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Kenneth S. Sands II is an Assistant Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, FL.

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Dr. Annie Pearce is an Associate Professor in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech specializing in sustainable facilities and infrastructure systems. Throughout her career, Annie has worked with practitioners in both public and private sectors to implement sustainability as part of building planning, design, construction, and operations. As a LEED Accredited Professional, Annie brings the latest in green building methods, technologies, and best practices to the classroom. Her specific areas of interest include metrics of sustainability for built facilities, green building materials and systems, cost modeling to support sustainability implementation, and in situ performance of sustainable facility technologies.

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Denise R. Simmons, Ph.D., PE, LEED-AP, is an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida. She holds a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in civil engineering and a graduate certificate in engineering education – all from Clemson University. She has over ten years of construction and civil engineering experience working for energy companies and as a project management consultant.

Dr. Simmons has extensive experience leading and conducting multi-institutional, workforce-related research and outreach. She is a leader in research investigating the competencies professionals need to compete in and sustain the construction workforce. Dr. Simmons oversees the Simmons Research Lab (www.denisersimmons.com), which is home to a dynamic, interdisciplinary mix of graduate researchers and postdoctoral researchers who work together to explore human, technology and society interactions to transform civil engineering education and practice with an emphasis on understanding hazard recognition, competencies, satisfaction, personal resilience, organizational culture, training, informal learning and social considerations. The broader impact of this work lies in achieving and sustaining safe, productive, and inclusive project organizations composed of engaged, competent and diverse people. The SRL is supported by multiple research grants, including a CAREER award, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Dr. Simmons is a former project director of the Summer Transportation Institute (STI) at South Carolina State University and Savannah River Environmental Sciences Field Station (SRESFS). Both programs were aimed at recruiting, retaining and training women and minorities in transportation, environmental science and engineering and natural resources-related fields of study. As SRESFS director, she led a board composed of 29 colleges and universities.

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Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Technology at Sam Houston State University.
Ph.D. from Virginia Tech
M.S. from Stanford University
B.S. from Yeungnam University in South Korea

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Dr. Christine Fiori is the Department Head of Engineering Management Studies and the Program Director of the Construction Management Program at Drexel University where she teaches courses in Project Controls, Equipment Applications and Economics, and Strategic Management. Prior to joining the faculty at Drexel University, she served as the Preston and Catharine White Fellow and Associate Director of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech. She received her BS, MS and PhD in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Geotechnical Engineering from Drexel University in 1992, 1994 and 1997 respectively. She served as a Civil Engineering officer in the United States Air Force and taught at both the United States Air Force Academy and Arizona State University.
Her interest in ancient construction practices led to a National Science Foundation grant to explore the construction techniques of the Inca, specifically the Inca road throughout Peru. This research is part of a Smithsonian exhibit at the Museum of the Native American Indian through 2020. She was recognized as an Engineering News Record Top 25 Newsmakers of 2010 for her research on the Inca Road. Additionally, Dr. Fiori was featured on the Science Channel in an Episode of Strip the City pertaining to Machu Picchu. Dr. Fiori led the Construction Engineering and Management program and also facilitated the service learning programs for the Myers-Lawson School of Construction. She has led diverse groups of student teams to Vietnam, Kenya, Belize, Guatemala and Haiti to complete construction projects and community engagement programs. Currently her work is focused in Belize and Africa. She also serves as a Faculty Fellow for the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, is a Bridges to Prosperity Construction Mentor, serves on the Board of Directors and as a mentor for the ACE Mentoring program of Southeastern Pennsylvania and was elected as the first Affiliate member of the Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia. In her spare time she enjoys working with non-profits such as Peacework and Habitat for Humanity, traveling, bee-keeping and scuba diving.

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