Emeritus Professor Tom Mulinazzi Receives DESA Award

The award goes to individuals who have maintained close association with the school and have made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and to society.

“Each of this year’s winners exemplify the spirit of this award and exhibit qualities that are hallmarks of a KU School Engineering graduate — leadership, ingenuity and service,” said Arvin Agah, dean of KU Engineering. “We are honored to have these individuals as part of the Jayhawk Engineering community.”

Through innumerable professional and service activities, Tom Mulinazzi has earned a reputation as the KU School of Engineering’s unofficial goodwill ambassador.

Since arriving at KU in 1979 as a professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental & Architectural Engineering, Mulinazzi has a track record of unbroken service to the department, the engineering school, the university and the state of Kansas.

One of his most prominent roles within the School of Engineering was associate dean of engineering — a title he held on a part-time basis from 1987 to 1990, then full-time from 1992 to 2001.

As associate dean, he worked on the admission and dismissal of undergraduate students. Colleagues said he was always sympathetic, helpful and fair to students experiencing academic and personal issues. He spent extensive time and effort to help struggling engineering students successfully complete their degrees. He also took a serious and steadfast approach to certify each student’s graduation status. Several years after his retirement, he continued to volunteer his time and expertise to advise students in the department.

Among KU Engineering faculty, Mulinazzi has a decades-long track record as one of the school’s greatest recruiters. He was always happy to meet with prospective students, often accompanied by their parents. During those visits, he would get acquainted with the student and provide guidance well-suited to their talents and interests. 

Mulinazzi relished opportunities to interact with Kansans. He traveled across Kansas to make presentations to local residents in 68 counties and more than 85 municipalities. He frequently discussed the importance of appropriate, clear and easily understood traffic signage, critical for highway safety. His dedication insured signage met legal standards and helped the public travel safely.