Civil & Environmental Engineering Staff
Angel Ames is the Accountant for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She oversees some of the daily financial operations for the department. Angel hold a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. In her spare time, nothing gives her more joy than being with her children and grandchildren in the great outdoors.
Mel B. is the Administrative Assistant for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She is a University of Utah alumna with dual bachelor’s degrees in Gender Studies and Philosophy. She assists the daily operations of the department. She has a passion for supporting people, including fellow faculty and staff, as well as enhancing student success. When she is off campus, she can be found climbing a wall, enjoying live music, or playing with her cat and dog.
Mark Bryant is our department’s technician and safety officer. His days are filled with not only helping staff and faculty with projects and research, but he is constantly working with our students on their research. He ensures that all research projects and tests are done efficiently, effectively and safely.
Dr. Ted Goodell has a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from The University of Utah and a senior reactor operator license from The Nuclear Regulatory Commission. His Ph.D. research included image analysis of uranium morphology to determine chemical processing routes used to produce the uranium. He also did research in cybersecurity for nuclear reactor control systems by building a digital twin of The University of Utah's reactor. In his free time, he likes to hike and camp in Utah's national parks and the Uinta Mountains.
Joe LaFata is the Marketing and Communications Specialist for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He supports outreach initiatives as well as internal and external communications. As a public relations liaison for the department, Joe collects, curates, and publishes information in order to tell a comprehensive story of the department on social media, the department website, and any other avenues of communication. He holds a BA in English from Illinois College and an MA in Digital Publishing from the University of Illinois. In his free time, Joe can be found reading, cooking, or reading about cooking.
Wendy McKenney serves as an Academic Advisor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She advises for the following degrees: BS in Civil Engineering, BS in Construction Engineering, MS in Construction Engineering, minor in Nuclear Engineering and BS in Civil Engineering at the Utah Asia Campus. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Utah. Her favorite part about being an academic advisor is supporting and empowering students to reach their academic, professional and personal goals! When not advising, Wendy can be found running half marathons and spending time with her husband and furbabies.
Wendy Wilde is the Grant & Contract Officer for CVEEN. She collaborates with our faculty to manage awarded and contracted research funding and ensure compliance. Wendy holds BFA and MAT degrees from the University of Utah. In her spare time, she works with at-risk youth populations, integrating theater, movement, and neuroscience in productions across the Salt Lake Valley.