A message from the CEE Friends Association (CEEFA) Board President
Alumna and Board President Tarolyn Buckles reflects on an unprecedented year.
Dear CEE Alumni, Students, and Friends
I bring you greetings on behalf of the CEEFA Board of Directors. The year of 2020 will be in our history books as the most unprecedented year of calamities in our nation’s history as we are fighting several battles: the COVID-19 pandemic, racial and economic injustice, and climate change natural disasters. With battles there are opportunities for resilient leadership and faith in each other to chart a path forward. We are seeing this demonstrated in our University of Michigan Civil and Environmental Engineering community of students, faculty, and staff. Our CEE community is charting a path forward of adapting to hybrid and remote learning; listening and developing plans to ensure a diverse and inclusive campus environment; and focusing on our CEE Strategic Plan initiatives.
As we move through this CEE academic year it is important to embrace the department mission; diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; and strategic direction outlined below.
STRATEGIC DIRECTION:
CEE has identified five strategic directions that will drive our efforts over the next 10 years: 1) Human Habitat Experience, 2) Shaping Resource Flows, 3) Adaptation, 4) Autonomy, and 5) Smart Infrastructure Finance.
Last year’s magazine focused on the strategic direction “Adaptation.” This year’s focal point is “Shaping Resource Flows.” We understand now more than ever there will be constant “Adaptation”: conversations, alterations, changes, transformations, revamping, and reconstruction. However, “Shaping Resource Flows” is also critical as any disruption in our natural resources will lead to calamities such as global warming, flooding, and other natural disasters. Fortunately, our civil and environmental engineers are positioned by learning to “envision, design and build systems to alter the flow of resources to create more sustainable habitats.”
CEE will continue to employ Adaptation and Shaping Resource Flows in the natural and built environment studies and embrace Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in our student, faculty, and staff environment. We will continue to be resilient “Leaders and Best” and “victors for the world”.
I want to thank all of our Board Directors for your sincere service, dedication, and outstanding commitment in impacting the lives of our U-M CEE academic community.
Go Blue!
Sincerely,
Tarolyn Buckles Onyx Enterprise, Inc.
President and CEO
CEEFA Board President
MEDIA CONTACT
Mason Hinawi
Marketing Communications Specialist
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering