Rick Fosse's 10-year detour before retirement
Within a year of retiring as Iowa City public works director in 2014, Rick Fosse began teaching civil and environmental engineering at the University of Iowa to remain active, give back to his profession, and share insights from his career.
What began as a potential two- to three-year retirement opportunity evolved into a decade-long commitment to education with the title of “professor of practice.” Fosse also has served as advisor for the Iowa chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers, which executes the annual corn monument tradition.
Fosse has taught classes on design, project management, leadership, and ethics. A course on resilient infrastructure and emergency response draws from his extensive public sector experience in which he encountered floods, tornadoes, and an out-of-control landfill fire. His approach goes beyond traditional engineering education by emphasizing the human elements.
Jeff Crone, a former student and later a colleague, reflected on Fosse’s ability to bring course topics to life. Now a project manager at McCormick Taylor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the 2018 civil engineering graduate still incorporates Fosse’s lessons. One such lesson is that allowing stakeholders to voice their concerns often disarms contentious meetings.
“Engineers can have the stereotype of being poor communicators,” Crone said. “Rick’s ability to lead a group and engage and respect those who disagree with him is unique and was a great asset in my education.”
Fosse also encourages students to think of the bigger picture of how infrastructure designs can meet numerous needs such as recreation, public safety, and art, such as a flood wall that doubles as a trail. Field trips to locations like the Johnson County Joint Communications Center, flood recovery sites, and local infrastructure allow students to see practical applications of engineering principles.
As he prepares to retire again, Fosse leaves a second legacy of engineers who understand that their work is about more than equations — it’s about creating solutions that serve communities.
