Dr. Wallace Sanders Honored with Professional Award in Civil Engineering

2020 Professional Award in Civil Engineering Award Winner Wallace Sanders

By Holly Hinson

Dr. Wallace Sanders, a Masters of Engineering graduate from Speed School has led a long and storied career in Civil Engineering. Sanders received his PhD from University of IllinoisUrbana. He is currently Professor Emeritus at Iowa State after more than three decades teaching and conducting research there in structural engineering with specialties in bridge design and aluminum structures. Sanders gave a lecture series in Germany,which ledto his participation in a committee that writes criteria for the European Committee for Constructional Steelworks. He has been awarded Outstanding Civil Engineer AwardfromAmerican Society of Civil Engineers -Iowa Section, Superior Service Award at IowaState, and the Lifetime Achievement Award at American Institute of Steel Construction. He and his brother, John, who is also a Speed School alum, have supported the Speed School engineering outreach program, especially those efforts at Central High School.Sanders said this alumni award means recognition of his work related to his education, and he remembers fondly morning get-togethers at Speed School. “Speed School gave me opportunities in the work place to see what my professional career would be like,”he said. Those work experiences can teach young students how classwork leads to good work experience.”