3/9/2021 Emily Jankauski
Written by Emily Jankauski
The Becky McDaniel Symposium on Asphalt Advancements will be held March 10 beginning at 9 a.m. CST to honor the life of the former technical director of Purdue University’s North Central Superpave Center. All registration proceeds for the symposium will go to the Becky McDaniel Scholarship, managed by the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists.
McDaniel, who passed away unexpectedly May 2, 2020, left a lasting legacy in the civil engineering field.
Becky McDaniel
“I was always impressed by her demeanor, by her professionalism, and by her capacity to help people and share her knowledge,” said Imad Al-Qadi, Bliss Professor of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and director of the Illinois Center for Transportation. “She led several important technical committees and activities (at) the Technical Review Board, the American Society for Testing and Materials International and the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists.”
Al-Qadi co-chairs the symposium alongside Gerry Huber, associate director of research at the Heritage Research Group. Together their goal for the symposium is to inspire the next generation of engineers by showcasing McDaniel’s 35-year career in asphalt pavement.
McDaniel’s legacy began at the NCSC, where she wore several hats, training, researching, and even becoming a liaison and technical expert for industries and state agencies. She also held several Superpave technology training courses for state contractors, departments of transportation and producers. McDaniel even took charge of publishing the NCSC newsletter.
McDaniel was also a revered researcher.
“Becky’s work on the use of RAP (reclaimed asphalt pavement) under Superpave protocols and specifications and her contributions to tire-pavement noise studies are also highly regarded by her peers,” said Jan Olek, professor and director of Purdue University’s NCSC.
The beloved researcher is perhaps best known for her dedication to her family.
“She loved talking about her children and was always proud of their accomplishments,” said Olek, who also served as McDaniel’s Ph.D. advisor.
Al-Qadi couldn’t agree more, sharing that McDaniel radiated a “passion” for her family.
“(That’s) something that will always resonate in my memory,” he said.
Those who worked with her closely, including Olek, think the event will serve as a “testimony” to her professional life.
All agree that the scholarship funds raised by the Becky McDaniel Symposium on Asphalt Advancements will keep McDaniel’s legacy as a scholar, researcher and dedicated family woman going.
For more information about the symposium, visit here. To make a donation to the Becky McDaniel Scholarship, payments may be mailed to the AAPT Scholarship Fund, 6776 Lake Dr., Suite 215, Lino Lakes, MN 55014.