When civil engineering alumnus Lt. Col. Brigham Moore first joined the United States Air Force, he had a passing awareness of the prestigious Federal Engineer of the Year Award. At the time, winning the award felt like a distant fantasy. But in February 2025, after years of dedication and innovation nationally and globally, Moore finally earned the title of Federal Engineer of the Year from the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Born in Nebraska and raised in Utah, Moore always carried a deep sense of duty. That sense of patriotism led him to commission as an officer in the Air Force right after earning his bachelor’s degree at Utah State University. But even before that, another passion shaped his future: his love of math and science.

“There is such a wonderful thing about this country, the American Dream, fighting for a higher cause and being willing to defend the things that we value,” said Moore. “Looking at ways to help preserve and engineer solutions to help people was a great way to do that.” 

Initially drawn to mechanical and chemical engineering, Moore discovered civil and environmental engineering — a field that combined his technical skills with his passion for protecting the environment. That realization clicked while he went to Ukraine on a service mission right after graduating high school, where he began seriously reflecting on how his strengths could serve both people and the planet.

Moore’s journey eventually took him to Alaska, his first duty station, where he enrolled in UAA’s civil engineering graduate program. UAA’s consistent reputation as a bronze- to gold-level Military Friendly School over the last 15 years played a key role in his success. 

“UAA was already a leader in distance learning, which was crucial for me,” said Moore. “As a military service member, deployments were always a possibility, and UAA’s system allowed me to continue coursework and eventually even defend my master’s thesis on rural water treatment distribution while deployed overseas.”

While defending his master’s thesis remotely from Honduras, Moore was already putting his education to use assisting on the Honduran Airfield Restoration Management Agreement, a cost sharing deal between the U.S. and Honduran governments for the upkeep of airfields across the country but primarily on Soto Cano Air Base. Apparently not busy enough, he also studied for and passed his Principles and Practice of Engineering exam during this time. 

Moore continued to develop his education and experience during several more deployments. In Germany, he added a Project Management Professional certification to his repertoire. And at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio, he earned his Ph.D. in systems engineering where he wrote his dissertation on recovering infrastructure after disasters or disruptions.

Today, Moore is stationed in South Korea where he leads infrastructure management at Osan Air Base, overseeing everything from planning and construction to operations and maintenance. His team of around 600 people is responsible for maintaining more than 1,000 facilities and two full-size runways, supporting the mission of deterring aggression on the Korean Peninsula and strengthening U.S. alliances in the region.

“What I love about being an engineer is getting to use the toolsets of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to solve problems that affect civilization. And what I love about being in the military is that we are serving for a cause that is much greater than oneself. Then you bring those together and it's a pretty amazing collision,” said Moore. 

Moore’s leadership has led to other major accomplishments, including guiding his unit to win the Air Force’s Best Large Civil Engineer Squadron award for the first time in its history. The unit’s winning project involved salvaging a 10-year failed corrosion control facility by partnering with commercial experts to develop an innovative, cost-saving solution — preventing the need for demolition and restoring critical aircraft maintenance capabilities.

Even though Moore hasn’t been back to Alaska in years, he maintains close connections with his professors and advisors back at UAA. He frequently reaches out to collaborate on projects exploring how extreme Arctic conditions impact military equipment and infrastructure — research few other institutions in the country are equipped to handle. According to Moore, these partnerships not only advance critical military knowledge, but also reflect his deep respect for the specialized Arctic expertise UAA offers.

“Some of the expertise that exists at UAA doesn't really exist anywhere else,” said Moore. “It’s fascinating research that needs to happen as we look as a military at operating in all sorts of different environments, and wanting to have that connection back to UAA is a continual touch point for me.”

Set to be restationed again this summer, Moore’s next role will take him to the Air Force Installation Management Support Center on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There, he’ll focus on building infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific. His mission: to strengthen deterrence strategies, ensure free and open access to the region and provide vital support for military operations.

“Being selected as Federal Engineer of the Year is humbling, and it reflects all the hard work we’ve put in here in Korea, and will put in across the Indo-Pacific region,” said Moore. “Honestly, my education at UAA played a key part in that — it all laid the groundwork for where I am today, and I'm grateful that I can give back in any way, shape or form.”