Dr. Andrei's Blog

Our construction materials laboratory received a generous donation from Southern California Partnership for Jobs . This donation will impact more than 200 students every year and help us keep our commitment to "learn by doing" and create a hands-on learning environment for our students. We are grateful and promise to graduate the best future civil engineers and construction managers in Southern California and beyond. Once again, special thanks to Southern California Partnership for Jobs and to our own professor Neal Lynch for facilitating this generous gift. To learn more about the Southern California Partnership for Jobs visit  https://rebuildsocal.org/

Just received this photograph from my dad. He is teaching civil engineering courses at the Technical University of Iasi, my alma mater. Himself and many other professors, from Romania and the U.S., changed my life forever. Be it in the classroom, or during one to one discussions, or in the lab, professors guide us and help us take the next step in understanding our profession and the world. Thank you, my professors. Respectfully, thank you. And yes, thank you dad - I can still remember learning about transition curves 20 years ago. 

Some time ago I came up with a new category for my blog, "Thank you." I realized that people and companies out there are helping us make this a better learning experience by giving us tours of their job sites or work places, by making presentations, donations, and in many ways giving more meaning and color to your learning journey. And I made this new category of posts especially for them. But I would like to say thank you this time to you, my students. Although you may not know it or realize it, you have been there for me when I needed it most. It is difficult to explain, and it may sound silly, but I would not be here without you guys. I am honored to be your teacher and nothing brings me more joy that to see you learn and then succeed in your professional and personal life. After almost 8 years of teaching, I will keep in my heart what I learned from you and try to give the best I have to my future generations of students. Thank you! Dragos, Professor, Dr. Andrei, Doct...

Neal deserves a big poster in our concrete lab. Ever wondered who took care that students will have enough aggregate for the lab? Neal did, sacrificing weekends and lunch breaks to come on campus and re-fill our supply of sand and gravel. Ever wondered who provides the admixtures we use in concrete lab? Ever wondered who helps out our concrete canoe team? But how many of you participated in the field trips to the CEMEX plant in Orange? Remember who your guide was? Neal always said yes when we asked for help. He is Senior Quality Control Manager at CEMEX , a great company that has helped us and our students on many occasions. Neal deals with concrete mix design and testing on a daily basis. At nights, you might see Neal in concrete lab, teaching part-time for CE and CET. Ask him all you want to know about concrete, but in the end, don't forget to say ... thank you.

A new category on this blog. How often we forget to say thank you ... I would like to start this new category to introduce you to people that helped us provide you with a better learning experience here at Cal Poly. They kindly offered and offer to help, personally or through the companies they work for. They don't have to ... but they understand and they want to help. Please look for new posts in this category, and when you meet these people ... don't forget to say thank you.