Barros becomes CEE department head

Meet Ana Barros, the new University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s department head. Barros started her new gig Feb. 1.

Barros previously served as the Edmund T. Pratt Jr. School Distinguished Professor at Duke University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She holds a doctoral degree from the University of Washington and a master’s from the Oregon Institute of Technology.

Hear the new department head’s visions in the below Q&A.

1. What’s at the top of your list to accomplish in your new capacity?

CEE (at Illinois) is a world-class CEE department. Several of my textbooks in college — decades ago — were authored by department faculty. In the 20th century, faculty and alumni leaders set the course of the discipline and the profession. My goal is to facilitate and contribute to make sure that the department continues in this tradition of bold innovation in research and engineering practice, and to expand its impact in the 21st century. 

The latter is strongly tied to excellence and effectiveness in engineering education, which is a core priority. I view CEE as uniquely positioned to provide and nurture the interdisciplinary space, where science and engineering will come together to address the most pressing societal problems of our time — from climate change to environmental health, and quality of life overall. We have great students and faculty, and thus transformative advances are within reach.

2. What made you interested in taking on such a role?

I had close encounters with similar roles in the past, but the time was never quite right for various reasons. Over the last few years, I have become more and more interested in service opportunities that bring people together in engineering and science — both on the research and education fronts.

3. How do you hope to drive the department’s transportation efforts?

The department has great leadership in transportation. The new facilities open a myriad (of) pathways forward in research and collaborations with state and national agencies and the private sector. Because transportation systems touch and interface with virtually every facet of CEE, I anticipate that the spotlight on transportation will have a ripple effect across the department as well.

4. What’s your vision for the department five years from now?

My vision is one of (an) optimistic, energized, ambitious and diverse team of faculty, staff and students working together to solve the most critical problems of the time, and who feel recognized and valued in their efforts.

Let’s give a big, Illinois family welcome to Barros!