Linda Thomas-Mobley Receives National Association of Women in Construction Honor

CLEMSON, S.C. — The National Association of Women in Construction Education Foundation has named Linda Thomas-Mobley, Ph.D., a long-time secondary education leader in construction management, as its 2012 recipient of the Carol A. Kueker Construction Education Visionary Award. She will be recognized Sept. 1 during the Crystal Vision Awards ceremony at NAWIC’s 57th Annual Meeting and Educational Conference in Denver.

Thomas-Mobley is the chair of the Construction Management Program at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego. In that role, she has reformed its Bachelor of Science program to meet the future needs of the construction workforce and led efforts to develop and start the school’s fully online master’s program in Construction Management.

Thomas-Mobley’s commitment to educational endeavors can be seen in her own educational path. After receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering, she served as an active duty officer/engineer in the U.S. Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps for five years, earning numerous honors. Before serving as a construction manager on Atlanta’s Committee for the Olympic Games, managing a $28-million dollar budget as part of the Olympic Village project, Thomas-Mobley earned her juris doctorate, graduating cum laude, and practiced construction litigation for several years.

Using the knowledge she gained with these experiences, Thomas-Mobley joined the faculty at Georgia Tech as an instructor and was promoted to associate director for its Building Construction program. She has served as an advisor and mentor to graduate students furthering their academic career paths.

As associate director and later associate chair and full-time tenured faculty member, she was instrumental in developing the curriculum for masters and Ph.D. level programs. In 2000, she received her own doctorate, focusing her dissertation on facilities management and indoor environments, which has been a key area of research.

Thomas-Mobley, who was unaware that she had been nominated, said winning the award is meaningful for several different reasons. “It validates my long-held belief that the construction industry is vital to the economy, and therefore construction education is important …,” she said. “I am so very grateful to be recognized by other pioneering women and hope to continue to contribute to the cause of gender equality in this most important industry.”

As a member of the academic leadership at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design, Thomas-Mobley’s life-long pursuit and commitments to construction education have culminated in an opportunity to affect the lives of the next generation of construction leaders.

The Carol A. Kueker Construction Education Visionary Award recognizes nonmembers of NAWIC for passion and dedication to NEF programs and the promotion of construction education through a variety of avenues. It is named in honor of the late Carol A. Kueker, a long-time trustee and volunteer who served as president of NEF. For more information, visit www.nawiceducation.org.