News

Introducing Sam Sohn, new CIEST director

Susan Glairon — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 18:34:33 +0000

Introducing Sam Sohn, new CIEST director Susan Glairon Tue, 10/14/2025 - 12:34

At CU ��ý��, the Center for Infrastructure, Energy, and Space Testing (CIEST) is where innovation meets impact. The facility brings together students, faculty and industry partners to explore how infrastructure and materials perform under real-world conditions—from powerful geotechnical centrifuges to advanced structural and materials testing systems.

Now, under the leadership of Sam Sohn, CIEST’s new director, the center is deepening opportunities for hands-on learning, research collaboration and industry partnerships.

How does your background align with the mission of CIEST?

I earned my PhD in materials science from Virginia Tech in 2000, and have since worked in R&D and product developments across a range industries— including polymers, electronic materials, solar cells, EV batteries and automotive systems. These broad experiences have shown me how science and technology impact our daily lives.

The core mission of CIEST is to study infrastructure at small, medium and large scales such as building and underground systems—and to build a scientific foundation for improving resilience against natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis. In many ways, this aligns with my career path: leveraging science and technology for the benefit of society.

What excites you most about taking on the role of director?

My role has three core missions: supporting faculty in undergraduate and graduate teaching, providing the right experimental tools for research and bringing internal and external research to expand the center. The work is anything but routine—it demands creativity, collaboration and a strong drive for success, keeping me engaged every day.

What are some of the lab’s current or upcoming research projects that you’re most excited about?

CIEST supports several CEAE faculty research projects in geotechnical and structural engineering, ranging from concrete research to earthquake impact simulations using a centrifuge. The center also conducts multiple pipeline-related industrial research programs.

How is CIEST advancing testing capabilities for large-scale infrastructure, materials or energy systems?

CIEST is equipped with four hydraulic actuators, covering both uniaxial and bi-axial testing ranging from 110 kip and 220kip, (1 kip = 1,000 pounds). Our largest actuator can handle up to one million pounds. A series of centrifuges from small teaching units to large industrial-scale machines—enables a full spectrum of geotechnical research. These capabilities are versatile and can also be applied to aerospace and energy research.

What role do industry partnerships play in your research and testing programs?

Industry partnerships are critical, providing financial stability and strong connections for our students. Industry brings real-world, complex challenges to CIEST, requiring advanced equipment and expertise, which creates opportunities for mutual growth and prepares students for professional success.

How do students—both undergraduate and graduate—get involved in CIEST projects?

CIEST offers multiple ways for students to get involved. Some undergraduate students are hired directly by the center, while others work on research tied to their master’s or doctoral dissertations through their faculty advisors.

CIEST also hires postdoctoral researchers to lead and support industrial projects.

The center operates with a small professional staff and a large team of students and postdocs. One of CIEST’s core missions is hands-on education: students help design experiments, set up tests and analyze results, gaining a full understanding of how research is conducted from start to finish.

What skills or experiences do you hope students gain from working in the lab?

We live in an “AI-driven” era, where access to advanced knowledge is easier than ever. This makes higher education even more valuable, as success will depend less on “what you know” and more on “how you use it.” At CIEST, students gain practical, hands-on experience, applying scientific and engineering principles in real-world research. This experience equips CEAE graduates with the skills to innovate and excel in their careers.

In today’s AI-driven era, success depends less on what you know and more on how you use it, says Sam Sohn, the new director of CIEST. That’s what makes the center so vital. At CIEST, students gain practical, hands-on experience applying science and engineering to real-world challenges—preparing CEAE graduates to innovate and lead in their careers.

Off

Traditional

White

��ý�� Rotary presents peace award to Bernard Amadei

Susan Glairon — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 21:03:51 +0000

��ý�� Rotary presents peace award to Bernard Amadei Susan Glairon Fri, 10/03/2025 - 15:03

Bernard Amadei, founder of Engineers Without Borders USA and former CEAE professor, has been honored with the 2025 Jim Swaeby Peace Award for his global humanitarian work. The award, presented by the ��ý�� Rotary Club, recognizes individuals who make outstanding contributions to peace.

Off

Traditional

White

Mark Hernandez joins global commission on indoor air quality

Susan Glairon — Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:45:17 +0000

Mark Hernandez joins global commission on indoor air quality Susan Glairon Mon, 09/29/2025 - 10:45

Mark Hernandez is serving as a commissioner of the newly launched Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air to elevate indoor air as a critical public health priority and drive coordinated global action and solutions.

Off

Traditional

White

CU ��ý��'s environmental and civil engineering ranked top 10 among public universities

Susan Glairon — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 22:36:13 +0000

CU ��ý��'s environmental and civil engineering ranked top 10 among public universities Susan Glairon Fri, 09/26/2025 - 16:36

CU ��ý��’s civil and environmental engineering are in the top 10 best engineering program in the U.S. when compared to its public peers, U.S. News and World Report announced.

Off

Traditional

White

CU Engineering builds on sustainability leadership with new MS in sustainable engineering

Elsi Taitano — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:25:55 +0000

CU Engineering builds on sustainability leadership with new MS in sustainable engineering Elsi Taitano Tue, 09/23/2025 - 11:25

The ��ý��’s College of Engineering & Applied Science is building on its leadership in sustainability research and education with the launch of a new Master of Science in Sustainable Engineering.

Off

Traditional

White

A new way to fight allergies: Switch on the light

Susan Glairon — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 19:43:51 +0000

A new way to fight allergies: Switch on the light Susan Glairon Thu, 09/18/2025 - 13:43

Researchers in Professor Mark Hernandez's lab have discovered that a passive, generally safe ultraviolet light treatment can rapidly inactivate airborne allergens. They believe this approach could serve as an additional tool to help reduce allergens in homes, schools and other indoor environments.

Off

Traditional

White

Cresten Mansfeldt receives Faculty Research Advisor/Mentor Award

Susan Glairon — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 19:23:54 +0000

Cresten Mansfeldt receives Faculty Research Advisor/Mentor Award Susan Glairon Wed, 09/03/2025 - 13:23

Susan Glairon

Students describe Cresten Mansfeldt as supportive, encouraging and selfless—qualities that have endeared him to them and earned him CU ��ý��’s 2025 College of Engineering and Applied Science Faculty Research Advisor/Mentor Award. The award, based on student nominations, recognizes faculty who demonstrate exceptional research advising and mentoring.

"I returned to academia and the United States (from Switzerland) primarily to get involved with mentoring the next generation of engineers and scientists," Mansfeldt said. "I am incredibly humbled that my professor quirks overall sum up to a supportive and successful environment for my students."

In their nominations, students highlighted his commitment to fostering a positive lab culture. One wrote:

While his genius certainly sets him apart from others, the reason I joined Cresten's lab is because of the encouragement I received from him.

Others spoke to the everyday ways he creates a welcoming environment:

Cresten holds weekly Coffee Saturday events in the lab, where he sacrifices his Saturday mornings as office hours for the whole lab.

I feel so lucky to have such an amazing advisor by my side, who regularly goes out of his way to make me feel safe and supported. I cannot nominate Cresten highly enough for this award and can't think of anyone more deserving.

Mansfeldt's current research examines contaminants from wildland-urban interfaces, tracking synthetic biology products in the environment and advancing water reuse. Past projects include monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in campus wastewater, evaluating the risk of synthetic biology products and exploring the bioethics of biological innovations in environmental engineering.

In recognition of this honor, he will receive a plaque and a $1,000 award at the Sept. 4 all-college meeting.

Cresten Mansfeldt, assistant professor of environmental engineering, has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 CEAS Outstanding Faculty Research Advisor/Mentor Award. The award is based on student nominations.

Off

Traditional

White

CU engineering center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift

Susan Glairon — Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:56:29 +0000

CU engineering center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift Susan Glairon Mon, 08/18/2025 - 07:56

Alumnus Marco Campos (CivEngr '98) generous donation to the Campos Student Center (formerly the BOLD Center) will enable the center to further its mission of expanding opportunities for engineering students, fostering community and building leadership.

Off

Traditional

White

Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering welcomes two new faculty

Susan Glairon — Sat, 16 Aug 2025 10:26:25 +0000

Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering welcomes two new faculty Susan Glairon Sat, 08/16/2025 - 04:26

Susan Glairon

The Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering welcomes two new faculty members in Fall 2025. Meet Assistant Professors Laura Sunberg and Zhi Li—and see why we’re so excited to have these talented scholars on our team.

Off

Traditional

White

New research paves way for greener construction practices

Susan Glairon — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 19:21:15 +0000

New research paves way for greener construction practices Susan Glairon Thu, 08/14/2025 - 13:21

Susan Glairon

Daniel Donado-Quintero

Researchers in CU ��ý��’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering have developed a more accurate way to measure and set guidelines for the carbon impact of asphalt in public road projects.

The method was recently detailed in the Transportation Research Record, in a paper led by Daniel Donado-Quintero, a CEAE PhD student.

Teaching Professor Chris Senseney, one of the paper’s authors, said that by setting benchmarks, agencies can encourage asphalt producers to reduce their embodied carbon emissions, for example by using more recycled materials or optimizing production processes. The study supports Colorado’s Buy Clean Act, which focuses on reducing embodied carbon emissions within the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

“The research will lead to more sustainable construction practices,” Senseney said. “The benchmarking process that we present in the paper is a first of its kind, and is already being used by CDOT. Other states plan to use our process within their highway agencies, too.”

Embodied carbon emissions are greenhouse gas emissions that come from extracting, making and transporting building materials, activities that happen before the material is installed.

The Buy Clean Colorado Act requires CDOT to set benchmarks on the global warming potential (GWP) of certain building materials and to promote the use of lower carbon materials. GWP is a measure of how much heat a greenhouse gas traps in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide. It’s used to understand and compare the climate impact of different materials.

Associate Teaching Professor Christopher Senseney

The CU ��ý�� study outlines a practical approach to setting GWP benchmarks for asphalt pavement used in road construction. The researchers developed a better way to evaluate different types of asphalt mixtures based on how they’re made and where they’re used.They also examined how much of each type of asphalt is used in real projects, to help set more accurate and realistic carbon emission limits.

”CDOT provided us with extensive data to analyze and offered us valuable insights,” Donado-Quintero said. “We extend our sincere thanks to CDOT for their support and for their ongoing commitment to delivering more sustainable public infrastructure.”

The study, led by CEAE PhD student Daniel Donado-Quintero, shows that setting carbon benchmarks can encourage asphalt producers to lower emissions for example by using more recycled materials or optimizing production processes—supporting Colorado’s Buy Clean Act and CDOT’s efforts to reduce embodied carbon.

Off

Traditional

White

News

Introducing Sam Sohn, new CIEST director

How does your background align with the mission of CIEST?

What excites you most about taking on the role of director?

What are some of the lab’s current or upcoming research projects that you’re most excited about?

How is CIEST advancing testing capabilities for large-scale infrastructure, materials or energy systems?

What role do industry partnerships play in your research and testing programs?

How do students—both undergraduate and graduate—get involved in CIEST projects?

What skills or experiences do you hope students gain from working in the lab?

Off

������ý���� Rotary presents peace award to Bernard Amadei

Off

Mark Hernandez joins global commission on indoor air quality

Off

CU ������ý����'s environmental and civil engineering ranked top 10 among public universities

Off

CU Engineering builds on sustainability leadership with new MS in sustainable engineering

Off

A new way to fight allergies: Switch on the light

Off

Cresten Mansfeldt receives Faculty Research Advisor/Mentor Award

Off

CU engineering center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift

Off

Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering welcomes two new faculty

Off

New research paves way for greener construction practices

Off

��ý�� Rotary presents peace award to Bernard Amadei

CU ��ý��'s environmental and civil engineering ranked top 10 among public universities