Alumni Activities

Maurice L. Albertson, Peace Corps and Village Earth	Robert Loyd, Clipper Windpower, Inc.
Randy Beavers, Des Moines Water Works	Michael Maley, Perpetual Energy Systems
David Benson, The Session Law Firm	Marcelo Mena, Universidad Nacional Andres' Bello
Donald E. Bently, Bently Agrowdynamics	Matthew McConville, HDR Engineering
Christopher Bolt, City of Dowagiac, MI	Andrew McCoy, HDR Engineering
Elliott Campbell, University of California-Merced	L. D. McMullen, Environmental Protection Agency
John Pina Craven, Common Heritage Corp.	Ben Moline, Molson Coors
Kevin E. Dodson, MidAmerican Energy Co.	Glen Mowery, The University of Iowa
Judy Freitag, Commonwealth Edison	Allan Poole, City of Naperville, IL
Jody Howard, Caterpillar Corp.	Craig Raben, Lake Forest Grad School of Management
Tyler Huebner, ICF International	James Seaba, ConocoPhillips Co.
Tim Kortemeyer, Penford Products Co.	Ori Sivan, Green Depot
Cyrus K. Jones, Jr., World Resources Institute	Becky Svatos, Stanley Consultants, Inc.
James L. Kacer , Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources	Richard Thompson, Republic Services, Inc.
Dr. Hong-Yuan Lee, National Taiwan University	Christopher Weber, Carnegie-Mellon University
Louis Licht, Ecolotree, Inc.

Bently Agrowdynamics

Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy member Donald E. Bently (BS 1949 electrical engineering with distinction, MS 1950 electrical engineering) has made important agricultural achievements that contribute to the quality of the environment in the Carson Valley, NV. This has been accomplished through Bently Agrowdynamics, a business focused on environmentally sustainable agricultural practices and the innovative use of renewable resources. Bently Agrowdynamics employs advanced technology using processes that are compatible with environmental, ecological, and economic goals throughout the world. The company includes 50,000 acres of land and reservoirs for the production of alfalfa, small grains, and cattle. The company's program also includes improved range land, and compost production. In addition, Bently Biofuels Company was established to produce biodiesel from seed oils and recycled restaurant grease. With the help of Bently Agrowdynamics, the company is planting canola and harvesting the seed to supplement the recycled oil in the production of biodiesel.

Carnegie-Mellon University

Engineering alumnus Christopher Weber (BS 2004 civil engineering) is research assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Carnegie -Mellon University. He also serves as co-director of Carnegie-Mellon's Green Design Institute, a major interdisciplinary education and research effort to make an impact on environmental quality through green design. Weber's areas of interest are in environmental implications of globalization and international trade; life-cycle assessment of household consumption patterns; uncertainty in life-cycle assessment and input-output analysis; environmental impacts of food production and consumption patterns; and carbon footprinting and carbon labeling in environmental policy. Weber was recently published in the prestigious journal Environmental Science & Technology with a paper on “Food-Miles and the Climate Impacts of Freight Transportation in American Food Consumption.”

Caterpillar Corporation

Sustainable development poses many challenges—but also presents many possibilities—for Caterpillar, its dealers and its customers. With a commitment to sustainable development in the areas in which it operates—energy, materials, mobility and development—Caterpillar is developing new solutions, profitably growing its businesses and helping to create a more sustainable world. Engineering alumna Jody Howard (BS 1986 electrical engineering) is director of social responsibility for Caterpillar. The company recently was named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI) for the eighth straight year and has retained the leadership position in the Industrial Engineering sector for the third year. Caterpillar's annual Sustainability Report further highlights the company's focus on sustainability. The current report examines how areas of the company's business interconnect with issues such as energy use, climate change, economic growth, free trade, employee engagement and philanthropy.

Clipper Windpower, Inc.

Clipper Windpower, Inc. is a rapidly growing company engaged in wind energy technology, turbine manufacturing, and wind project development. With offices in the USA (California, Colorado, Iowa and Maryland), Mexico, Denmark and the United Kingdom, and a ISO9001:2000 QMS Certified, 330,000 square foot manufacturing and assembly facility located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the company designs advanced wind turbines, manufactures its 2.5 MW Liberty® wind turbine and actively develops wind power generating projects in the Americas and Europe. Plant manager of the Cedar Rapids facility is Engineering alumnus Robert Loyd (BS 1979 mechanical engineering). Loyd also is a member of the UI Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Advisory Board, Iowa Climate Change Advisory Council, and Iowa Wind Energy Association Board of Directors.

Common Heritage Corporation

Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy member Dr. John P. Craven (PhD 1951 in Mechanics & Hydraulics) has more than 40 years of experience in the innovation, development, design, construction, and operational deployment of major oceanic systems. Also a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Craven established the Common Heritage Corporation which is pioneering sustainable technologies that use the earth's most abundant natural resource -- deep ocean water. Dr. Craven's current undertaking is to link up islands in the Pacific Ocean with sustainable energy, agriculture and fresh water through the use of deep ocean water pumped up via pipes from offshore. He is also developing a new and innovative cold water therapy which may produce significant health breakthroughs and slow the aging process.

Commonwealth Edison Company

Judy Freitag (MS 1978 civil and environmental engineering) is compliance manager in the Environmental Services Department at Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), which provides electricity service to over 70 percent of Illinois. ComEd is now part of the family of companies owned by the Exelon Corporation, one of the nation's largest utility services companies. In addition to compliance concerns in the energy delivery business, her responsibilities include pollution prevention and stewardship activities. Freitag has held previous positions including acting supervisor of water quality, supervisor of air quality and project lead for waste management. She is a past board member of the Air & Waste Management Association and is a certified environmental auditor and "qualified environmental engineer." Freitag has worked in the environmental field for 22 years, 15 of which have been with ComEd. Previously, she was employed with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America in the environmental and energy research areas.

ConocoPhillips Company

Engineering graduate Dr. James Seaba (BS 1984, MS 1986, PhD 1990 mechanical engineering) is director of alternate energy and programs at ConocoPhillips Company, Bartlesville, OK. ConocoPhillips. He manages an innovative technology group focused on advanced energy systems engineering. Dr. Seaba currently is developing clean, efficient steam generation technologies that minimize pollutants and capture carbon for heavy oil applications. ConocoPhillips is an integrated energy company with interests around the world. It is the third-largest integrated energy company in the United States, based on market capitalization, oil and natural gas reserves and production; fifth-largest refiner in the world; and sixth-largest worldwide reserves holder of
nongovernment-controlled companies.

Des Moines Water Works

Engineering alumnus Randy Beavers (BS 1972 civil engineering, MS 1973 civil and environmental engineering) is CEO and president of the Des Moines Water Works. Beavers has been active in the American Water Works Association and National Society of Professional Engineers. Working on drinking water projects and studies his entire career, his tenure at Des Moines Water Works consists of a collaboration of work for the design and construction of innovative projects that will increase the Des Moines Metro area’s water supply reliability into the 21st century. Some of these projects include testing a concept for storing drinking water underground during low demand months, then recovering it during the peak demand months; and the design and construction of a new 25 million gallon per day water treatment plant at Maffitt Reservoir (now known as L.D. McMullen Water Treatment Facility). He also was part of an internal team studying the feasibility of using membrane water treatment technology for a third metro area treatment plant which is now scheduled to go on line in 2010.

City of Dowagiac, Michigan

Engineering graduate Christopher Bolt (BS 1996 civil engineering) is Department of Public Services director and city engineer for the City of Dowagiac, MI. The city, located in far southwest Michigan, has developed a proposed renewable energy plan and energy optimization plan, both of which Bolt oversees.

Ecolotree, Inc.

Ecolotree®, Inc. is an Iowa-based engineering company founded by Engineering alumnus Louis Licht (PhD 1990 civil and environmental engineering). Ecolotree designs, installs, and maintains engineered forests at regulatory-permitted sites, such as landfills and chemical spill sites. This rapidly expanding technology is called "phytoremediation." Ecolotree is the oldest and most experienced phytoremediation company in America, with over 60 sites installed across the United States and one in Europe. Planted locations include landfills, contaminated soil and groundwater sites, municipal and industrial wastewater treatment sites, brownfield sites, agrochemical spill areas, riparian stream filters, and animal feed lot perimeters. Clients include large landfill companies, national consultants, the Navy, NASA, and Fortune 100 companies.

Environmental Protection Agency

L. D. McMullen (BS 1968 in civil engineering, MS 1972, PhD 1975 in environmental engineering), retired CEO and general manager of the Des Moines Water Works, is a member of the Environmental Protection Agency's Science Advisory Board. McMullen has a long service record with the University and the College. He is a recipient of the Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award for Service and is a member of the College's Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy. The Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and with safeguarding the natural environment. Congress established the EPA Science Advisory Board in 1978 and gave it a broad mandate to advise the Agency on technical matters.

Green Depot

Greenmaker Supply, Inc. was co-founded by UI Engineering alumnus Ori Sivan (BS 2004 civil engineering). In 2008, the firm merged with Green Depot, Brooklyn, NY. A recipient of the 2008 University of Iowa Alumni Association Distinguished Young Alumni Award, Sivan and his business partner, Joe Silver, established Greenmaker Supply in Chicago. Greenmaker is a one-stop shop for energy intelligent, environmentally sensitive and healthy building materials. It is a wholesale and retail supplier serving homeowners and the building and design community.

HDR Engineering, Inc.

Engineering alumni Matthew McConville (BS 2003 civil engineering, MS 2995 civil and environmental engineering) Andrew McCoy (BS 1999 civil engineering, MS 2003, PhD 2006 civil and environmental engineering) are water resources engineers at HDR Engineering, Omaha, NE, and Des Moines, IA, respectively. HDR is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm with more than 7,500 professionals in more than 165 locations worldwide. HDR holds national rankings of No. 7 in water supply and No. 12 in wastewater treatment in the 2008 Engineering News-Record Top 500 Design Firms survey, and is ranked No. 16 overall. HDR is a leading firm in the number of Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professionals – employees who have passed exams proving their knowledge and expertise in designing environmentally friendly structures. HDR employees have been involved with LEED since its inception in 1994.

ICF International

ICF International is a global professional services firm, partners with government and commercial clients to deliver consulting services and technology solutions in energy,climate change, environment, transportation, social programs, health, defense, and emergency management. Engineering alumnus Tyler Huebner (BS 2005 electrical engineering with honors and highest distinction) is an associate with the firm, in the Energy & Resources group working primarily on energy efficiency. He currently works as a consultant helping utilities design and implement energy efficiency programs, helping private firms understand and reduce their carbon footprint, and with the EPA as an account manager for ENERGY STAR products and buildings.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

Engineering alumnus Jim Kacer (MS 1985 civil and environmental engineering) is environmental specialist for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. He serves as project manager in the contaminated sites section, conducting technical reviews of work plans and reports submitted by site responsible parties; assists in the updating of the Iowa Administrative Code chapter regarding assessment and remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater; and conducts investigative field work to collect groundwater samples and to help define aquifer characteristics. The Contaminated Sites Section of IDNR deals with a range of situations that involve contamination caused by a release of hazardous materials or hazardous waste products.

Lake Forest Graduate School of Management

Engineering graduate Craig Raben (BS 1992 civil engineering, MS civil and environmental engineering) is on the sustainable business faculty at Lake Forest (IL) Graduate School of Management. Before his faculty appointment, Raben served as vice president of operations-environmental, health, and safety for Cardinal Health. He directed sustainability and operations initiatives that reduced cost by more than $30 million annually. His projects included wastewater reuse, heat recovery, energy efficiency, scrap reuse, waste avoidance and packaging optimization. He led a converted global recycling program into a profit center, resulting in 65 million pounds of recycled material and net revenue of $1 million per year. In addition, Raben led environmental, health, safety, real estate and facilities due diligence on more than $5 billion of mergers, acquisitions, and real estate transactions. He has extensive experience in research, development, design, construction and operation of water, wastewater, groundwater, stormwater, soil and air treatment technologies.

MidAmerican Energy Company

Engineering alumnus Kevin E. Dodson (BS 1990 mechanical engineering) is director, environmental programs, compliance and permitting and has been with MidAmerican Energy Company or one of its predecessor companies since 1991. His responsibilities include the regulatory permitting and compliance functions for MidAmerican Energy's environmental activities. Prior to his current position, Dodson was responsible for implementing environmental control projects to reduce emissions at MidAmerican Energy's coal-fueled generating stations. In 2005, MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company received the Platts 2005 Global Energy Award last for Renewables Project of the Year for the development of its 360.5-megawatt Iowa wind project, one of the largest land-based wind projects in the world.

Molson Coors

Molson Coors Brewing Co. is committed to manufacture and package products with care for the environment. It has been working to establish overall standards for energy conservation, water stewardship and waste reduction/recycling at 11 breweries in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Engineering alumnus Ben Moline (BS 2001 civil engineering) plays a key role in Molson Coors environmental program as manager of water resources and real estate. The company also has implemented an Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Management System in each division which applies to all operations and processes involved in the manufacture and delivery of Molson Coors products, from procurement of materials through delivery to the consumer, including contract operations. Recently, Molson Coors announced a strategic collaboration with Circle of Blue in support of their mutual and long-term commitment to protecting global fresh water supplies. Circle of Blue is the international network of leading journalists, scientists and communicators focused on global water issues.

City of Naperville, IL

Engineering alumnus Allan Poole (BS 1961 civil engineering) is director of public works for the Cityof Naperville, IL. In 2009, the city became a partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Star program. Naperville, a city of 150,000 in west suburban Chicago, IL, was listed in by Money Magazine as #2 on its annual list of America's best small cities to live in. Energy Star was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gases through energy efficiency.

National Taiwan University

Engineering alumnus Dr. Hong-Yuan Lee (MS 1982, PhD 1984 civil and environmental engineering) is Professor of Faculty of Hydraulic Engineering of the Department of Civil Engineering at National Taiwan University, and Visiting Professor of UNESCO-IHE, Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, and Hohai University. He also has served as Vice Governor of Taipei County, Taiwan, managing one of the world’s megacities, and as Commissioner of the Water Resources Department of Taiwan Provincial Government. Water–-far too much supply in very short duration and resulting flooding–-is a major problem for Taiwan, and particularly Taipei area. Dr. Lee has played a leading role in water resources planning and development in Taiwan as advisor to and manager of important government agencies. In this role, he realized that sustainable development must be the only method to solve the problems caused by over-exploration and climate change while the traditional measures based on engineering can do little.

Peace Corps and Village Earth

Dr. Maurice Albertson (MS 1942, PhD 1948 mechanics and hydraulics) was creator/co-founder of the Peace Corps in 1960, and creator of Village Earth. He also was at Colorado State University for more than 50 years where he had been Director of the Research Foundation (Vice-President for Research), Director of International Programs, and Professor of Civil Engineering. His professional fields were environmental engineering, the hydrogen economy, water resources engineering, irrigation engineering, hydropower engineering, low-cost and low-energy sustainable wastewater treatment, constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment and international development--specializing in sustainable village-based development. He had served as a consultant to the World Bank, the UNDP, AID, UNESCO, the Peace Corps and other agencies on projects and programs dealing with environmental engineering, water and sanitation, water resource development, on-farm water management, appropriate technology, village development, small industry development, and research and education. He published in more than 200 publications.

Penford Products Company

Engineering graduate Tim Kortemeyer (BS 1991 chemical engineering) is president of Penford Temp Photo Products Company, headquartered in Cedar Rapids, IA. Penford is a leading supplier of specialty chemical starches to the paper and textile industries. Penford is a full-line, value-added supplier—from research and development to products for the wet end, size press and coater in papermaking applications as well as adhesives for laminating papers. Kortemeyer serves on the Board of Directors for Bioscience Alliance of Iowa, BIOWA and the Corn Refiners Association.

Perpetual Energy Systems

Engineering alumnus Michael Maley (BS 1981 mechanical engineering) is president and CEO of Perpetual Energy Systems, a rapidly growing renewable energy utility that designs, installs, and operates photovoltaic solar systems. PES owns and operates more than $60 million of solar energy systems. PES customers include Siemens Transportation, City of Willits, California, as well as Napa Valley vineyards such as Berringer, Stage's Leap, Etude, and Asti.

Republic Services, Inc.

Engineering alumnus Richard Thompson (MS 1983 civil and environmental engineering) is director of environmental compliance for Republic Services, Inc., Phoenix, AZ, a leading provider of services in the domestic, non-hazardous solid waste industry. The company provides non-hazardous solid waste collection services for commercial, industrial, municipal, and residential customers through 427 collection companies in 40 states. It also owns or operates 255 transfer stations, 219 solid waste landfills and 86 recycling facilities. Republic serves millions of residential customers under terms of contracts with more than 3,000 municipalities for waste collection and residential services.

Stanley Consultants, Inc.

Engineering alumna Becky Svatos (BS 1982 civil engineering) is the office manager and seniorenvironmental engineer for Stanley Consultants, Inc., Coralville, IA, office. The firm specializes in air quality, solid and hazardous materials, and water quality and wetlands. Projects have ranged from assisting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to restore the Kissimmee River in Florida to its natural condition to The Metro Waste Authority (MWA) in Des Moines, IA. The MWA needed a permanent regional facility to replace the toxic clean-up days conducted annually for the collection of household hazardous wastes. The solution was an award-winning facility recognized as the best of its type by a North American industry group, also a recipient of the Gold Award at the Solid Waste Association of North America’s international conference.

The Session Law Firm

Engineering alumnus David Benson (MS 1993 civil and environmental engineering) is a member of The Session Law Firm, an environmental law firm based in Kansas City, MO. The firm offers clients solutions in the practice of environmental law. In addition to his master's degree, Benson received his Juris Doctor degree from the School of Law and a B.A. in Geology from The University of Iowa. He has worked with a cross-section of environmental statutes, Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) cleanups and cost recovery actions, and conducting environmental due diligence for real estate transactions. Benson also has experience in the area of government contracting and contract claims litigation, and maintains an active interest in the emerging area of climate change.

Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello

Engineering alumnus Marcelo Mena (MS 2003, PhD 2007 civil and environmental engineering) is director of the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Universidad Nacional Andres' Bello, one of the largest and most prestigious private universities in Chile. He also holds the Molina Fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In about a year, his department's opinion pieces and work on sustainable design, biofuels, renewable energy, air pollution modeling, and energy efficiency tranformed the group into one of the most visible departments in Chile. Student enrollment rose 67% in one year. In July 2008, Mena was selected by El Mercurio magazine and the Universidad Adolfo Ibanez as one of Chile's 100 leaders. Subsequently, he has been named advisor to the director of CONAMA, Chile's environmental protection agency, and to the Minister of Environment where Mena serves as air quality czar. He is currently shaping new regulations and taking a central role in Santiago, Chile's pollution prevention program.

University of California-Merced

Engineering alumnus Elliott Campbell (PhD 2007 civil and environmental engineering), is assistantprofessor of environmental engineering at the University of California-Merced. He works in the area of environmental engineering focused on sustainability science. His current research falls in the emerging interdisciplinary domain of sustainable biofuels design and focuses on the interaction of ecological and human energy systems. A second area of active research is the application of atmospheric trace gases to measure terrestrial plant metabolism, biosphere-climate feedbacks, and air pollution.

The University of Iowa

Engineering graduate Glen Mowery (BS 1984 mechanical engineering) is director of utilities and energy management. Within its combined heat and power production cycle, and use of biomass fuels, the University of Iowa is able to co-generate energy for cost-effective electricity, cooling and water treatment on campus. The University of Iowa operates and maintains a central Power Plant, three Chilled Water Plants and a Water Plant on the main campus and satellite facilities at the Oakdale Campus. The plants provide steam, water, high-quality water, chilled water, electricity and sewer to the entire campus, including The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The Utility Enterprise is a recharge cost center that sells energy and services to the campus to fund its zero-profit budget. The University of Iowa is one of only a handful of Universities that also operates it’s own Water Plant. In addition to providing a cost-effective source of water for the campus, it also serves as an important teaching facility for future engineers and water treatment specialists.

World Resources Institute

Engineering graduate Cy Jones (MS 1978 environmental engineering) is senior associate at the World Resources Institute. He leads the Water Quality Trading Initiative for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The goal of the initiative is to advance market-based efforts to reduce nutrient pollution impacting the Chesapeake Bay watershed and to promote the development of a framework for interstate nutrient trading. The World Resources Institute (www.wri.org) is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to create practical ways to protect the earth and improve people's lives. It analyzes emissions caps, allowances, offsets, and other critical components of the American Clean Energy and Security Act.