Honors and Awards

Jay R. Gould Award for Excellence in Teaching Technical Communication, 2006. This international Society of Technical Communication award “honors excellence in teaching that becomes true academic mentorship: the personal and professional concern that the best teachers extend to their students beyond the demands of the classroom and beyond even graduation as former students continue to grow throughout their professional careers."

Associate Fellow of the Society of Technical Communication, 2003. International honor that is “… conferred upon a senior member who has attained distinction…. Not more than three percent of the Society’s membership may hold the rank of associate fellow at any time."

University Professor, promotion for having “a significant impact on…[and] outstanding performance in... teaching, research, and professional service, and evidence that the candidate has acted as a change-agent.” 2002

Outstanding Innovations Award, ISU award for “exemplary contributions to the ISU learning community program,” 2001

Recent Grants

2005-06 Iowa Department of Transportation
Project: “Redesigning the Iowa DOT Specifications Content Management System, Phase 4”
PI: G. Sauer; Co-PIs: R. E. Burnett, L. Honeycutt, R. Walters ($45,000)

2005-06 National Science Foundation: Grants for the Department-Level Reform of Undergraduate Engineering Education
Project: “Civil and Environmental Engineering Program Update for the 21st Century” Co-Principal Investigator.
PI: P. Bedient; Co-PIs: P. Alvarez, R. E. Burnett, and A. Durrani. (P. Bedient, P. Alvarez, and A. Durrani: Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Rice University). ($100,000)

2004-05 ISU Women’s Enrichment Fund
Project: “Communication Practices Affecting Women Students in Undergraduate Engineering and Science Classes at ISU”
PI: R. E. Burnett; Research Assistant: S. M. Brown (M.A. Student) ($2,500)