College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Iowa State structural engineering graduate student earns Freeman Fellowship

Chris Levandowski (pictured) is a graduate student in structural engineering.
Chris Levandowski (pictured) is a graduate student in structural engineering.
Chris Levandowski (pictured) is a graduate student in structural engineering.

With fellowship from American Society of Civil Engineers, graduate student explores uses of Ultra High Performance Concrete

Chris Levandowski, a graduate student in structural engineering at Iowa State University (ISU), has been awarded the Freeman Fellowship from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

The fellowship was established in 1924 by former ASCE President John R. Freeman. It is set up to aid young engineers, with a special emphasis on encouraging research work.

As the recipient of the more than $4,000 fellowship, Levandowski will continue his work with Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) at Iowa State University’s Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (ISU CCEE).

“The ASCE Freeman Fellowship will enable me to research how UHPC, a relatively new type of concrete, can be applied to hydraulic structures,” Levandowski explained. “Up to this point, very few hydraulic structures have used UHPC. However, UHPC’s durability and long life span make its application to hydraulic structures one of its most advantageous potential applications. By using UHPC, the longevity and cost effectiveness of hydraulic structures could significantly increase.”

Levandowski says the fellowship will also help fund travel to existing dams to determine how UHPC research applies to these hydraulic structures. Sri Sritharan is the interim assistant dean for strategic initiatives at Iowa State’s College of Engineering. As a structural engineering professor at ISU CCEE, he oversees Levandowski’s research. Sritharan says the work of his graduate student fits the ASCE’s mission to enhance the performance of structures.

“Chris is recognized with the Freeman Fellowship because of his plan to utilize Ultra High Performance Concrete creatively,” Sritharan said. “He began his UHPC research as an undergraduate researcher and has a wealth of knowledge and experience to pursue his dream and make an impact on the use of UHPC.”


Click here to read more about the Freeman Fellowship. If you are interested in stories of student success at ISU CCEE, follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/isuccee), Twitter (www.twitter.com/isuccee) and LinkedIn (Iowa State University Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering and ISUConE).

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