Mortenson Center

Evan Thomas wins International Water Association Career Award for Global Water Impact

Susan Glairon — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 22:59:40 +0000

Evan Thomas wins International Water Association Career Award for Global Water Impact Susan Glairon Mon, 12/15/2025 - 15:59

Professor Evan Thomas, director of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience, received a major career honor from the International Water Association for his work that has reshaped how safe drinking water is delivered in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions.

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Climate financing boosting water access for millions in developing nations

Susan Glairon — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 15:52:37 +0000

Climate financing boosting water access for millions in developing nations Susan Glairon Mon, 10/20/2025 - 09:52

Evan Thomas, director of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Mortenson Center in Global Engineering and Resilience, is pioneering climate-financed clean water programs that have brought safe drinking water to over 5 million people in Africa. Using carbon credits to fund long-term maintenance and real-time water quality monitoring, the center aims to reach 3 million more people by 2030.

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Monitoring water quality in Boulder, London and Paris

Susan Glairon — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:28:26 +0000

Monitoring water quality in Boulder, London and Paris Susan Glairon Thu, 06/26/2025 - 12:28

The Boulder Daily Camera is spotlighting new water quality work led by Professor Evan Thomas, an expert in water and air testing and treatment and the director of the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience.

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Mortenson Center innovations delivering clean water to more than 5 million worldwide

Susan Glairon — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 21:49:16 +0000

Mortenson Center innovations delivering clean water to more than 5 million worldwide Susan Glairon Fri, 06/20/2025 - 15:49

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience is transforming global water access by treating clean water as a long-term service—not just a one-time infrastructure project.

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Professor receives ASCE Peurifoy Construction Research Award

Susan Glairon — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 21:12:46 +0000

Professor receives ASCE Peurifoy Construction Research Award Susan Glairon Wed, 03/26/2025 - 15:12

Susan Glairon

Professor Amy Javernick-Will received the 2025 Peurifoy Construction Research Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the highest ASCE academic honor in construction engineering and management. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to construction engineering through research and technological advancements.

“This award is incredibly meaningful for me," Javernick-Will said. "I am incredibly fortunate to have received amazing mentorship throughout my career, many of whom have received the Peurifoy award, including my advisor. The award is a testament to my graduate students and research group, who have spent countless hours on research focused on improving lives thorough safe shelter and buildings, reliable and safe water and infrastructure services."

Javernick-Will’s impact on the field has been widely recognized. She also recently received the 2024 Pathfinder Award, the highest honor from the Engineering Project Organization Society, at its annual conference in Bar Harbor, Maine.

At �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, Javernick-Will leads the Global Projects and Organizations Research Group, which integrates social sciences and engineering to address complex problems and achieve beneficial community outcomes.

Her contributions have drawn praise from colleagues, including Professor Keith Molenaar, who highlighted her influence on LinkedIn. “The Peurifoy award highlights Amy’s groundbreaking work at the intersection of social and built systems—advancing community resilience, post-disaster recovery and the sustainable delivery of infrastructure services for all, especially marginalized communities,” wrote Molenaar, dean of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science and a 2021 Peurifoy Award recipient. “Amy’s work is a great example of how engineering isn’t just about what we build—it’s about who we build it for. Her research is defining the future of construction and infrastructure, making sure that the systems we create are more sustainable, resilient and equitable.”

Javernick-Will earned her PhD in civil engineering, construction engineering and management from Stanford University and both her MS and BS in civil engineering from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

"This work would not be possible without the community partners, whose wisdom, passion and collaboration have enabled collection action to improve the built environment," Javernick-Will said.

Professor Amy Javernick-Will received the highest academic honor in construction engineering and management from the American Society of Civil Engineers.

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How the US foreign aid freeze is intensifying humanitarian crises across the globe

Susan Glairon — Wed, 05 Feb 2025 17:27:18 +0000

How the US foreign aid freeze is intensifying humanitarian crises across the globe Susan Glairon Wed, 02/05/2025 - 10:27

Professor Evan Thomas discusses the worldwide impacts of the Trump administration’s foreign aid freeze and the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

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Amy Javernick-Will: Q&A with CEAS's new associate dean for faculty advancement

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 16:03:36 +0000

Amy Javernick-Will: Q&A with CEAS's new associate dean for faculty advancement Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 08/13/2024 - 10:03

In this Q&A, Amy Javernick-Will, the new associate dean for faculty advancement, discusses the meaningful ways she has felt welcomed into the College of Engineering leadership.

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�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder professor honored with Pathfinder award for societal impact

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 16:16:59 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder professor honored with Pathfinder award for societal impact Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 06/26/2024 - 10:16

Susan Glairon

Professor Amy Javernick-Will received the Pathfinder award, the highest honor of the Engineering Project Organization Society, at the 2024 Engineering Project Organization Conference held June 11-14 in Bar Harbor, Maine.

The award recognizes significant contributions with lasting impact. Javernick-Will's research aims to improve how communities, especially those lacking resources, can better handle disasters and sustain their infrastructure, such as housing, water and sanitation.

“The award was a wonderful surprise,” said Javernick-Will of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. “Seeing my expanding academic family in the audience, I was overcome with emotion both for the support I received to pursue an unconventional research path focused on societal impact, and the tremendous work that my students and their students are doing to ensure positive infrastructure outcomes.”

Positive infrastructure outcomes can include infrastructures that are resilient to natural disasters, minimize environmental impact and are beneficial to all segments of society, including marginalized communities.

Adding to her emotion, Javernick-Will's academic advisor, Emeritus Professor Raymond Levitt, a civil and environmental engineering professor from Stanford University, was among the first recipients of the Pathfinder awards, and her co-advisor, Emeritus Professor W. Richard Scott, a sociology professor, also from Stanford, received the award concurrently with her.

At �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, Javernick-Will leads the Global Projects and Organizations Research Group, which is composed of boundary spanners—individuals who work across different disciplines, integrating social sciences and engineering–to address complex problems and achieve beneficial community outcomes.

The Engineering Project Organization Society originally focused on studying how engineering projects are organized, managed and executed but has broadened its scope to include understanding and improving the effects of engineering projects on communities and society. This includes ensuring that infrastructure development is equitable, benefitting all segments of the population fairly, including underserved or marginalized groups.

“This award is a tribute to my academic family—my former PhD students and their students—who are members of the society and are making remarkable contributions worldwide to ensure safe infrastructure services for all,” Javernick-Will added.

Professor Amy Javernick-Will received the Pathfinder Award, the highest honor from the Engineering Project Organization Society, recognizing her research on improving disaster response and infrastructure sustainability in resource-limited communities.

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Modern water management approaches on tap during USAID visit

Anonymous — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 21:20:05 +0000

Modern water management approaches on tap during USAID visit Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 06/06/2024 - 15:20

Susan Glairon

Research Professor Edith Zagona introduced modern water management approaches during a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)-sponsored visit to Armenia.

The weeklong visit, from May 20-24, included a seminar for the students and faculty of Yerevan State University, as part of cooperation with USAID’s Improved Water Resources Management for Sustainable Economic Growth in Armenia program. Students from other partnering universities, including the National University of Architecture and Construction in Armenia and Armenian National Agrarian University, also attended the meeting.

"It was important for the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder team to better understand the needs of the Armenian government and their stakeholders for improving water management," said Zagona, a research professor in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and the director of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Center for Advanced Decision for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES).

The program is led by Deloitte LLP, which, among other areas, specializes in helping government agencies mitigate the impacts of climate change and achieve their climate equity, resilience and sustainability goals, with technical assistance from �鶹��Ѱ��.

During the visit, the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder team also participated in a stakeholder workshop, where they shared and discussed best practices in water resources management with state and academic stakeholders. The topics covered included innovative digital tools, activities planned within the USAID Program for managing and improving water resources in Armenia, access to water-related data, existing challenges, and issues related to transboundary water resources management and monitoring.

The program’s objective is to improve Armenia’s water management by ensuring equitable access to water while protecting freshwater resources, said Kat Demaree, a project manager at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience, who is part of the team working closely with the USAID-sponsored program along with Teaching Assistant Professor Carlo Salvinelli. The �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder team is providing technical and advisory services, including training, applied research and analysis, support for local communities, engagement with the private sector and partnerships with universities.

"Poor water resource management in Armenia has led to the overuse of existing resources, creating an urgent need to reshape how natural resources are managed and distributed," Demaree said.

Armenia’s rural communities are running out of water for irrigation and drinking due to uncontrolled and excessive use by fish farms and pollution caused by untreated mining tailings. Climate change exacerbates the situation further. Insufficient water flow also means some hydroelectric plants cannot operate at full capacity, leading to economic losses for power producers. Currently, about 30 communities in the Ararat Valley and 85 communities in the Syunik region are experiencing serious water shortages, she added.

The visit was particularly significant for establishing the academic program for the Armenian students enrolled in the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder online graduate certificate program in global engineering. The program was launched this summer with the first cohort of Armenian students, who have received approximately 95 percent tuition reimbursement through Mortenson Center and USAID Program grants.

The Mortenson Center provides multiple pathways for engineers to enter the field of global engineering including through its online certificate curriculum. Courses offered to students and working professionals of Armenia under this program include water profession (leadership and management), introduction to water quality, water monitoring technologies, introduction to water resource management, simulation modeling, introduction to development economics and data analytics for development. The program also includes a practicum, allowing selected students to intern with the USAID Armenia Improved Water Management for Sustainable Economic Growth program.

Read the Yerevan State University story Related news

Professor Edith Zagona provided technical and advisory services during a USAID-sponsored visit to Armenia, addressing water scarcity in rural communities affected by uncontrolled fish farm use and pollution from untreated mining tailings.

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�鶹��Ѱ��part of landmark legislation for green water quality infrastructure

Anonymous — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 19:23:54 +0000

�鶹��Ѱ��part of landmark legislation for green water quality infrastructure Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 06/04/2024 - 13:23

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Mortenson Center

Evan Thomas wins International Water Association Career Award for Global Water Impact

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Climate financing boosting water access for millions in developing nations

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Monitoring water quality in Boulder, London and Paris

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Mortenson Center innovations delivering clean water to more than 5 million worldwide

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Professor receives ASCE Peurifoy Construction Research Award

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How the US foreign aid freeze is intensifying humanitarian crises across the globe

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Amy Javernick-Will: Q&A with CEAS's new associate dean for faculty advancement

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�鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder professor honored with Pathfinder award for societal impact

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Modern water management approaches on tap during USAID visit

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�鶹��Ѱ�����part of landmark legislation for green water quality infrastructure

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�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder professor honored with Pathfinder award for societal impact

�鶹��Ѱ��part of landmark legislation for green water quality infrastructure