Civil Systems

Civil engineering PhD student earns National Science Foundation Fellowship

sugl6437 — Thu, 07 May 2026 14:49:10 +0000

Civil engineering PhD student earns National Science Foundation Fellowship sugl6437 Thu, 05/07/2026 - 08:49

Susan Glairon

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has recognized Marguerite Lorenzo, a graduate student in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at CU �ֲ��ý, with a prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) award.

The award recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students from across the country in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields who are pursuing research-based master’s or doctoral degrees.

Awardees receive a $37,000 annual stipend and cost of education allowance for the next three years as well as professional development opportunities.

Advisor

Associate Professor Aditi Bhaskar

Lab

Hydro-Urban Bhaskar group

Research

I am researching how low-impact residential development affects water quantity and quality in the West Stroh Gulch watershed in Parker, Colorado. The findings will help clarify how urbanization is impacting hydrology in the greater Denver area.

How will your GRFP support your research?

In the later chapters of my PhD, I will use my GRFP award to study how water-wise landscaping influences wildfire propagation risk.

What do you enjoy doing outside of the lab?

I compete semi-professionally in high jump. I also like to try new plant-based recipes and learn languages.

Marguerite Lorenzo is researching how low-impact residential development affects water quantity and quality in the West Stroh Gulch watershed in Parker, Colorado. The findings will help clarify how urbanization is impacting hydrology in the greater Denver area.

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Data centers don’t have to be a burden on local communities – and can even support them by generating power and repurposing waste heat

sugl6437 — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:27:23 +0000

Data centers don’t have to be a burden on local communities – and can even support them by generating power and repurposing waste heat sugl6437 Tue, 04/21/2026 - 14:27

In this article in The Conversation, Professors Gregor Henze and Sean Shaheen explain how waste heat from data centers could be reused to warm nearby buildings if the centers are carefully designed, constructed and operated.

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Modeling the Colorado River’s uncertain future

sugl6437 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 21:30:38 +0000

Modeling the Colorado River’s uncertain future sugl6437 Fri, 04/10/2026 - 15:30

As the Colorado River faces historic declines in flow, decision-makers are turning to advanced modeling tools to manage an increasingly uncertain future. At the center of this effort is Research Professor Edith Zagona, who leads the development of RiverWare, a widely used modeling platform that simulates how water moves through the basin. Her work includes leading a multidisciplinary team at the Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES), advancing RiverWare and other decision- support tools.

Originally developed in the 1990s at the �ֲ��ý, RiverWare allows states, cities and tribes to run their own scenarios through complex systems like the Colorado River Simulation System, increasing transparency and trust in water management decisions.

Read the IEEE Spectrum article

Research Professor Edith Zagona leads the development of RiverWare, a widely used modeling platform that helps simulate how water moves through the basin.

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Homes that can withstand extremes: New study reveals pathways to housing resilience

Susan Glairon — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 22:40:15 +0000

Homes that can withstand extremes: New study reveals pathways to housing resilience Susan Glairon Tue, 12/09/2025 - 15:40

Professor Abbie Liel and colleagues have identified building code features that have the biggest impact on hazard resilience and translated those features into tangible, practical building solutions. The findings were published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction.

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Scientist may have solved why this ancient, advanced civilization vanished

Susan Glairon — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:39:54 +0000

Scientist may have solved why this ancient, advanced civilization vanished Susan Glairon Wed, 12/03/2025 - 10:39

Professor Balaji Rajagopalan co-authored a study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment with colleagues from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar and the University of Arizona. The research examines how hydrology and climate during the Mid-Holocene may have contributed to the decline of the Harappan (Indus Valley) Civilization.

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Professor Kyri Baker details growing crisis facing US power grid

Susan Glairon — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 18:50:52 +0000

Professor Kyri Baker details growing crisis facing US power grid Susan Glairon Fri, 11/14/2025 - 11:50

In this Conversation story, the authors explain how two new data centers sit idle due to shortages of critical electrical equipment. These supply-chain constraints are delaying projects, increasing costs and adding strain to the reliability of the U.S. power grid.

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AWWA Journal Cover Story: Q&A with Professor Karl Linden

Susan Glairon — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 22:44:00 +0000

AWWA Journal Cover Story: Q&A with Professor Karl Linden Susan Glairon Wed, 10/22/2025 - 16:44

Professor Karl Linden received the American Water Works Association’s 2025 A.P. Black Research Award, which honors outstanding contributions to water science and supply. Linden was recognized for his pioneering work in developing and applying ultraviolet technologies to improve water and wastewater treatment.

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CUE magazine: A big fix

Susan Glairon — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 20:35:32 +0000

CUE magazine: A big fix Susan Glairon Thu, 06/26/2025 - 14:35

In this 2025 edition of CU Engineering (CUE) magazine, CEAE researchers tackle pressing challenges—such as the increasing frequency and severity of hurricanes, wildfires and floods—head-on, developing innovative solutions to repair aging infrastructure and build a more resilient future.

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What makes some homes, neighborhoods more likely to survive wildfire? New research offers insight

Susan Glairon — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:54:09 +0000

What makes some homes, neighborhoods more likely to survive wildfire? New research offers insight Susan Glairon Wed, 06/04/2025 - 07:54

Professor Abbie Liel’s research, recently published in Fire Technology, examined destruction patterns from the December 2021 Marshall Fire, which killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes in �ֲ��ý County.

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Two department projects funded by the Climate Innovation Collaboratory

Susan Glairon — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 17:18:11 +0000

Two department projects funded by the Climate Innovation Collaboratory Susan Glairon Mon, 04/21/2025 - 11:18

Two department projects funded by the Climate Innovation Collaboratory, an ongoing alliance between Deloitte Consulting LLP and CU �ֲ��ý, will develop tools to reduce carbon: one for optimizing data center energy storage, led by Associate Professor Kyri Baker, and one for evaluating local materials in cement, led by Associate Professor Mija Hubler.

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