The University of Missouri honored William F. Baker, SOM Structural Engineering Partner, with an Honorary Doctor of Science degree on Friday, December 15th, in recognition of his distinguished career and contributions to the field. The degree was conferred by University Chancellor Alexander Cartwright at the 2017 Honors College Commencement.
A native Missourian, Baker graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri in 1975. Upon accepting the honor, Baker thanked his alma mater and expressed excitement to be back on the campus where he learned the basics of structural engineering—skills that continue to help him to this day, he explained.
Throughout his career, Baker has dedicated himself to extending structural engineering through design, research, teaching, and professional activities. One of his best-known contributions to the profession is the buttressed-core structural system that he developed for the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest manmade structure.
Baker has also been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Stuttgart in Germany, Heriot-Watt University in Scotland, and the Illinois Institute of Technology.