Lafayette Engineering

09/17/2026

Big shoutout to Engineering Technician Rob Layng for representing Lafayette Engineering at the International Manufacturing Technology Show! ⚙️👏

Want to dive deeper into the world of manufacturing, machining, and cutting-edge tech? Don't forget to tune in to Rob’s podcast, The Daily Grind, presented by Cutting Tool Engineering! 🎙️🔧

09/15/2026

Engineering is built on diverse perspectives. This National Lainx Heritage Month, we celebrate Latinx pioneers and changemakers -- from Dr Ellen Ocha, the first Hispanic woman in space, to Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena, who patented early color television transmission systems, to our students, faculty, and staff who enrich our vibrant community. Connect with our campus chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and keep an eye out for campus events celebrating

09/15/2026

A familiar fall semester sight: automatic levels, tripods, and civil engineers learning to survey. This year, students in Professor Kelleher's CE 271 course spent their second lab period running a differential leveling survey from our campus benchmark by Pardee, to the first floor of AEC, and back again! Their goal: to determine the finished floor elevation at the first floor entrance to AEC, and be as close to their starting elevation as possible upon their return. This year's winning team, Amelia Wolkoff, Nolan Raynes, and Maggie Rost, managed to finish the exercise with an error of just 0.018 ft! 🎉🏆

This modern instrumentation is in high contrast with historical levels and transits currently on view in the Kirby Art Study Center in the Williams Center for the Arts, now through Dec. 4. Stop by and check out Engineering Artifacts: Past, Present, & Future!

09/14/2026

09/14/2026

👏 Huge congratulations to Assistant Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Dr. Nancy Ingabire Abayo, on securing a $200,000 National Science Foundation Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) grant for her groundbreaking research on "Effects of anisotropy induced by subsurface depositional geometry on shear response of fluvial deposits"! 🔬

This latest win caps off an extraordinary year of national and international conference awards and standout recognition in geotechnical and earthquake engineering. Join us in celebrating Dr. Ingabire Abayo’s continued success! 🎉

09/11/2026

Get to know 3rd floor staff! ⚙️✨

Whether you need event space, project highlights, budget support, guidance to on-campus resources, or just a friendly face (and snacks), the team on the 3rd floor of AEC is here to help you succeed this semester.
Swipe through to get to know the team! ➡️

⚙️ Lisa Karam | Engineering Coordinator & Program Manager 📍 Role: Supports engineering programs, coordinates projects and initiatives, partners with other offices on campus such as Gateway Career Services, Admissions, etc., and helps students connect with the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. AEC 308 ✈️ Passions: Traveling and exploring new places and reading 🐾 Pet parent: 1 dog & 1 cat 💡 Words of wisdom: "You don’t have to figure everything out alone. Ask questions, go to office hours, and talk to your professors, staff, and classmates. You’re surrounded by people who want to help."

🗓️ Serena Ashmore | Scheduling Coordinator AEC 310A📋 Role: Room bookings, event planning, student payroll, and student org logistics 💡 Words of wisdom: "Get involved—but don’t overdo it. Clubs, teams, and activities are amazing ways to meet people, just make sure you leave time for sleep, studying, and snacks!"

📸 Susan Boerchers | Communications & Marketing Coordinator 📍Role: Shares student stories, promotes events, and showcases the people and projects ofe our community. AEC 312 📚 Hobbies: Avid crime fiction reader 🐾 Pet parent: 4 cats 💡 Message to students: "If you’re working on an interesting project or doing something fun outside the classroom, come tell me! Your story is part of what makes this community so great."

💰 Laura Sutton | Accounting Technician 📍 AEC 310B 📊 Role: Student club budgets, reimbursements, and purchasing support 📚 Interests and activities: Crocheting 🐾 Pet parent: 1 dog 🍼New parent to baby boy💡 Words of wisdom: "Financial paperwork can feel overwhelming, but taking it step-by-step makes it easy. I'm always here to help you get it sorted!"

Stop by the 3rd floor to say hello, grab a snack, or get connected! 👋

09/10/2026

American Society for Engineering Education congratulates Lafayette’s Engineering Division on its 160th anniversary

“As Lafayette engineering looks toward its next chapter, we celebrate both its remarkable legacy and its continued commitment to imagining what engineering education can become,” says Brian Novoselich, chief executive officer/executive director of the American Society for Engineering Education

09/09/2026

Congratulations to Civil & Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Kenzie Burns on being named to Bucknell University’s 2026 "30 Under 30" as an Industry Standout! 🎓✨

After graduating from Bucknell in 2020 with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a minor in French & Francophone Studies, Prof. Burns earned her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her doctoral research focused on bioelectrochemical systems for resource recovery from high-strength waste streams and novel technologies for sustainable dairy manure treatment.

Along with publishing multiple first-author papers and securing prestigious research fellowships, Kenzie mentored more than 15 undergraduate students at UW-Madison, including two who went on to earn Fulbright and Hilldale fellowships.

Her current research at Lafayette involves the distribution of anthropogenic contaminants across small watersheds.

Way to go Prof. Burns! 💯✨

09/08/2026

🎓 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: Michael Bennett ’17, P.E. 🏗️🎭

From double major to infrastructure research, Michael Bennett proves you don’t have to choose between engineering, the arts, and history!
During his time at Lafayette, Michael balanced a BS in Civil Engineering and a BA in History alongside a stacked schedule of campus leadership and extracurriculars:

🎭 Acted in one campus and one off-campus play
🎼 Sang in the Concert Choir & Chamber Singers
⚙️ Served as Tau Beta Pi President & Engineers Without Borders Treasurer
🔬 Researched transportation sustainability rating systems with Prof. Sanford

After 6 years in industry designing highway, rail, and wastewater infrastructure, Michael returned to graduate study. He is now a PhD student in geotechnical engineering at Virginia Tech under Prof. Alba Yerro, where he researches soil deformation beneath temporary roadway panels used for military operations, disaster relief, and remote construction. When he’s not in the lab, he authors the Geotechnical History Blog for ASCE’s Geo-Institute!

📅 SAVE THE DATE: Join us as Michael bridges engineering past and present!
🗣️ "The More Things Change: 160 Years of Lafayette Engineering" 🗓️ Date: Thursday, September 17, 2026 ⏰ Time: 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM 📍 Location: Oechsle Hall 224