News

December 06, 2010

Dr. Barbara Luke Elected Fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers

The Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering is proud to announce that Barbara Luke, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASC, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Applied Geophysics Center at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has just been elected a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).  She holds B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering from University of Texas at Austin, and M.S. from University of California, Berkeley.

Dr. Luke teaches in eeotechnical engineering and geophysical engineering. Her research program emphasizes seismic site characterization and geotechnical earthquake engineering. she is a Registered Professional Engineer in Nevada, civil discipline.

She was previously a technical staff member at Sandia National Laboratories, working in rock mechanics. She currently serves on the Board of Governors of the ASCE Geo-Institute.  Previous activities with the Geo-Institute include service on the Technical Coordination Council and heading a task force to invent a Geotechnical Student Competition.  She has also served extensively with the Environmental and Engineering Geophysical Society.

The ASCE was originally founded in New York City on in1852 by twelve engineers and architects who formed the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects. ASCE was the first national engineering society created in the United States.  As part of understanding the history of civil engineering and promoting the civil engineering profession, a survey of the historic accomplishments of civil engineers is continually conducted by ASCE members. Such reviews of civil engineering accomplishments have produced various lists of the notable categories and projects of the profession. The mission of the organization is to develop leadership skills in its members and support civil engineering leaders through facilitating advancement of the technology utilized by the profession; encouraging and providing tools for lifelong learning within the profession; advocating infrastructure and environmental stewardship; and promoting professionalism and the civil engineering profession.

Located at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering provides research and academic programs to more than 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students. With more than 70 full-time faculty, and six departments, the college's goals are to provide a quality undergraduate learning experience in engineering and computer science; strengthen and enhance the graduate experience; focus knowledge, discovery, integration, and application in strategic areas; integrate research and education; and  to promote and enable partnerships with the private and public sectors.