Four College of Engineering faculty and staff members were honored October 10 at the University of Iowa’s annual Faculty and Staff Awards Banquet, sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Vice President for Human Resources.

They are:

• Julie Jessop, associate professor of chemical and biochemical engineering, for the President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence
• Dawn Marshall, director of the Safety Research Using Simulation (SAFER-SIM) University Transportation Center and research manager with the National Advanced Driving Simulator (NADS), for the Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award
• Matt McLaughlin, director of computer services, for the University of Iowa Outstanding Staff Excellence Award
• Larry Weber, Edwin B. Green Chair in Hydraulics, professor of civil and environmental engineering, and executive associate dean, for the Michael J. Brody Award for Faculty Excellence in Service

Jessop is a leader in education innovation, both in course development and delivery. She has introduced successful innovations into many courses, several of which now serve as models for others in the college and university. Her decision to “flip” the introductory chemical engineering course Material and Energy Balances—making lecture materials available to students outside of class and using class time to guide small groups through questions and problems—has led to a 10 percent increase in final exam grades for the course. She also influences students through her roles as academic advisor, student group advisor, and research advisor. Her role as a teacher extends beyond the classroom to numerous outreach activities, including working with local elementary and middle school teachers to bring hands-on science labs into their classrooms and mentoring high school students through Workplace Learning Connection. Her teaching was most recently recognized with the college’s 2016 Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching.

Marshall has been engaged in driving research since 1997 and has been with NADS since 2004, serving as principal investigator, project manager, data-collection coordinator, and research associate for several National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)–funded projects, as well as for the Iowa DOT, Rockwell Collins, Hyundai Motor Group, and other public- and private-sector clients. Marshall recently served as principal investigator for a $1.6 million project that spanned five data-collection sites with multiple phases of data collection funded by the NHTSA. Her research with NADS has spanned several topics involving simulation and test-track methodologies, including projects evaluating in-vehicle systems such as adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, forward-collision warning, intersection-violation warning, and development and evaluation of situational-awareness measures within a connected-vehicles context. Her experience also includes the effectiveness of warning systems for older drivers, teen driving behavior near licensure, and integrated control heads for law enforcement.

McLaughlin is universally regarded in the college as “the problem-solver” and is often called upon to go beyond the bounds of his job description to assist with difficult challenges. He has been involved in projects ranging from the development of state-of-the-art computing facilities to instructional support activities to deployment and support of research infrastructure. His technical expertise and sound judgment are highly sought after within the campus IT community, and he is regularly asked to participate in or consult on projects with other colleges and with ITS. As secondary facilities coordinator for the college, he contributes actively to discussions around space design, furniture selection, power and networking considerations, and so on, and has been instrumental in ensuring that spaces in the Annex and the rest of Seamans Center meet the college’s research and instructional needs.

Weber served for more than 13 years as director of IIHR–Hydroscience and Engineering. While leading IIHR, he co-founded the Iowa Flood Center, which works to strengthen Iowa’s flood resiliency, and co-founded (in partnership with Iowa’s other public universities) the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, which is dedicated to studying Iowa water quality. He serves the state as a member of the Iowa Water Resources Coordinating Council, as well as numerous other state and federal committees related to water-resources planning. He recently helped lead Iowa’s successful application to the National Disaster Resilience Competition hosted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), resulting in a $97 million award to the state. He received the College of Engineering Faculty Award for Exceptional Service in 2010 and the Board of Regents Faculty Excellence Award in 2014.