Kimberly Stillmaker

Kimberly Stillmaker, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at California State University, Fresno, and serves as Director of the Lyles College of Engineering's Foundations for Success Program. Her work focuses on improving retention, diversity, and success outcomes for first-year and sophomore engineering students.

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering, Fresno State
  • Master’s in Business Administration, Fresno State
  • Master’s and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, University of California, Davis

Research Interests: Stillmaker specializes in engineering education, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and academic program development. She has implemented systemic reforms such as a common ENGR 1 course for all first-year engineering majors and block scheduling to optimize student pathways.

Scientific Awards:

• 2025 Wang Family Excellence Award - Outstanding Faculty Innovator in Student Success

Grants & Programs: She co-leads an NSF-funded ADVANCE grant to foster faculty diversity and equity in the CSU system. Her programs include the Foundations for Success initiative, a pre-engineering major roadmap, and the Central California Engineering Design Competition.