Leonard D. Albano

Biography

Education: BS Civil Engineering Tufts University 1982, MS Civil Engineering Northwestern University 1983, PhD Structural Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 1992. I enjoy teaching civil engineering fundamentals in 1000 and 2000-level courses, and then revisiting those fundamentals in upper level and graduate courses as a base for presenting advanced topics and fostering deeper learning. This emphasis on fundamentals can be challenging to undergraduates because they may not appreciate the relevance. Consequently, I integrate design projects into my undergraduate coursework to provide a context for learning and to emphasize my expectations for learning and actively applying the course material. I also work to align my approach to MQPs with my classroom philosophy, guiding students to build from their background learning experiences and to integrate new knowledge and skills. The key ideas for an MQP typically come from the students and their motivation to investigate certain aspects of civil engineering. Observing the evolution of an MQP from a few ideas in A term, to a substantial body of work and report by the end of C term is a wonderful experience, and the student energy on Project Presentation Day is invigorating.

Research Interest

Structural Engineering and Performance-based Design; Structural Fire Safety; Integration of Design and Construction; Structural Engineering Education