Engineering classes during Homecoming Day

Dear FAMU-FSU College of Engineering students,

Although classes at both main campuses will be suspended on their respective Homecoming Day (see dates below), classes at the College of Engineering will be held as usual.  

  • FAMU Homecoming Day:  Friday, October 4, 2019
  • FSU Homecoming Day:  Friday, October 25, 2019

FAMU and FSU engineering students who wish to participate in the Homecoming events should notify their instructor(s) ahead of time.  An excused absence does not necessarily excuse you from any missed course work.

First Professor of Practice caps off successful first year

At Engineering Design Day in April, photographer Mark Wallheiser snapped an impromptu group photo of the 2018-19 Civil and Environmental Engineering senior design class. Later, the students placed a copy of that photo on a plaque they had made for their instructor, first-year Professor of Practice Sean Martin. The plaque read, “Thank you from your guinea pigs.”

FAMU-FSU Engineering student takes People's Choice at Three Minute Thesis competition

Anwer Al-Kaimakchi, a graduate student at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering studying civil and environmental engineering earned $500 for the “People’s Choice” award at the annual Three Minute Thesis event on Tuesday, Nov. 27. His research focused on making bridges safer by studying the flexural performance of stainless steel precast prestressed concrete girders. Two other FAMU-FSU Engineering students competed in the renowned event as well.

Civil Engineer Alumni: Jerry Wekezer, Ph.D., PE

Dr. Jerry Wekezer joined the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in 1994 as Department Chair, after serving as Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Alaska Anchorage for four years. During his 10-year tenure as chair, the department launched the highly successfully B.S. program at FSU’s Panama City campus, and began the Ph.D. program at the FAMU-FSU campus in Tallahassee.

Ariana Morales Rapallo

Senior Ariana Morales Rapallo has dealt with some difficult challenges during her college career, but she’s confronted and conquered them on her way to earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at Florida State University.

Rapallo grew up in Venezuela where political upheaval created an economic crisis and caused dramatic changes to the education system, which restricted access to universities.

Civil engineering graduate student Garit Poire to receive 2018 FSU Graduate Student Leadership Award

Garit Poire, a civil engineering graduate student at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, was recently selected as one of four recipients of the 2018 Graduate Student Leadership Award. Awarded each year by FSU’s Graduate School and Congress of Graduate Students, according to the school’s website the Leadership Award “recognizes outstanding graduate student leaders who are making a positive difference in their scholarly/creative work, campus and wider communities.”

Lisa Spainhour named Chair of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Lisa Spainhour, Ph.D., P.E., has been appointed Chair of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). Lisa has served as interim chair for the past two years. “Lisa demonstrated her excellent leadership skills as interim chair, and I am looking forward to working with her to grow the department’s impact in the coming years,” said J. Murray Gibson, dean of the college.

FAMU-FSU Engineering alumni begins a new journey as Cal Poly Pomona professor

FAMU-FSU Engineering graduate Simeng Li recently accepted a position at the civil engineering department at California State Polytechnic University Pomona as an assistant professor. Li received his doctorate from the college through FSU and is involved in collaborative research at Cal Poly Pomona and FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. He credits his success to the support of the faculty at his alma mater and the experience he got teaching undergraduate courses while there.