At a ceremony March 22, 2022, in the Mechanical Engineering Building, Grainger Dean of the College of Engineering Ian Robertson presented nine college awards for exemplary work in research, teaching, service and diversity.
Recipients include:
Byron Bird Award for Excellence in a Research Publication: John Lee, a professor of industrial and systems engineering
Automation in technology has come a long way over the past two decades, but those advances are virtually useless if they don’t capture the confidence of the people they’re intended to benefit. Lee understood the importance of that human element. And nearly twenty years ago, he and his collaborator published the paper, “Trust in automation: Designing for appropriate reliance,” in Human Factors, the top scientific journal in the human factors engineering profession. In it, they articulated what has become the most-cited definition of trust in automation, along with the associated theoretical framework describing factors that influence development and erosion of trust. It has impact across fields as diverse as autonomous systems and human-robot interaction to social networks and clinician decision support. And by guiding reliance on automation with this publication, Lee helps to overcome the cognitive complexity that people face in managing a world of increasingly sophisticated automation. Today, the paper is a seminal reference for research of trust in automation; it is the third-most cited paper among nearly 4,000 published in the journal’s sixty-year history, and is its most-cited paper within the past 20 years.
Bollinger Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award for Excellence in Research: Steven Parker, information technology program manager for the TOPS Lab in civil and environmental engineering
In nearly two decades with the TOPS Lab, Parker has been instrumental in growing its research enterprise into a nationally and internationally recognized organization, with more than $60 million in support since the lab’s inception. In particular, he has developed two major systems to house and share traffic and crash data that’s invaluable in research and education here as well as in applications ranging from prediction to planning. The WisTransPortal is a rich warehouse consisting of Wisconsin traffic operations, safety and intelligent transportation systems data, while the Wisconsin Crash Database and Resolve System is a repository that has had a measurable impact on traffic safety research in the state and nationwide. External users of these databases include the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Wisconsin State Patrol, local governments, law enforcement agencies, consulting engineering firms, planning organizations, national universities, and others. Parker also participates on international committees, and disseminates his research in conference presentations, refereed journal publications, and importantly, to our undergraduates through his role as an adjunct professor in civil and environmental engineering.
Equity and Diversity Award: Corinne Henak, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering
In recent years, the Department of Mechanical Engineering has implemented programs to help better support women students. Through her tenacity and leadership, Henak has been instrumental in the success of those efforts. Among them is the Women in Mechanical Engineering program, which she updated to include regular mentoring meetings among small “pods” of freshmen and existing undergraduates, as well as with ME alumnae who are both mentors and role models. Henak also was involved in designing the introduction to mechanical engineering course for all ME freshmen. The class serves approximately 250 students annually and features hands-on experiences designed to engage the students early and improve their retention. In particular, Henak developed a popular project in which students develop surrogate bone structures, 3D print them, and test them to fracture. Not only does the project combine design, measurement and uncertainty, but it introduces students to a bio-related discipline within mechanical engineering.
Equity and Diversity Award: Eve Williams, assistant director of the college’s Undergraduate Learning Center
In her role with the ULC, Williams has made it her personal goal to ensure that every student feels safe and included at the ULC. She attended training and personal development events, and then used that knowledge to create trainings and other mentoring opportunities for the center’s one-hundred-plus tutors. Her own door is always open to not only the tutors, but to any student who uses the ULC’s services. She builds trust and enables our underrepresented students feel heard and supported by asking questions and truly listening to their answers and experiences. In the words of just a handful of the students who have worked with Eve over the years:
- ” … she has created a collaborative environment for both the tutees and the tutors,”
- ” … she has always made me feel like an integral part of the ULC team,” and
- ” … the main concern for Eve is always the student and their success.”
Thanks in large part to Williams’s efforts, the ULC provides a climate in which tutors and tutees can thrive, and the center maintains a strong reputation in our college as a place where underrepresented engineering students feel welcome.
Harvey Spangler Award for Innovative Teaching and Learning Practices: Giri Venkataramanan, a professor of electrical and computer engineering
Venkataramanan is a gifted teacher who understands the importance of hands-on experiences in improving student retention and learning outcomes, and he has made strong contributions to undergraduate education innovation. One example is ECE 210, a course he developed a decade ago. More than 200 electrical engineering and computer engineering students annually take the engaging, hands-on introduction to electrical engineering circuits and devices. He has continued to refine it; recently, he recalibrated it into a four-week summer format, while also ensuring course projects are inclusive so that all students feel they belong. In spring 2020, the mobile hardware platform students were using made it possible for Venkataramanan to pivot to remote instruction while fully retaining the course’s hands-on format. In addition to group activities, he also incorporated “individual” projects that students can complete at their own pace—a change that has improved student learning, confidence and satisfaction. Just as importantly, Venkataramanan invested extra time in assessment and reporting—yielding best practices for online, hands-on lab courses and for optimizing student experiences in person. And, he did all of this while maintaining an international research reputation, teaching more than 800 students each year, and helping to plan the new James H. Thompson Electronics Design Studio—the new home for ECE 210.
Benjamin Smith Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching: Andrea Hicks, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering
In our college, hands-on experiences are an important component of our students’ education. Through her course, Environmental Sustainability Engineering, Hicks has leveraged partnerships with the UniverCITY Program, the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability, and other partners to enable her students to apply their education, approach sustainability issues in a real-world context, and serve Wisconsin communities. Over time, teams of students have worked with entities that include a low-income housing development, a small school district, wastewater treatment plants, and cities and counties around the state. From 2015 to 2019, enrollment in the course—which is an elective—increased from 12 to 42, and students described their experiences in it as academically enriching, encouraging and rewarding. Hicks also has documented the course and its influence on sustainability education in two published and two upcoming peer-reviewed journal articles.
James G. Woodburn Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching: Steven Fredette, a teaching professor in electrical and computer engineering
Fredette is a highly skilled educator whose teaching approach combines both individualized instruction and inclusive peer collaboration, and he’s constantly seeking ways to create even more engaging learning experiences for his students. He’s adept at teaching ECE undergraduate and graduate students, yet can get his many mechanical engineering undergrads excited about learning topics such as circuits and power conversion. He also provides leadership for the department’s continuing education program, as well as academic advising to its students. He is known for illustrating theoretical content with real-world examples and projects that draw on his three decades of experience as an electrical engineer in industry. Importantly, Fredette has mastered innovative tools and instructional technologies that have allowed him to teach in blended, flipped—and thanks to the pandemic, remote—formats. As a result, his department now can leverage his expertise as it offers high-quality, remote courses that help students stay on track.
University and Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award: Zach Smith, a research administrator in mechanical engineering
It might be easy to think of the role of a research administrator as simply someone who oversees budgets, sets deadlines, and ensures grant recipients are following requirements to the letter. All of those things—and many more—are true of Smith’s work. But in addition to exemplary competence and attention to detail, Smith also conducts his work with a high level of flexibility, creativity and customer service—the effects of which resonate well beyond his department. His tools and processes have enhanced the efficiency and effectiveness of administrative tasks associated with research, and those tools have become models at the college and campus levels. He cheerfully and proactively collaborates with colleagues at UW-Madison and partner institutions to ensure that everyone understands and adheres to even the most complex protocols. Importantly, Smith’s personal approach and willingness to go out of his way to find solutions has allowed the people he works with to focus on carrying out their research, rather than worrying about administrative details. In other words, notes one person who wrote a letter in support of Smith’s nomination, “It’s clear that he is invested in the success of the PI’s.”
Ragnar E. Onstad Service to Society Award: Christy Remucal, an associate professor in civil and environmental engineering
For 70 years, a group of chemicals known as “forever chemicals” has accumulated throughout our environment—in the soil; in our oceans and water; in the atmosphere—and even in our own bodies. By design, they resist breaking down, and they’ve been linked to numerous serious human and ecosystem health concerns. Through her expertise, research and service, Remucal plays a leading role in initiatives that address this historic contamination, prevent future contamination, and educate the public about the importance of these efforts. She is the UW System member of the Wisconsin PFAS Action Council, a group made up of representatives from 17 state agencies. Remucal was heavily involved in writing the research component of its PFAS action plan, and continues to cultivate and collaborate with a network of researchers to identify critical needs and to advance solutions. She also embraces opportunities to share her research and expertise—whether it is through invited presentations at the state, regional or national levels; in the classroom with her students; in public outreach talks and demonstrations; or through the many media interviews she has conducted over the past decade.