About the School

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Director of Retention and Student Success Kevin Thomas, EdD, has been selected as an Outstanding Advising Administrator Award winner by the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA): The Global Community for Academic Advising.

The organization also selected Thomas as a mentor for its 2018-20 Emerging Leaders Class. He is one of 10 selected internationally for this role in “engaging and inspiring diverse NACADA leaders.”

The Outstandin...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering senior Eli Ball is strengthening his entrepreneurial skills and making important professional connections through his involvement in local business pitch competitions.

In April, Ball earned second place in SIUE’s “TheOther40” Business Plan Competition, earning $3,000. That same month, he competed in Saint Louis University’s Pitch & Catch Investor Pitch Deck Competition held at Busch Stadium.

“I am alw...

SIUE School of Engineering student Diego Piña will gain hands-on experience as a mechanical engineer through a competitive co-op position he secured at the Peoria Ameren gas plant. He will work at the plant from May through December.

The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis featured Piña’s academic journey and student involvement at SIUE, and detailed his co-op position in this article.

2018 Spring Commencement Ceremony Videos 

May 4 - 10 am | 2 pm | 6:30 pm
May 5 - 8:30 am | 12:30 pm | 2:30 pm | 5 pm

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Randy Pembrook oversaw the 2018 Spring Commencement exercises Friday and Saturday, May 4-5 for 2,091 eligible graduates. All the ceremonies are available on siue.edu/tv.

Pembrook saluted the graduates for their community service and commitment to shaping a c...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Chancellor Randy Pembrook is overseeing the 2018 Spring Commencement exercises today for 2,091 eligible graduates. The fourth of seven exercises began this morning in the Vadalabene Center on campus. All the ceremonies are streamed live on siue.edu/tv.

The exercises began Friday morning with School of Business students receiving their undergraduate degrees. Brian Watson, who earned a bachelor’s in business economics and finance, was the student ...

Abdolreza Osouli, PhD, associate professor in the SIUE School of Engineering’s Department of Civil Engineering, was the featured researcher in the May 2018 Illinois Center for Transportation’s Principal Investigator Spotlight. Read the article here.

From Lolita fashion to robotic prosthetics, sexual assault prevention to chemical risk exposure, and fair trade to race relations within sacred harp music, a wide array of research and creative activities were featured during Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Undergraduate Scholars Showcase.

The event, held Thursday, April 26 in the Morris University Center, highlighted the depth and variety of learning experiences offered through SIUE’s Senior Assignment and Undergraduate...

More than 30 high school students from across the region developed their own computer program during the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering’s (SOE) WeCode event on Saturday, April 21.

Hosted by the SOE Department of Computer Science, participants from Edwardsville, Greenfield, Alton, Jerseyville, Waterloo, O’Fallon, Carrollton, Belleville and more learned computer programming through collaborative problem solving and building. About half of the students ...

Being a good leader is not about power and position, but it is having the energy, charisma and character to convince people to do the right thing, make healthy choices and do their best, said Southern Illinois University Edwardsville sophomore Christopher Cole Egland. Egland was one of several honored at the University’s 28^th Annual Kimmel Leadership Awards on Monday, April 23 in the Morris University Center Meridian Ballroom. 

The annual celebration recognizes outstanding students, ...

Five Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SIUE SOE) students received scholarships at the annual American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) St. Louis Chapter’s awards ceremony on Monday, April 16 at the Missouri Vineyards restaurant at St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

Seniors Nino Giganti, of Springfield, Eric Melosi, of Highland, Neil Ritz, of Effingham, and Daniel Smalley, of Tremont, along with Teaching Assis...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s longest running annual event on campus, Springfest, featured a week of fun traditions, entertainment and activities April 16-20. The 2018 theme was “Stranger Things.”

“Every year I look forward to Springfest,” said junior mass communications major Mollie Thompson. “There’s always so many different events that everyone can get involved in. It highlights our diverse community as we all have fun together.&#8221...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SOE) hosted Changshu Institute of Technology (CIT) on Friday, April 20, as the institutions seek to establish faculty and student exchange programs.

SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook greeted the visiting delegation and engaged in working meetings to establish a formal partnership agreement along with representatives from International Affairs, the School of Engineering, International Admissions and the English as a Second Languag...

Whenever Southern Illinois University Edwardsville junior Sadie Spears eats out, she always requests that they hold the straw. That is because she carries a reusable one with her. 

Spears, SIUE Student Government vice president-elect, was one of several students who conducted the #EndPlasticPollution ball drop game on Monday, April 16 as part of SIUE’s involvement in Earth Week. 

Monday’s green activity gave participants the opportunity to learn about environmental proble...

Put simply, a telepresence robot being created at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville functions like “walking Skype.” And, while the end goal is simplicity for users in a classroom setting, the critical thinking, and technological design and development involved in its creation are complex.

The Wailian Education Group, now WeEducation Group, Inc., supported the robot research and development with private funding totaling $56,304. SIUE School of Engineering’s Mingshao Zha...

Rolla Regional Robotics, of St. James, Mo., captured its third consecutive championship at the 2018 annual Greater St. Louis Botball Tournament on Saturday, April 14 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Fourteen teams competed in the Morris University Center’s Meridian Ballroom before a crowd of more than 200 throughout the day.

This year’s theme was agricultural robotic applications in the Coachella Valley of California. Key game elements included date palms and a t...

One of the most critical issues of our time will be highlighted from Monday-Saturday, April 16-21, according to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Connie Frey Spurlock, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Sociology. SIUE will join the worldwide observance of Earth Week with informational, enlightening and fun activities leading up to Earth Day on Sunday, April 22. 

 “We’ve worked intentionally to make sure we have a range of events that appeal to b...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Office of the Provost announced that Sandra Weissinger, PhD, is the recipient of the annual Teaching Excellence Award for tenure-track faculty. It is the most prestigious teaching award for an SIUE faculty member. Three additional faculty members were saluted for their teaching skills and accomplishments with Teaching Distinction Awards, and seven more received Teaching Recognition Awards.

Weissinger, PhD, is an assistant professor of sociology and ...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Engineering (SOE) celebrated the outstanding achievements of students and faculty, and recognized generous donor support during its annual Honors Day program held Sunday, April 8.

The program honored 60 students receiving scholarships worth $63,850. It also celebrated the School’s 290 Fall 2017 Dean’s List recipients, and acknowledged faculty members for outstanding teaching, research and service.

“I am proud to lead...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering’s Department of Computer Science invites Illinois and Missouri high school students to participate in its unique WeCode event on Saturday, April 21. The educational experience aims to introduce computer programming concepts through collaborative problem solving and building.

WeCode will be held from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21 in the Engineering Building on campus. Applications may be submitted via wecode.cs.s...

Civil engineering major Dylan Mueth, of Waterloo, captured first place for his Mueth Produce concept in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s eighth annual “TheOther40” Business Plan Competition. The School of Business hosted the competition and held its final pitch event Monday, April 9 at SIUE’s Morris University Center.

“TheOther40” competition offers SIUE students the opportunity to take a business idea through stages needed to launch a product or s...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Morris University Center was abuzz on Wednesday, April 4 as some of the University’s finest research and creative activities were showcased during the Graduate School Spring Symposium.

The annual event celebrates the research efforts and accomplishments of students and faculty, featuring research poster displays, creative exhibits and oral presentations. It began with a presentation by 2016-18 Hoppe Research Award recipient Jeremy Jewell, ...

The Office of Graduate Admissions launched a new diversity recruitment initiative in hopes of introducing qualified students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and McNair Scholars to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

Nearly 40 students participated in the HBCU Campus Visit on Wednesday and Thursday, April 4-5. The program was a multi-phased initiative focused on building relationships with HBCUs located in states n...

Talking, listening, understanding and connecting across seemingly wide chasms of race and color, sexual orientation, religion, class and socio-economic status, among other things, are taking shape at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with the help of the Sustained Dialogue (SD) Campus Network. 

“Sustained Dialogue seeks to transform relationships for the better through meaningful dialogue by creating a space for students to convey and exchange not just their opinions about co...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville summer session 2018 offers a quality education that features flexibility and convenience. Nearly 1,000 courses are available, with more online options than ever.

Register now and enjoy summer at SIUE!

A variety of introductory general education and required upper-division classes are offered during summer session. Most courses meet for five weeks or less, and classes begin Monday, May 7.

“Summer session provides students an important opportunity...

Prospective students are invited to explore the possibilities of an advanced degree at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Graduate Admissions Spring Open House from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, April 11 in the Morris University Center’s Meeting Room A.

According to the Council for Graduate Schools, an advanced degree can:

• Influence how fast and far you can advance in your career
• Increase your earnings and the amount of responsibility you assume
• Enhance decision-making respons...

Mike Marchal, president of Holland Construction Services, is the recipient of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s 2018 Construction Leadership Institute (CLI) Alumni Leadership Award. The ceremony was Friday, March 9 as a part of the CLI Alumni Day and Graduation celebration.

Program Co-director’s Chris Gordon, PhD, associate dean of the SIUE School of Engineering, and Kristine Jarden, director of Executive Education in the SIUE School of Business, presented the award.

The ...

Five Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering students received $1,500 scholarships from the Illinois Professional Land Surveyor’s Association (IPLSA) Foundation. The awards were announced at the 61^st annual IPLSA Conference in early February at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield.

IPLSA scholarship awards provide financial assistance to undergraduate students pursuing a baccalaureate degree in land surveying from an accredited college or university, or a baccalau...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted its third annual eHacks event March 2-4 at the T-REX Innovation Center in St. Louis. A pair of brothers from Maryville proved victorious in the invention competition, earning the Most Innovative award for their creation of Art Drop, a mobile graffiti app.

“Art Drop is an easy way to leave a drawing or a message anywhere in the world,” explained co-creator Quentin Reiser. “It’s graffiti, without the destruction of property....

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Cougar Baja team had two cars make successful runs at Michigan Tech’s annual Blizzard Baja during the weekend of Feb. 17-18 in Houghton, Mich.  

Senior Seth Kirchner, president of SIUE Cougar Baja, combined with 14 teammates to see their No. 94 car finish ninth overall, while their No. 34 car placed 23^rd in a field of 47 cars.

“The team’s goals for the trip were to get our members that have not been able to drive in competiti...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering and SIUE’s Center for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Research, Education and Outreach made their annual contribution to Worden Elementary School’s Space Day by entertaining and educating fifth grade classes on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Gary Mayer, PhD, associate professor of computer science, discussed robotics and, along with members of the Autonomous Robotics Club (ARC), provided robotics demonstrat...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SOE) celebrated exceptional students, faculty and alumni for their academic excellence, service and leadership during its 12^th Annual Awards Banquet held Thursday, Feb. 22 in the Meridian Ballroom.

The School recognized an outstanding junior, senior, graduate student, teacher and alumnus from each of its academic programs, including civil, industrial, mechanical, electrical and computer engineering, as well as computer science...

The Southern Illinois Builders Association (SIBA) is co-sponsoring the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Constructor’s Club to attend the 2018 AGC (Associated General Contractors of America) Convention Feb. 26-28 in New Orleans.

Cody Kruse, a senior from Highland and Constructor’s Club president, appreciates the ability to attend the conference for a variety of reasons. “We are so appreciative of SIBA’s support, because now we will be able to explain to our futur...

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosted more than 280 young girls during its sixth annual “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” Saturday, Feb. 17, in the SIUE School of Engineering building.

Girls from grades 5-8 attended the daylong event that offered exposure to the engineering field. Participants completed a total of five activities, covering the fields of civil, mechanical, electrical, industrial and computer science.

Small group...

Throughout February, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville students in the organization Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) are joining hundreds of educational institutions worldwide to participate in Student Engagement and Philanthropy Month.

SIUE STAT is hosting a Thank-A-Giver (TAG) social media-driven scavenger hunt across campus this month, representing the tangible impact donors have on the University. Additionally, STAT will host a weekly information table in the Morris University...

The legacy of legendary 20^th century architect and inventor Richard Buckminster Fuller will take on even larger life at the Center for Spirituality and Sustainability (CSS-Dome), located on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, with the donation of a portfolio of the artist’s prints. 

The Estate of Buckminster Fuller and Allegra Fuller-Snyder (Fuller’s daughter) donated “Twelve Around One” to the CSS, which Fuller designed.  

“These 13...

Rick Lallish, program director of Water Pollution Control at the Environmental Resources Training Center (ERTC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, has been nominated by the Illinois Association of Water Pollution Control Operators (IAWPCO) for its Outstanding Operator of the Year award.

Lallish is one of five nominees for the award to be presented during the IAWPCO’s annual conference April 16-18, 2018. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s (IEPA) Division of ...

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering has appointed Matthew Maas as director of the Environmental Resource Training Center (ERTC). Maas assumed his new duties on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

“Matt’s experience in the water industry from technical know-how to planning and managing large scale operations will be an asset for the ERTC,” said Cem Karacal, PhD, dean of the SIUE School of Engineering.  “We are counting on his leadership and motivation...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville hosts eHacks, a 36-hour invention competition, in the Technology and Management Center from Friday evening, March 11 through Sunday morning, March 13. Sixty-five pre-registered contestants will vie for more than $3,000 in prizes to be distributed across multiple categories

 “eHacks is a great event to gain exposure to the St. Louis tech industry and network with our sponsors’ engineers,” said Dennis Bouvier, PhD, associate profess...

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The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering solar car team achieved a new personal best at the 2015 Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) in Austin, Texas. 

The School’s Black Nova completed 66 laps and covered more than 226 miles, five times more than last year’s total. SIUE was one of 15 universities from the U.S. and Canada that competed July 26-31 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. 

This year’s team consisted of si...

SIUE School of Engineering alum Chico Weber (’13, BS mechanical engineering) won the inaugural City of Highland Gigabit Challenge.

Highland News Leader writer Mark Hodapp wrote about the competition in a story posted December 17. 

Weber also was featured on page 7 in the School of Engineering’s 2013 Dean’s Report.

Two faculty members from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering (SOE) received international recognition recently for their outstanding research publications.

Dr. Fengxia Wang, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, was selected as the winner of the Best Presentation award at the 2014 International Conference on Motion and Vibration Control (MoViC2014).

Dr. Mark McKenney, assistant professor of computer sciences, was awarded the prize for Best Paper at the ...

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Dr. Mark McKenney, associate professor of computer science in the School of Engineering, was selected as one of 17 new CyberGIS Fellows to promote cyberGIS (geographic information science and systems) education.

The National Science Foundation-supported CyberGIS Project has selected 13 projects led by 17 researchers across the United States for funding through its CyberGIS Fellows program.

McKenney’s project will develop flexible educatio...