Dr. Kristina Fields, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, was named one of four recipients across the UW System of the 2020 Alliant Energy Underkofler Excellence in Teaching Award. The $3,000 award, funded by an endowment from Alliant Energy, is intended to recognize and reward extraordinary teachers at UW System institutions within Alliant Energy’s service area.
“I am humbled and grateful to receive this award,” said Fields. “It is rewarding to work each day with faculty, staff and students who are dedicated to using their talents to improve the quality of lives for people in our communities.”
Fields earned her Ph.D., Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University. She began teaching at UW-Platteville in 2007.
Fields’ research interests include cycling infrastructure, and in 2014, she began collaborating on this topic with Windesheim University in Zwolle, Netherlands. This led to the creation of a short-term education abroad civil engineering course on cycling in the Netherlands. Fields also has a passion for pre-college engineering outreach, and she served as curriculum manager for UW-Platteville’s Sky’s the Limit program that offered young women hands-on STEM experience.
Fields said she is thankful to a number of mentors, colleagues and former students.
“Thank you to my department chair and mentor Dr. Christina Curras and the many department, college and university colleagues at UW-Platteville who have mentored and encouraged me,” said Fields. “I also want to thank my graduate school advisor, Dr. Bill Sproule at Michigan Technological University, who continuously inspired me to be an engaging and caring teacher. Thank you to the civil engineering alumni who provided me letters of recommendation. I am proud of your accomplishments and endurance you have shown so quickly. My hope is that together we can do even more to create inclusive, innovative, hard-working, humble engineers who want to make a positive difference in our society and environment.”
Fields will be recognized in a virtual ceremony on Friday, Nov. 6.