Caroline Bennett to Receive 2026 Higgins Lectureship Award

The American Institute of Steel Construction will present the 2026 T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award to Caroline Bennett, PE, PhD, University of Kansas.

Bennett is the Charles E. & Mary Jane Spahr Professor in and chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering (CEAE) at the University of Kansas (KU).

Her research has addressed some of the most pressing challenges in structural engineering, including fatigue and fracture performance of steel infrastructure, constraint-induced fracture in steel bridges, and innovative structural retrofit strategies for a wide range of structures.

“The jury was very impressed by Dr. Bennett’s accomplishments, particularly her research leading to extending the life span of critical infrastructure,” said AISC vice president of engineering and research Christopher Raebel, SE, PE, PhD. “In particular, her work in improving the quality of galvanized steel has been very impactful. I look forward to hearing her insights this spring.”

“Dr. Bennett’s research has had a transformative impact on the steel construction industry,” said American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) vice president of construction, Dan Snyder. “Her dedication to both practical solutions and academic excellence exemplifies the type of leadership and expertise that continues to drive the steel industry forward.”

Innovations That Extend Infrastructure Life

AISC will present the award, which includes a $15,000 honorarium, at the opening session of NASCC: The Steel Conference in Atlanta on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. She will also present the closing keynote on Friday, April 25 and repeat her presentation on request throughout the country.

Bennett has led national projects with the Federal Highway Administration, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Engineer Research and Development Center, and several state Departments of Transportation, delivering solutions that extend the service life of structures and improve infrastructure performance.

National Recognition and Leadership

She serves on AISC’s Committee on Research as well as the TC10 Materials and Fabrication Committee. She recently served on AISC’s Game Changer panel. She also contributes to the AISI Steel Bridge Task Force and Transportation Research Board committees, strengthening connections between research and practice.

Bennett received AISC’s Special Achievement Award in 2024 for her work on advancing knowledge about the behavior of hot-dip galvanized steel structures as well as AISC’s inaugural Early Career Faculty Award in 2016.

In 2013, AISI named her the Robert J. Dexter Memorial Lecturer.

About the T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award

AISC’s T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award recognizes an outstanding lecturer and author whose technical paper or papers, published during the eligibility period, are considered an outstanding contribution to the engineering literature on fabricated structural steel.

The award is named for Theodore R. Higgins, former AISC Director of Engineering and Research, who was widely acclaimed for his many contributions to the advancement of engineering technology related to fabricated structural steel. The award honors Higgins for his innovative engineering, timely technical papers, and distinguished lectures.