Faculty Spotlight
Season 1: Episode 5
Dr. Amanda Bao
Dr. Amanda Bao is a Professor and Interim Chair in the Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Environmental Management and Safety at Rochester Institute of Technology.
Prior to RIT, Dr. Bao worked as a bridge structural engineer and brought the real-world industry experience into her classrooms. She has been actively involved in engineering education research since 2011, including digital learning, active learning and intensive collaboration with industry. Dr. Bao has developed a teaching website: http://baoteachingcet.com/ and has a Structural Design Teaching You Tube channel to post screencasts and supplement traditional lecture-type classes.
Her passion and efforts to improve teaching and learning effectiveness of civil engineering student won her the Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching at RIT in 2021. She is also a nationally recognized academic leader, named to the 2024-25 class of Drexel University's ELatis program that prepares women in STEM for institutional leadership roles.
In addition to engineering education research, Dr. Bao conducts research in the areas of bridge resiliency and sustainability, innovative construction materials, and evaluation of aging infrastructure.