April 9, 1999
Lori Mah, Topeka senior, will spend nine months at Sweden's Chalmers University in Gothenburg researching reinforced concrete. Mah, whose emphasis is in structural engineering, will be working with Ralejs Tepfers, a leading authority in the study of reinforced concrete.
"It's like studying physics and going to work with Einstein," said Steven L. McCabe, professor of civil and environmental engineering and Mah's graduate advisor.
Mah's research is to take place in Sweden and at KU. She will compare how both universities test their reinforced concrete specimens to establish bond and development criteria for the reinforcement. The tests and others done at various worldwide locations are used to write national building codes. KU and Chalmers are leading universities in the research, but their testing methods differ. One of Mah's goals is to identify those differences and quantify the effect that the differences have on test results. Her research will help engineers better utilize data from other countries.
The two testing methods have several differences, Mah said. One is that European steel is typically of higher strength and doesn't strain-harden as much as American steel. In addition, the steel looks different. The ridges around the reinforcement bar are patterned and sized differently.
The reinforced concrete specimens used in each country are built and tested differently as well. In Sweden, specimens are loaded with weight until they fail. In the United States, the specimens are held in place while the steel is ripped out of the concrete.
Mah spent her junior year at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, taking engineering courses taught in German. In addition to her stellar academic record, Mah is also active in various extracurricular activities, including serving on the executive board of the KU chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and teaching religion to third graders at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center.
She is a member of several honor societies, including Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, Chi Epsilon, the civil engineering honor society, Golden Key National Honor Society and Phi Beta Delta, the international honor society.
The Fulbright program was created by Congress in 1946 to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges. Senator J. William Fulbright, legislation sponsor, saw it as a step toward building an alternative to armed conflict. Approximately 4,200 new Fulbright grants are sponsored annually. Competition for Fulbright scholarships among KU students is coordinated by Hodgie Bricke, assistant dean of International Programs. Bricke said that in the 1998-99 school year, 10 grants were available for study in Sweden.
Individuals are selected on the basis of academic or professional qualifications and potential, plus the ability and willingness to share ideas and experiences with people of diverse cultures.
McCabe said that Mah's previous experience, excellent grades and strong proposal put her in the running for the Fulbright.
Mah, daughter of Larry and Barbara Mah, Topeka, graduated from Shawnee Heights High School in Tecumseh. A solid science and math background led her to choose engineering as a field of study.
"I chose civil engineering because I find structures fascinating," Mah said. "Someday I want to be able to design innovative buildings and bridges."