Deborah Steimel-Clair
Associate Professor
Contact information
2064 Seaton Hall
785-532-5964
steimelclair@k-state.edu
Education
- M.S., Architectural Engineering, Kansas State University, 2003
- B.S., Architectural Engineering, Kansas State University, 2003
Professional Experience
Deborah Steimel-Clair is a lighting and electrical design expert, resulting from more than 20 years of experience performing lighting design, building electrical systems design, project management, system studies, lighting education and code consulting. Her project experience includes both new and renovated construction for a wide variety of space types and uses across multiple states. Deborah’s extensive lighting design experience includes local and national award-winning projects that include aggressive LEED projects, advanced lighting controls, daylighting studies and analysis, and color-dynamic designs. Steimel-Clair has also been recognized nationally by the Building Design and Construction 40 under 40 list (2020). Her projects have been recognized regionally and nationally by the IESNA and Chicago Athenaeum of Architecture.
Steimel-Clair is a licensed professional engineer (PE) and a certified lighting designer (LC).
Research
Steimel-Clair is primarily on a teaching appointment but does have research interests in GUV lighting, blue-enriched LED lighting, circadian lighting and controls, dark sky impacts, and building sustainability and resiliency. She has spoken at local and national conferences on these and other lighting related topics.
Academic highlights
Prior to K-State, Steimel-Clair taught at Illinois Tech for three years. During that time, she taught seven different courses covering electrical design, lighting design, senior capstone and project management. She also co-developed a new undergrad/graduate course on sustainable buildings design. At K-State, she teaches across both curriculums within the department, focusing on lighting and electrical systems design.