady, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Hamid Vakilzadian, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Joyce Young, Engineering Computer Science
30 YEARS
Karen Coen-Brown, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Ronald Faller, Midwest Roadside Safety Facility
Jim Holloway, Midwest Roadside Safety Facility
Michael Kocher, Biological Systems Engineering
Gary Krause, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Omaha
Tim Terrell, College of Engineering
25 YEARS
Leonard Akert, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Scott Chaffin, Computer Science & Engineering
Richard Koelsch, Biological Systems Engineering
Ann Koopmann, Computer Science & Engineering
Charles Riedesel, Computer Science & Engineering
20 YEARS
Aemal Khattak, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Lincoln
Karen Moore, Engineering Dean's Office-Omaha
Mark Stroup, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Alex Russell, Midwest Roadside Safety Facility
Lily Wang, College of Engineering
Clarence Waters, Durham School Architectural Engineering & Construction
15 YEARS
Junke Guo, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Omaha
Jay Harner, Biological Process Development Facility
Haorong Li, Durham School of Architectural Engineering & Construction
Ying Lu, Computer Science & Engineering
Yong Rak Kim, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Lincoln
George Morcous, Durham School of Architectural Engineering & Construction
Barbara Robertson, College of Engineering
Mathias Schubert, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Carl Nelson, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Li Tan, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Ken Townsend Jr., Electrical & Computer Engineering
10 YEARS
Milunka Brajic, College of Engineering
Julia Brunkow, College of Engineering
Carrick Detweiler, Computer Science & Engineering
Lucia Fernandez Ballester, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Jenna Huttenmaier, Computer Science & Engineering
Srivatsan Kidambi, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Ron Kruml, Computer Science & Engineering
Wei Niu, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Lameck Odhiambo, Biological Systems Engineering
Shea Svoboda, Computer Science & Engineering
Erin Swanson, College of Engineering
Steve Sypal, Biological Process Development Facility
Douglas Triplett, Biological Systems Engineering
Tracy Zimmerman, Biological Systems Engineering
5 YEARS
Cameron Adams, College of Engineering
Vitaly Alexandrov, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Justin Bradley, Engineering Computer Science
Phillip Carter, College of Engineering
Micah Chaffee, Engineering Dean's Office-Omaha
Brittany Duncan, Computer Science & Engineering
Garrett Gassman, College of Engineering
Jenna Hefley, Biological Systems Engineering
Jiong Hu, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Omaha
Qing Hui, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Nicole Iverson, Biological Systems Engineering
Emili Jones, Engineering Dean's Office-Omaha
Kasey Juel, College of Engineering
Amanda Lager Gleason, Biological Systems Engineering
Patricia Lena, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Lincoln
Laurie Prettyman, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Jay Puckett, Durham School of Architectural Engineering & Construction
Jennifer Rasmussen, Midwest Roadside Safety Facility
Daran Rudnick, Biological Systems Engineering
Jared Schreiner, College of Engineering
Michael Sealy, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Chungwook Sim, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Omaha
Chung Song, Civil & Environmental Engineering-Lincoln
Cody Stolle, Midwest Roadside Safety Facility
Eli Sutter, Mechanical & Materials Engineering
Peter Sutter, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Jian Wang, Mechanical & Materials Engineering