CEC dean receives civil engineering honor from alma mater
Miami’s Beena Sukumaran one of seven selected for alumni achievement award from Purdue University
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Beena Sukumaran, Miami University's Dinesh and Ila Paliwal Dean of the College of Engineering and Computing, was a recipient of this year's Civil Engineering Alumni Achievement Awards from Purdue University. (Photo courtesy of Dave Mason and Purdue University)
CEC dean receives civil engineering honor from alma mater
Miami’s Beena Sukumaran one of seven selected for alumni achievement award from Purdue University
•
Published
When Beena Sukumaran scanned the list of past recipients of Purdue University’s Civil Engineering Alumni Achievement Awards (CEAAA), she saw several names who brought back fond memories.
There were names of people she had hoped to work with while pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Purdue. There were names of those who had carved out successful and influential careers in the field.
Add Sukumaran’s name to that prestigious list. Sukumaran, Miami University’s Dinesh and Ila Paliwal Dean of the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), was among those recently selected as CEAAA honorees for 2025-2026.
“It came as a complete surprise,” said Sukumaran, who earned her Ph.D. from Purdue in 1996. “It’s a nice feeling, especially when you get it from your alma mater.”
Purdue’s achievement awards honor recipients for their contributions to the civil engineering profession. Sukumaran was one of seven selected for this year’s award.
She joined Miami in 2020 after serving as vice president for research for Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Sukumaran first joined Rowan’s faculty in 1998, and her research over the years has focused on micromechanics of soils, airport pavement performance, offshore foundation design, and engineering education.
The latter topic is a particular passion. Sukumaran said that ensuring engineering — especially civil engineering — is welcoming to different groups and students has been an integral part of her career.
“We want students to see themselves in the profession,” Sukumaran said. “We’ve worked through the curriculum to make sure that students are retained, especially in that first year when they may see themselves having doubts. Showing them the connection of what they are learning in class to engineering has made a difference.”
CEC has been proactive in addressing the future needs of its students, too. Sukumaran pointed to new degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing as ways Miami is anticipating growing demands.
“Our faculty and staff have really been instrumental in their willingness to take the plunge. I really commend them for that,” Sukumaran said. “We also have great partners, like Cleveland Clinic, who are leaders in their spaces. That speaks to the effectiveness of what we’re doing at Miami.”
There were names of people she had hoped to work with while pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at Purdue. There were names of those who had carved out successful and influential careers in the field.
Add Sukumaran’s name to that prestigious list. Sukumaran, Miami University’s Dinesh and Ila Paliwal Dean of the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC), was among those recently selected as CEAAA honorees for 2025-2026.
“It came as a complete surprise,” said Sukumaran, who earned her Ph.D. from Purdue in 1996. “It’s a nice feeling, especially when you get it from your alma mater.”
Purdue’s achievement awards honor recipients for their contributions to the civil engineering profession. Sukumaran was one of seven selected for this year’s award.
She joined Miami in 2020 after serving as vice president for research for Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Sukumaran first joined Rowan’s faculty in 1998, and her research over the years has focused on micromechanics of soils, airport pavement performance, offshore foundation design, and engineering education.
The latter topic is a particular passion. Sukumaran said that ensuring engineering — especially civil engineering — is welcoming to different groups and students has been an integral part of her career.
“We want students to see themselves in the profession,” Sukumaran said. “We’ve worked through the curriculum to make sure that students are retained, especially in that first year when they may see themselves having doubts. Showing them the connection of what they are learning in class to engineering has made a difference.”
CEC has been proactive in addressing the future needs of its students, too. Sukumaran pointed to new degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing as ways Miami is anticipating growing demands.
“Our faculty and staff have really been instrumental in their willingness to take the plunge. I really commend them for that,” Sukumaran said. “We also have great partners, like Cleveland Clinic, who are leaders in their spaces. That speaks to the effectiveness of what we’re doing at Miami.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg. Interested in learning more about the College of Engineering and Computing? Visit the website for more information.