5/31/2026
University of Illinois Provost John Coleman has selected CEE Associate Professors Megan Konar and Ashlynn Stillwell to receive the 2026 Campus Distinguished Promotion Award. Learn more>>
Konar, Stillwell honored with 2026 Campus Distinguished Promotion Award
Megan Konar
Joining the CEE faculty in 2013, Konar's primary research is in water resources engineering and science. Konar and her students work to improve our understanding of the relationship between water resources and agricultural supply chains.
One of her recent publications focused on the impacts of compound shocks on the agricultural-food supply chain in the United States. Konar led a team of researchers to understand how extreme stressors can compound and impact agri-food transportation and trade, identifying which places and commodities took the biggest hits, and which proved most flexible, in the face of disturbances like the COVID-19 pandemic, trade wars, and severe weather events. The research highlights the need for localized approaches to resiliency and disaster response in order to best mitigate the impacts of future shocks.
Konar has been recognized for several honors and awards, including winning the 2024 American Geophysical Union (AGU) James B. Macelwane Medal for recognition of her significant contributions to Earth and space science, a 2019 CAREER award from the National Science Foundation, the 2019 Hydrologic Sciences Section Early Career Award from the AGU, the 2022 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering Research Prize from the American Society of Civil Engineers. She has received accolades from U of I as well, having also received the Campus Distinguished Promotion Award in 2020, the Dean's Award for Excellence in Research from Grainger Engineering in 2022, and being included on the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent.
Ashlynn Stillwell
Stillwell's research focuses on creating sustainable water and energy systems in a policy-relevant context, and has been honored for translational research, impacting communities locally and globally.
She was recently awarded the 2026 College Award for Sustained Excellence in Community, Opportunity and Engagement, presented annually to a member of Grainger Engineering's faculty or staff in recognition of their contributions to advance the work with individual students, staff, faculty, community members, or organizations. Stillwell received the award based on her leadership in the Hope Village project, a collaboration with between Carle Health, Champaign County Health Care Consumers, and the U of I to create a smart, sustainable community of 24 small one-bedroom homes as permanent supportive housing for individuals coping with chronic homelessness and medical fragility in Champaign-Urbana.
Stillwell was selected to receive the National Science Foundation CAREER award and the UCOWR Early Career Award for Applied Research for her research work on the energy-water nexus. Additionally, she was recognized with the 2018 Award for Outstanding Teaching in Environmental Engineering and Science from the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors (AEESP), the 2018 Rose Award for Teaching Excellence, and was included on the List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent. Stillwell also received one of the highest awards for adults in Girl Scouts, the 2023 Thanks Badge, from the Girl Scouts of Central Illinois in recognition of her collaborative efforts with them to host the annual “Girl Power” event, fostering STEM exploration in the energy sector.