McConnell Named 2007 Dexter Lecturer

by Diane Kukich

August 20, 2007

The American Iron and Steel Institute's (AISI) Steel Bridge Task Force has named
Assistant Professor Jennifer Righman McConnell as the 2007 recipient of the Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecture. The program was instituted in 2005 in memory of Robert J. Dexter, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Minnesota, who was an internationally recognized expert on steel fracture and fatigue problems.

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McConnell's presentation, which was given to the AISI Steel Bridge Task Force on August 2 in Nashville, Tennessee, was on the "Rotation Compatibility Approach to Moment Redistribution for Design and Rating of Steel I-Girder Bridges."

Alex Wilson, chairman of AISI's Steel Bridge Task Force and manager, customer technical service at ArcelorMittal, said: "Dr. McConnell follows in the proud tradition of Robert Dexter and those who have received this lecture opportunity established in his memory. Robert Dexter was committed to finding practical solutions to complicated steel bridge design problems. Jennifer McConnell is also committed to that mission. Though early in her career, she has already made a mark on steel bridge design through her research. We look forward to her future contributions as a member of AISI's Steel Bridge Task Force."

"I'm really pleased to see Professor McConnell receiving national recognition for her work in the area of steel bridge design," said Department Chair Michael Chajes. "This is a topic of increasing interest to not only the engineering community but also the public."