Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s School of Engineering (SOE) celebrated the outstanding achievements of students and faculty, and recognized generous donor support during its annual Honors Day program held Sunday, April 8.
The program honored 60 students receiving scholarships worth $63,850. It also celebrated the School’s 290 Fall 2017 Dean’s List recipients, and acknowledged faculty members for outstanding teaching, research and service.
“I am proud to lead a School that has continuously strived to distinguish itself as a center of excellence in engineering education in the region,” said SOE Dean Cem Karacal, PhD. “This academic year was one of record high accomplishments for our School with increased enrollment comprising high-quality students, many of whom we are honoring today.”
“We sincerely appreciate the generous contributions of our community partners and individual donors, who provide valuable support for our students, as they develop into innovative and effective future engineering professionals,” Karacal added.
Honors Day addresses were presented by the School’s 2018 Outstanding Researcher Mark McKenney, PhD, associate professor of computer science, and Patrick Biby, of Fairview Heights, a senior studying mechanical engineering.
Alumna Megan Harris was also a featured speaker. She earned a bachelor’s in industrial engineering from SIUE in 2005. Harris has worked at Boeing for the past 12 years in numerous capacities and is an active SOE alumna who has mentored many SIUE students.
Steve Muren, adjunct lecturer and lab manager in electrical and computer engineering, was acknowledged for his outstanding service to the SOE.
Outstanding faculty members from each area of study were also recognized during the Honors Day program, including:
- Jianwei Huang, PhD, PE, assistant professor in the Department of Civil Engineering
- Thoshitha Gamage, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science
- Anne Werner, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Construction
- Jon Klingensmith, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Xin Chen, PhD, associate professor of industrial engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
- Soondo Kweon, PhD, associate professor of mechanical engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Among the student awards was the new Dean’s Society scholarship that provided $1,000 each to industrial engineering majors Raillane Kamdem and Taylor Pyzynski.
The Dean’s Society was developed to recognize donors who wish to make an investment in the School’s vision to provide the highest quality education and maintain innovative resources that support the region’s technical growth and economic development.
To become a member of the Dean’s Society, contact SOE Director of Development Chandler Vandenberg at cvanden@siue.edu or 618-650-5020.
At the event, Karacal also announced the current SOE campaign aimed at raising funds for SOE advancements. This $1.3 million campaign is for the completion of the SOE Student Design Center’s second floor, which has an expected completion of early 2019. The funding for this project has been recently secured due to generous donors coming forward.
For more information, visit siue.edu/give/campaignfunds/school_of_engineering.
Photos:
SIUE School of Engineering Dean Cem Karacal, PhD.
SIUE School of Engineering Honors Day student speaker Patrick Biby, of Fairview Heights, encouraged his fellow students to continue working hard to achieve academic and professional success.
(L-R) Kay Guse, a School of Engineering alumna, and member of the Dean’s Society and the School’s Advisory Board, stands with Taylor Pyzynski, a Dean’s Society scholarship recipient.