Floraliza Bornasal, Ph.D.

Background

Dr. Bornasal earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Civil Engineering at Oregon State University.  She is an alumni of Saint Martin's University, graduating with a B.S.C.E. in 2009.  Her doctoral dissertation examined the ways engineers used, represented, and interpreted engineering concepts in the social and material context of "everyday" work.  Dr. Bornasal's areas of interest in research are situated cognition, conceptual understanding and growth, research methods, discourse analysis, and safety in transportation engineering. Her areas of concentration in teaching are transportation engineering, research methods, and engineering education.

Select publications

• Gestson, S.L., S.A. Brown, A. Ahmed, D. Hurwitz, F.B. Bornasal, & R. Desing.  (2024).  Exploring the differences in hydraulic engineering problem-solving behavior of undergraduate students and engineering practitioners with multiple representations using eye tracking techniques.  Journal of Civil Engineering Education, 150(1).  DOI: 10.1061/JCEECD.EIENG-1872.
• Brown, S.A. & F.B. Bornasal. (2023).  Learning theories applied to teaching and improving hydrogeological conceptualization.  Groundwater, 61(6).
• Barner, M.S., S.A. Brown, F.B. Bornasal, & D. Linton.  (2021).  Tangibility of representations in engineering courses and the workplace.  Journal of Engineering Education, 111(1).  DOI:  10.1002/jee.20439.
• Bornasal, F.B., S.A. Brown, N. Perova-Mello, & K. Beddoes. (2018).  Conceptual Growth in Engineering Practice.  Journal of Engineering Education, 107(2).  DOI:10.1002/jee.20196.
• Brown, S.A., F.B. Bornasal, S. Brooks, & J.P. Martin.  (2015).  "Civil engineering faculty incorporation of sustainability in courses and relation to sustainability beliefs."  Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 141, SPECIAL ISSUE:  Sustainability Education in Civil and Environmental Engineering.
• Bornasal, F.B. and S.A. Brown.  (2015).  Engineering concepts in engineering performances and social interactions.  Proceedings from 6th Research in Engineering Education Symposium:  Translating Research into Practice.  Dublin, Ireland.
• Brown, S.A, F.B. Bornasal, S. Brooks, and J.P. Martin.  (2014).  Civil engineering faculty incorporation of sustainability in courses and relation to sustainability beliefs.  ASCE Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 141(2).  10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000225, C4014005.
• Bornasal, F.B., J.N. Lester, & S.A. Brown.  (2014).  Recollecting experience in interviews:  the structure and organization of engineering 'interview talk.'  Proceedings of ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition.  Indianapolis, IN.

Accomplishments

Teaching

• Monks of Saint Martin’s Abbey Outstanding Faculty, Saint Martin's University (2017)

Advising

• Associated Students of Saint Martin’s University (ASSMU) Club Advisor of the Year Award (2025, 2023)

Research, professional, and scholarly work

• 2024 Best Technical Paper Award, ASCE Journal of Civil Engineering Education: Gestson, Brown, Ahmed, Hurwitz, Bornasal, & Desing (2024) [Awarded May 2025]
• Outstanding Editor Award, ASCE Journal of Civil Engineering Education [Awarded June 2023]
• William Elgin Wickenden Award American Society of Engineering Education, Journal of Engineering Education: Barner, Brown, Bornasal, & Linton (2021) [Awarded April 2023]
• Honorable Mention for William Elgin Wickenden Award for the American Society of Engineering Education, Journal of Engineering Education: Bornasal, Brown, Perova-Mello, & Beddoes (2018) [Awarded March 2019]
• Emerging Scholar, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education [Awarded January 2019]

Engineering practice

• Honorable Mention for 2019 National Roadway Safety Awards, Roadway Safety Foundation and Federal Highway Administration: Garfield County Roadway Safety Plan (Co-Author of Plan) [Awarded October 2019]
• 2013 Award of Excellence/Director’s Award at Washington County Leaders Conference, Washington State Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration: Garfield County Peola Road Project (Member of Public Works Team for Project) [Awarded November 2013]

Areas of interest

Photography, sketching, hiking, poetry, reading, playing music, spending time with family.