Appointments
Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Education
Ph.D., University of Virginia, Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, 2022
Dissertation: “Place-based racial history to inform just design” (Advisor: Leidy Klotz, Ph.D.)
B.S., University of Virginia, Department of Engineering Systems and Environment*, 2017
*formerly the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Publications
*authors contributed equally
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Gordon, B., & Klotz, L. (2022). Community involvement in coastal infrastructure adaptation should balance necessary complexity and perceived effort. Iscience, 25(8). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.104852
Fletcher, S., Hadjimichael, A., Julianne, Q., Osman, K., Giuliani, M., Gold, D., Figueroa, A.J., & Gordon, B. (2022). Equity in Water Resources Planning: A Path Forward for Decision Support Modelers. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 148(7), 02522005. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0001573
Carroll, T., Gordon, B., Hancock, P.I., Stenger, K.Turner,S. (2022). Cultivating solidarity for action on social justice in engineering: A collaborative autoethnography. International Journal of Engineering Social Justice and Peace. https://doi.org/10.24908/ijesjp.v9i1.15216B*
Hobbs, S. R., Gordon, B., Morton, E. V., & Klotz, L. (2019). Black Women Engineers as Allies in Adoption of Environmental Technology: Evidence from a Community in Belize. Environmental Engineering Science. doi:10.1089/ees.2018.0463
Klotz, L., Weber, E., Johnson, E., Shealy, T., Hernandez, M., & Gordon, B. (2018). Beyond rationality in engineering design for sustainability. Nature Sustainability, 1(5), 225–233. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0054-8
Gordon, B., Genuario, K., Mayfield, L., Roca, S., Jones, M., Kha, L., & Yacoubian, L. (2018). Restructuring Resilience: Sustainable housing solutions in Gyumri, Armenia. Conflux Student Journal. www.confluxjournal.org/2018-gordon
Yacoubian, L., Genuario, K., Gordon, B., Mayfield, L., Roca, S., Jones, M., Kha, L. (2018). The Tuff Armenia Project. The University of Virginia Jefferson Public Citizens Journal.
Conference Proceedings
Murray, A., & Gordon, B. (forthcoming). Disproportionate impacts of stormwater infrastructure failures on unhoused communities: A literature review. Construction Research Congress 2024, Des Moines, Iowa.
Turner,S., Hancock, P.I., Gordon, B., Carroll, T., Stenger, K. (2022). Scaffolding Social Justice in the Engineering Classroom: Constructing a More Restorative, Inclusive, Engineering Practice. 2022 American Society of Engineering Education Conference.
Articles sharing scholarship with a broader audience
Chaban, R., Dudt, D., Gordon, B., Ostrowski, E. (2021). Preventing Increased Air Pollution in Pennsylvania's Environmental Justice Communities. Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Link
Gordon, B. (2020). How to Sustain Your Activism Against Police Brutality Beyond this Moment. Behavioral Scientist.
Under review and in preparation
Gordon, B., Kraisigner, E., Klotz, L. (2022). Place-based racial history to inform just design. Under review.
Gordon, B., Campbell, J., Murray, A., and Klotz, L. Behavioral Science for Equitable Resilience: A Systematic Review. Under review.
Lewis, E., Gordon, B., MacKenzie, D. “Exploring data bias: building a statewide, transportation equity-inclusive environmental justice index relative to spatial equity of urban/rural representation”. In preparation.
Lewis, E., Gordon, B., MacKenzie, D. “Exploring intersectionality and expertise: how intersectional socio-demographic and professional identities inform environmental justice community identification two years post-HEAL Act”. In preparation.
Presentations
P=poster, O=Oral presentation
Gordon, B., Lewis, E. (2023). Equity in Planning Literature Review. WSDOT Project Managers Meeting, Seattle, WA (O).
Gordon, B. (2023). Introducing the Equitable Design for Engineering and Policy Research Group. NSBE-ARLS Lightning Talks. National Society of Black Engineers Academic Research Leadership Network Symposium, Kansas City, MO (O).
Gordon, B., Campbell J., Murray, A., Klotz, L. (2023). Behavioral science opportunities for justice & equity in engineering: Preliminary Results of a Systematic Review. University of Washington CEE 500 Seminar, Seattle, WA (O).
Gordon, B. (2022). Cultivating a practice of inclusive collaboration through reflexivity in STEM: Lessons from integrating justice and engineering. Earth Systems Science Seminar, Stanford, CA (O).
Gordon, B. (2022). How does racial historical context affect distributive justice preferences for climate adaptation?. Behavior, Energy, and Climate Change (BECC) Conference, Washington, DC (O).
Gordon, B. (2022). Empathy and Compassion in Design. Urban Ecology Lab Seminar, Seattle, WA (O).
Gordon, B. (2022). Building resilience through behavioral science: Critical racial history as a tool for collecting justice-related feedback on infrastructure projects. Advanced Research Design in Urban Science Seminar, Seattle, WA (O).
Gordon, B., Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2022).Place-Based Racial History and Distributive Justice: Applied Behavioral Science for Just Climate Adaptation. PEERS Seminar Series, Auburn, AL (O).
Gordon, B., Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2022). Place-Based Racial History to Inform Just Design. University of Virginia Engineering Research Symposium, Charlottesville, VA. (O).
Gordon, B., Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2022). If you know your history: An interdisciplinary experiment to understand the effects of place-based racial history on public preferences for climate adaptation resource allocation. Energy, Equity and Sustainability (EES) Group at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. (O).
Gordon, B., Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2022). “How does salience of relevant racial history affect resource allocation preferences for climate change infrastructure adaptation?”. Sustainability and Development Conference (SDC). Ann Arbor, MI. (O).
Turner, S. Hancock, P. Carroll, T, Stenger, K., and Gordon, B. (2021). “Using Social Justice as “Rebar” to Construct a Sustainable Curriculum of the Future”. Engineering, Social Justice, and Peace Conference. Bogotá, Colombia. (O).
Stenger, K., Gordon, B., Carroll, T., Hancock, P. (2021). “Illuminating the null curriculum: interviews with engineering instructors on their perceptions of social justice through engineering education”. Bogotá, Colombia. (O).
Gordon, B., Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2021). “Building Resilience Through Behavioral Science: Critical Racial History as a Tool for Collecting Justice-Related Feedback on Infrastructure Projects”. University of Washington Civil and Environmental Engineering Seminar Series, Seattle, WA. (O).
Gordon, B. Station1 Frontiers Fellowship Speaker Series (2021). “An Example of Technology-Driven and Community-Based Civic Engagement”. Lawrence, MA. (O).
Gordon, B., Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2021). “Building Resilience Through Behavioral Science: Critical Racial History as a Tool for Collecting Justice-Related Feedback on Infrastructure Projects”. University of Virginia Engineering Systems and Environment Seminar Series, Charlottesville, VA. (O).
Gordon, B. Kraisinger, E., Klotz, L. (2021). “How Does Awareness of Racial History Affect Designers’ Pursuit of Recognition Justice?” Environmental Design and Research Association (EDRA) Conference. Detroit, MI. (O.)
Gordon, B., Klotz, L. (2020). “Designer power and climate justice for energy infrastructure decision-making”. University of California, Berkeley Research Seminar Series, Oakland, CA. (O).
Gordon, B., Klotz, L. (2020). “Designer power and community engagement in a construction management context”. Vecellio Construction Engineering and Management Graduate Student Seminar Series, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. (O).
Gordon, B. (2020). “Status quo bias and climate equity”. Nature Sustainability, Two Years Later: Designing Behavior for Sustainability Panel, Charlottesville, VA. (O).
Gordon, B. (2020). “The Designer-Bias Feedback Loop: Interrupting White Supremacy with Behavioral Science”. STS 3500: Matters of Race in Engineering and Technology Guest Lecture Series, Charlottesville, VA.
Gordon, B., Klotz, L. (2020). “Improving racial equity via the built environment”. Three Minute Thesis Competition, Charlottesville, VA. (P)
Gordon, B., Klotz, L. (2019). “Risk perceptions of coastal infrastructure”. Engineering Sustainability 2019, Pittsburgh, PA. (O)
Gordon, B., Klotz, L. (2019). “Risk communication and coastal infrastructure”. Engineering Systems and Environment Graduate Research Symposium, February 22, 2019, Charlottesville, Virginia. Winner of the People’s Choice Award. (P)
Gordon, B., Klotz, L., Hobbs, S. (2018). “Community Engagement Practices and the Adoption of Green Technology”. Engineering Systems and Environment Graduate Research Symposium, February 19, 2018, Charlottesville, Virginia. (P)
Gordon, B., Klotz, L. (2018). “Loss aversion in physical decisions-making under risk”. GEM National Consortium and American Society for Engineering Education, January 21, 2018, Washington, D.C. (P)
Gordon, B., Kha, L., Jones, M. (2017). “Restructuring Resilience: Sustainable Housing Solutions in Gyumri, Armenia”. UVA Center for Global Health, October 19, 2017. Charlottesville, Virginia. (P)
Gordon, B. (2017). “Virtual reality for humanitarian applications in Gyumri, Armenia”. National GEM Consortium Annual Meeting, September 7, 2017, New York City, New York. (P)
Gordon, B., Rupp, W., Kilgore, E., Falvey, E. (2016). “Bio-Inspired Self-Sensing Composites for Civil Structures”. December 2, 2016, Charlottesville, Virginia. Best Group Project Award (P)
Gordon, B. (2015). “Flexural strength of shape memory alloy reinforced mortar”. MATS-UTC Symposium. July 30, 2015, Charlottesville, Virginia. (P,O)
Teaching Experience and Pedagogical Training
Courses developed and teaching experience
Instructor, Spring 2023, CEE 500: Engineering Equity and Justice
Instructor, Winter 2023, CEE 498B: Behavioral Design
Lead Instructor, J-Term 2021, CE 4500/SYS4501: Engineering Social Justice
Course description:
Why are the eastern side of cities usually poorer? Are we truly treating all persons fairly in our work if we’re not acknowledging the history and questioning the assumptions on which our work is grounded? What can civil and environmental engineers do in their work to combat systemic injustice? These are the types of questions we’ll consider in this course.
We will explore what it means to normalize social justice as a function of civil and environmental engineering practice. We will reinforce the technical knowledge that you have attained in your degree program thus far by allowing you to think critically about the origins and implications of this specialized knowledge.
Teaching Assistant, Fall 2017, CE 3100: Water for the World (University of Virginia)
Selected guest lectures and other internal presentations
Diversity in STEM Panelist, Engineering Systems and Environment Colloquium. Charlottesville, VA. August 26, 2020.
Sustainability Expert & Student Mentor, EDIS 3452: Designing Games for Learning. Charlottesville, VA. Fall 2019.
Pedagogical training
Socially Connected Online Teaching workshop. Center for Teaching Excellence, Charlottesville, VA. Fall 2020.
Course Design Institute. Center for Teaching Excellence, Charlottesville, VA. Summer 2019.
Teaching Science in Higher Education (BIOL 7110 - 3 credits). Charlottesville, VA. Spring 2018.
Teaching content and resources
Engineering Content Developer for Social Justice in Engineering Design Website (2021-Present)
Designed two modules (Building Equity into the Design Process and Practicing Reflexivity) to aid in the integration of social justice and equity concepts in civil and environmental engineering curricula.
Professional Service
Selected internal leadership & student mentorship
Committee Member, UW CEE Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee (2022-2023)
Postdoc & Faculty Panel (STEM), University of Virginia PhD+ Future Faculty Program (September 8, 2023)
Thematic Task Force Member, EVRA Sustainable Transportation Networks Visioning Event (2022)
Navigating the Academic Job Market Panelist, University of Virginia PhD+ Future Faculty Program (August 16, 2021)
Diversity in STEM Panelist, University of Virginia ESE Department (August 28, 2020)
Raven Society Engineering Graduate Student Selections Chair (May 2020 – May 2021)
Panelist for Dean’s Scholar Navigating Advisor Expectations in Graduate School (February 19, 2020)
ESE Graduate Student Council – Charter Committee (2018 – 2019)
Graduate Student Society of Women Engineers Department Representative (2018 – 2019)
UVA Center for Diversity in Engineering Graduate Mentor (2017-2018)
American Concrete Institute at UVA Treasurer (2017-2018)
American Concrete Institute at UVA President (2016-2017)
Community outreach
Engineering Workshop Facilitator, Women in Training STEAM Workshop Series (2021)
I designed and led a virtual workshop for Women In Training to provide a high-level introduction to the major disciplines within engineering and to lead participants in a hands-on design exercise.
500 Women Scientists – National Leadership Team (May 2019 – October 2019)
Bread and Roses Steering Committee Member (2017 – 2019)
UVA Center for Diversity in Engineering Graduate Mentor (2017-2018)
She Started It STEM Day Workshop Leader (2017 & 2018)
Professional Organizations
Track Chair: Sustainability and Resilience, CRC & CI Joint Conference 2024
Session Chair: Infrastructure Systems, Sustainability and Resilience, CI and CRC Joint Conference 2022
Session Chair: Land, Weather, and Conflict, Sustainability and Development Conference (SDC) 2022
Other writing
Gordon, B. (2020). “How to Sustain Your Activism Against Police Brutality Beyond this Moment”. Behavioral Scientist.
Awards and Honors
Outstanding Mentor Award, University of Washington Civil and Environmental Engineering (2023)
Outstanding Graduate Student Award, UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science (2022)
Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Graduate Fellow (2021)
Graduate Student Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (EDEI) Award, UVA ESE Department (2021)
Nana Kirk Student Travel Scholarship, Environmental Design Research Association (2020)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (GRFP) (2019 - Present)
Member of the Raven Honor Society, University of Virginia (2018 - Present)
Dean’s Fellow, University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science (2017 - 2018)
Summer Institute for Sustainability and Energy (SISE) Fellow, University of Illinois at Chicago, (2018)
2nd Place, SISE Innovative Research Award, University of Illinois at Chicago Energy Initiative (2018)
Featured Speaker at the Thornton Society Dinner, University of Virginia (2017)
1st Place, How to Change the World Podcast Competition, Global Grand Challenges Summit (U.S. National Academy of Engineering, U.K. Royal Academy of Engineering, and Chinese Academy of Engineering), University College London (2017)
Professional development
2023 Faculty Success Program (NCFDD)
2023 UW Faculty Development Program (FDP) Cohort 2
2022 Faculty Fellows Program
2022 Research Data Management Planning Workshop
2022 DELTA New Faculty Institute (ASEE)
ComSciCon (Science Communication Conference) at UVA 2020
2020 Design Futures Forum
2020 Dissertation Institute
2019 BIG Doctoral Workshop, Harvard Business School
2017 Neuroscience for Architecture Summer Intersession
Last updated: 9/16/23