U-M CEE Recognizes Professor Jeffrey S. Russell with the Robert B. Harris Lecture and Award
Thank you to Professor Russell for his insightful and inspiring lecture and his practical advice toward ethical practice
On April 9, 2025, U-M CEE recognized Professor Jeffrey Russell, Ph.D., PE, F.NSPE, Dist. M.ASCE, Vice Provost for Lifelong Learning and Dean of the Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, with the Robert B. Harris Lecture and Award.
In a packed room, Professor Russell’s talk, “Toward Ethical Professional Practice,” honored the legacy of Professor Harris in Construction Engineering and Management at U-M, in the U.S. and internationally, and emphasized the vital role of ethics in engineering.
Professor Russell emphasized the importance of building a career centered on ethics and trust. He urged all aspiring engineers to commit to ethical behavior from the start: “Committing to acting ethically now means you will more likely choose the ethical option going forward in the future.”
Through case studies—including the Hyatt-Regency walkway disaster, the Challenger disaster, the Flint water crisis, and the FIU bridge collapse—Russell highlighted the tragic consequences of ethical lapses and poor quality control. “Technical competency is not enough. The character of people and organizations is also essential to ethical professional practice,” he said. “If something doesn’t look right, you have got to say something. There’s no right way to do the wrong thing.”
Russell’s message echoed the values that Professor Harris championed throughout his 40 year career at U-M: high character, trustworthiness, and a deep commitment to public safety.
On behalf of the U-M CEE community we wish to thank Professor Russell for his insightful and inspiring lecture and his practical advice toward ethical practice in all aspects of engineering.
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Mason Hinawi
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Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering