Kimberly Stillmaker

Kimberly Stillmaker is an Associate Professor in the Civil and Geomatics Engineering Department at California State University, Fresno's Lyles College of Engineering, where she joined the faculty in 2016. She serves as Director of the LCOE Foundations for Success program and Faculty Custodian for the Materials and Concrete Lab.

Education:

• PhD in Civil Engineering, UC Davis, 2016
• MS in Civil Engineering, UC Davis, 2013
• MBA, Fresno State, 2010
• BS in Civil Engineering, Fresno State, 2008

Dr. Stillmaker's research spans structural engineering and engineering education. Her structural work focuses on seismic design of steel structures, particularly column splice fracture mechanics. In engineering education, she investigates gender equity and diversity in the engineering professoriate, emphasizing women's experiences and systemic barriers. She leads initiatives to promote inclusive practices through her NSF ADVANCE grant work.

Analysis of her publications (2013-2023) reveals an evolution from structural engineering (2013-2017) toward dual expertise, with recent work (2018-2023) increasingly addressing engineering education topics like mentoring, faculty diversity, and retention strategies. This shift aligns with her leadership in national diversity initiatives.

Scientific Awards:

• ASEE’s Women in Engineering Division (WEID) – Best Diversity Paper Award (2019)

Dr. Stillmaker advises civil engineering students in structural research and serves as Co-PI on the NSF ADVANCE Partnership grant (KIND Program), targeting systemic gender diversification in CSU engineering faculty. She directs the LCOE Foundations for Success program, integrating teaching, advising, and mentoring for first-year engineering students. Her grant work focuses on creating institutional change through data-driven approaches to faculty recruitment and retention.

She oversees the Materials and Concrete Lab and collaborates with multi-institutional teams across the CSU system on the NSF ADVANCE grant, focusing on scalable interventions for engineering faculty diversity.