The School of Civil and Environmental Engineering (SoCEE) at the University of Connecticut is proud to announce that Dr. Kay Wille will officially assume the role of Director in August 2025, following a year of service as interim director.
Since joining UConn in 2010, Dr. Wille has become a cornerstone of the School’s research and academic community. He brings with him a distinguished track record in both leadership and research, having previously served as group coordinator for Structures and Applied Mechanics, director of graduate programming, and principal investigator on more than 30 externally funded projects, with a cumulative research portfolio exceeding $12.7 million.
Dr. Wille is an internationally recognized expert in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) and cementitious composite materials, with a research focus spanning fiber-reinforced concrete, high-temperature durability, strain-rate sensitivity, and sustainable infrastructure materials. He currently leads the Advanced Cementitious Materials & Composites (ACMC) Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research hub that bridges material design, structural applications, and computational simulation to develop next-generation infrastructure solutions that are stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient.
In addition, Dr. Wille serves as the principal investigator of UConn’s Concrete Foundations Research Team, which plays a leading role in addressing the deterioration of concrete foundations caused by pyrrhotite-bearing aggregates. His team has developed an advanced, minimally invasive technique for quantifying pyrrhotite concentrations in concrete with high precision – work that continues to support Connecticut homeowners, engineers, and policymakers as they navigate the region’s foundation crisis.
A dedicated educator, Dr. Wille has taught 54 courses during his time at UConn and has mentored over 1,600 students. He holds both a Ph.D. and diploma in civil engineering from the University of Leipzig, Germany. His scholarly contributions include 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, 40 conference papers, two patents, and one book. He was recently named among the top 2% of scientists worldwide in a global citation-ranking database developed by Stanford University.
Reflecting on his appointment, Dr. Wille shared,
“I’ve seen firsthand the exceptional talent and commitment of the SoCEE community. I look forward to building on our strong foundation of academic excellence while preparing our students to lead solutions for today’s infrastructure and sustainability challenges.”
We extend our congratulations to Dr. Wille and are excited for the next chapter of leadership in SoCEE.
For more information about his appointment, check out the UConn Today article.
