Abstract
Drs. Lederle and Wharton-Beck discuss a class they co-teach that examines how urban transportation infrastructure has historically influenced racial policies, using the Rondo neighborhood as a case study-and explores how things can be done differently today.
Dr. Rita Lederle is an associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. She is interested in improving infrastructure through materials, design, and construction and maintenance techniques. Her research focuses on concrete pavements and bridges, with an emphasis on practical, implementable solutions. Prior to joining the faculty of St. Thomas, Dr. Lederle worked as a structural design engineer for both the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation, where she was responsible for the design of new highway bridges and retaining walls, as well as repairs and rehabilitations of existing bridges.
Dr. Aura Wharton Beck is an associate professor in the School of Education. She began her career as a teacher for hearing impaired students in the Chicago Public Schools. Her leadership positions include mentoring and coaching teachers, serving as an adjunct faculty in higher education and as a public school principal. Education Minnesota captured her philosophy of education in a statewide television commercial titled "validatED." Dr. Wharton-Beck earned her EdD degree of the University of St. Thomas College of Education, Leadership and Counseling and in 2018 Aura joined the faculty of the Department of Educational Leadership as an assistant professor.