Keynote Speakers
Can a mom with no construction experience, together with her young children, actually build a house from scratch? Award-winning speaker and author Cara Brookins is living proof that with the right motivation, you can achieve amazing results. In a world filled with economic uncertainty, political volatility, unprecedented developments in technology, increasingly devastating natural disasters, and never-ending challenges, staying motivated can feel impossible. Cara combines her expertise in the science of motivation with more than twenty years of business experience to empower audiences to navigate change and thrive in any situation. Using real-life examples from her unconventional construction site, Cara shares the latest science-based motivation strategies to challenge conventional thinking and transform the way you approach personal growth, change, teamwork, and leadership.
Cara Brookins
Wednesday, April 22nd
Thursday, April 23rd
Terri Meyer Boake
When you think about AESS (Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel), you naturally think about Terri Meyer Boake. Terri is a distinguished figure in architecture, recognized globally for her expertise in steel construction, particularly Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (AESS). As a Full Professor at the School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo, she has dedicated her career since 1986 to teaching and researching building construction, environmental design, and film. Her passion centers on the aesthetic and technical application of visible structural steel, aiming to bridge the gap in understanding among architects, engineers, and fabricators. She has actively collaborated with organizations like the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) and the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), receiving the AISC Lifetime Achievement Award for her significant contributions to the field. Terri’s publications serve as crucial resources for both students and professionals. Her expertise is primarily encapsulated in a series of comprehensive books published by Birkhäuser, including Understanding Steel Design (2011), Diagrid Structures (2013), Architecturally Exposed Structural Steel (2015), and Complex Steel Structures (2020). These works delve into the specifications, connections, and details required for AESS, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and specialized fabrication practices.
Friday, April 24th
Caroline Bennett, PhD, PE
Caroline Bennett, PE, PhD, is the Charles E. & Mary Jane Spahr professor and chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas. 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. 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. 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 American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) Steel Bridge Task Force and Transportation Research Board committees, strengthening connections between research and practice.