Students Visit UCSF Parnassus Research and Academic Building Site

Dr. Mark Shami and students in CE 166: Construction Engineering visited UC San Francisco's Parnassus Research and Academic Building construction site, to learn about the project's key activities. Hensel Phelps hosted the site walk and presentation, which covered the construction methods and heavy equipment leveraged for the complex project. 

A special thank you to Cynthia Santiago-Vizcarra and the management team at Hensel Phelps, the Beavers Foundation, and Dr. Mark Shami and Alejandra Amador-Caro for making this field trip possible!

Join Us For Big Give - Thursday, March 13!

At Berkeley CEE, brilliance shines brightly every day, from transformative learning experiences in the classroom to groundbreaking research in the lab. This Big Give, you’re invited to be that light to empower this extraordinary community.

Your dedication directly impacts the incredible people, places, and programs that make our department a beacon of innovation and positive change. Year after year, Big Give powers life-changing research for the greater good strengthens our community and brightens the future for countless students.

Kristi McKenney

Submitted by pnerkar on
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A headshot of Kristi McKenney with a light blue background, and a white hexagon tessellation pattern on the left side.
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Alumni

The Port of Oakland has appointed Kristi McKenney, a Berkeley CEE alum, as its new Executive Director! McKenney began her career at the Port as an Environmental Planner and is the first woman to hold this leadership position in the Port's 98-year history.

"I'm grateful and excited for this opportunity to lead during such a transformative time in Port history," said McKenney. "I look forward to implementing the Port's 5-year Strategic Plan that will help grow local employment and contracting opportunities and strengthen our economic base."

She has held various positions at the Port, including Assistant Aviation Director and Interim Executive Director. Since February 2020, McKenney has served as the Port's Chief Operating Officer (COO), where she played a crucial role in managing operations during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. During her tenure as COO, she was vital in securing hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal grants to promote a more sustainable Port. 

McKenney earned her M.S. degree in Civil Engineering from UC Berkeley in 1989 and her B.S. degree with honors in Aeronautics from San Jose State University in 1986. Her leadership in developing and implementing the zero emissions strategy for the Port of Oakland has positioned the Port at the forefront of the industry, earning it global recognition. 

McKenney's efforts to engage the community in the planning and operation of Oakland Airport have allowed it to navigate its growth responsibly and transparently. She has championed women engineers within her organization, resulting in many, alongside herself, holding key technical and management positions. 

To learn more about McKenney's expertise, check out the full press release on the Port of Oakland website.

Berkeley CEE Hosts SWE HSEP Tour at Structures Lab

The Society of Women Engineers High School Engineering Program (HSEP) is a free 10-week initiative designed to introduce high school students to various engineering fields through guest speakers, club presentations, and a hands-on technical engineering group project. By providing early mentorship and exposure to engineering disciplines, the program aims to inspire more female and non-binary students to pursue STEM careers.

ASCE Hosts Spring 2025 Civil & Environmental Engineering Career Fair

The UC Berkeley Spring 2025 Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Career Fair, hosted by the Berkeley chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), was a great success! Held on January 30 at the MLK Student Union's Pauley Ballroom, the event connected students with leading industry employers for career opportunities and networking.

Dimitrios Zekkos to Give State-of-the-Art Talk on Autonomy in Landfills at Geofrontiers Conference

CEE Professor Dimitrios Zekkos will deliver a State-of-the-art talk on "Autonomous characterization of full-scale field response of Municipal Solid Waste" at the Geofrontiers conference from March 2nd to March 5th.

The talk will describe opportunities to incorporate autonomy and gain better insights into the full-scale response of Municipal Solid Waste in landfills. It will include specific examples of applications related to settlement behavior and methane emissions. 

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