University Mourns Professor Thomas Glavinich


Thomas Glavinich

 

University of Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little, Dave Darwin, chair of the Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering and distinguished professor; and Michael Branicky, dean of the KU School of Engineering, offered the following statements regarding the death of Thomas Glavinich, associate professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering.

Gray-Little: “On behalf of the University of Kansas community, I extend our condolences to Professor Glavinich’s family, friends, colleagues and students. Our thoughts are with them as they mourn this loss.”

Darwin: “Tom showed amazing dedication to his field and, especially, his students. He brought industry insight to the classroom and was an active contributor to the profession. He will be remembered as a mentor to young faculty and students alike. Tom left an impression on all he met and worked with. He is greatly missed.”

Branicky: “As both an alumnus and a professor, Tom created and shared a body of knowledge and built solid relationships. The School of Engineering is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own.”

Glavinich died Sunday, April 27, of cancer. He was 62.

Glavinich had been a full-time faculty member at KU since 1992, and he was director of the university’s architectural engineering and construction management programs. He was an expert in electrical systems as well as contractor best practices. As a prolific researcher and author, his works included “Contractor’s Guide to Green Building Construction” in 2008, and “T&D (Transmission & Distribution) Worksite Shock Prevention Strategies” for the electric power industry in 2011.

Glavinich’s long association with the university began as a student in the 1970s. After earning his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering in 1976 from KU, Glavinich worked for a number of prominent firms in the Kansas City area, including Black & Veatch, Burns & McDonnell and Hallmark/Crown Center Redevelopment Co. He also earned an MBA from KU, a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri and a doctorate in engineering from KU in 1990.

During the course of his career, he received many honors and distinctions. He received the Student Chapter Adviser Award and the Industry Partner Award from the National Electrical Contractors Association in 2010 and 2007, respectively. He received the Education Excellence Award and the Outstanding Educator Award from the Kansas City Section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers in 2001 and 2000, respectively. He was a registered professional engineer in three states. At KU, he was a HOPE Award finalist in 2008. He received the Bradley Award for Excellence in Teaching from the School of Architecture, Design and Planning in 1999 and the Gould Award for Distinguished Service To Undergraduate Education from the School of Engineering in 1995. He was a fellow of the Architectural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers and served as the institute’s president from 2000–2001.

Visitation will be 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at the Porter Funeral Home in Lenexa. A memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 1, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Shawnee. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering; St. Joseph Catholic Church; or St. Luke’s Hospice House.