No greeting card can adequately celebrate and recognize Dr. Sisi Khan's hard work and success over graduation weekend. Han will be celebrating his PhD with the help of his daughter Caroline. He received his degree in Construction Engineering and Management on Saturday, May 11th, and celebrated his sixth Mother's Day the following day.
It's the culmination of years of impressive balancing act, and according to Han, it couldn't have been accomplished without the help of the campus community.
“Marquette has given me a lot of support both academically and in life,” Han explained.
Building on his master's degree in logistics technology and supply chain management and bachelor's degree in logistics engineering from Guangzhou University and Central South University, Mr. Han will pursue a master's degree in civil engineering specializing in construction engineering and management. I came to the market for the first time in 2017. forestry and technology respectively.
Ms. Han was drawn to the transition to civil and construction engineering because growing up in rural China observed first-hand the potential impact on communities.
Han, who is from China's Hunan province, known for its monsoons, humid winters and hot, humid summers, was in for a bit of a shock when she first experienced Wisconsin's cold winters. But in time, Milwaukee became his home. Those same winters are some of my favorite memories with Caroline, who is now 6 years old and loves cheese and ice skating.
“My daughter grew up in the Marquette child care center,” Han said, praising the teachers there who helped take care of Caroline while Han pursued her education and research. “My daughter always proudly says, 'We are the market!'”
Born in March 2018, Caroline has been a part of Han's journey through the market almost from the beginning, and while she has had a lot to juggle, she has also had a lot to be thankful for.
“Caroline had the unique opportunity to 'take' multiple engineering classes before I gave birth,” Han says. “Life is tough, especially for women in engineering jobs and new mothers.”
According to the Society of Women Engineers, only 26% of women will earn Ph.D. degrees in engineering and computer science in 2021-2022, and women make up only a small percentage of the construction industry overall, according to the National Association of Women in Construction. It is said to be 9.9%.
However, Han persisted and continued to succeed with Caroline by his side. Since arriving on campus, Ms. Han has successfully defended her master's degree, pursued a doctoral program, published eight peer-reviewed journal articles and six peer-reviewed conference papers, served as a teaching assistant and research assistant, and most recently I defended my Ph.D.
Her research publications received the 2022 Best Paper Award from the Journal of Architectural Engineering and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Editor's Choice from the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management. As an emerging research leader, Han's interests include the integration of construction engineering applications of artificial intelligence, computer vision, and architectural information modeling, all of which are emerging technologies that will shape the future of her field. .
She credits her advisor to Dr. Yong Bai, McShane Chair and Professor of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, who encouraged her to explore her research interests and pursue competitive opportunities and projects in the market. I believe there is.
Ms. Han is now pursuing the same goals she shared when applying to Marquette Graduate School several years ago: to excel as a true teacher-scholar who will advance the field as an influential educator and as an innovative researcher. I plan to demonstrate my abilities. She is passionate about influencing future generations of engineers in her classroom, while also leading research and technology to advance the field and serve the community.
Her next step is not yet decided as she is considering multiple opportunities. No matter where Han ends up, she will always have great memories of her time at the market.
“Thank you, Mr. Marquette, for giving me such a great educational experience,” says Han.
