Join us on October 26, 2012, to celebrate
the 65th annual Engineers' Day
Join us on Homecoming weekend for a unique opportunity to reacquaint yourself with the college. For more information, contact Peggy Conklin at 608/265-4048, pconklin@engr.wisc.edu.
2011 DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS RECIPIENTS
Chan |
Duckett |
Furrer |
Jensen |
Kuttan |
Lynch |
Meister |
Rauch |
Woodburn |
Vincent Sik-Hung Chan
» BIO
Director, Theory and Computational Science,
Energy and Electromagnetic Systems Group
General Atomics
San Diego, California
Michael R. Duckett
» BIO
President
Duckett Group, Inc.
Brookfield, Wisconsin
David U. Furrer
» BIO
Senior Fellow, Discipline Lead
Pratt & Whitney
East Hartford, Connecticut
J. Michael Jensen
» BIO
Vice President, Global Research and Development, retired
Procter & Gamble
Cincinnati, Ohio
Appu Kuttan
» BIO
Founder and Chairman of the Board
National Education Foundation Inc.
Alexandria, Virginia
Richard M. Lynch
» BIO
President
J.H. Findorff & Son Inc.
Madison, Wisconsin
James R. Meister
» BIO
Vice President, Operations Support
Exelon Nuclear
Warrenville, Illinois
Brian J. Rauch
» BIO
Vice President, Engineering, John Deere Construction and Forestry Division
Deere and Company
Dubuque, Iowa
James D. Woodburn, Jr.
» BIO
Chief Medical Officer and Director
Applied Pathways, LLC
Deephaven, Minnesota
2011 EARLY-CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT
Topinka |
Jennifer A. Topinka
» BIO
Senior Finance Manager
General Electric — Oil and Gas
Houston, Texas
2011 FACULTY AND STAFF HONORS
The College of Engineering honored engineering faculty and staff members for their outstanding contributions and achievements at the Appreciation Day celebration May 3, 2011.
Bahia |
Foster |
Klingenberg |
Knezevic |
Ninman |
Schramm |
Starks |
The 2011 Benjamin Smith Reynolds Award
for Excellence in Teaching
Daniel J. Klingenberg
» BIO
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
The 2011 Byron Bird Award
for Excellence in a Research Publication
David E. Foster
» BIO
Phil and Jean Myers Professor of Mechanical Engineering
The 2011 Ragnar E. Onstad
Service to Society Award
Donald R. Schramm
» BIO
Faculty Associate of Engineering Professional Development
James G. Woodburn Award
for Excellence in Teaching
Irena Knezevic
» BIO
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
The 2011 Harvey Spangler Award
for Technology Enhanced Instruction
Hussain Bahia
» BIO
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
The Bollinger Academic Staff
Distinguished Achievement Award
Todd A. Ninman
» BIO
Senior Information Processing Consultant
Chemical and Biological Engineering
The 2011 Classified Staff
Distinguished Achievement Award
Renee M. Starks
» BIO
Paroll and Benefits Specialist 4
Electrical and Computer Engineering
A TRADITION OF HONORING ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
On June 4, 1948, the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering awarded its first four Distinguished Service Awards to engineering alumni, based on their contributions to the engineering profession, the college, and society as a whole. Since then, close to 500 engineers have been recognized.
In 1949, the college dubbed the event “Engineers’ Day” and held it in March to coincide with St. Patrick’s Day. (Back then, engineering and law students were engaged in a fierce dispute about St. Patrick’s true vocation; each group claimed him as one of their own.)
This first official Engineers’ Day featured a collegewide open house and special exhibits in all departments.
At that time, a display in the lobby of the Mechanical Engineering Building showcased plans for what ultimately became Engineering Hall. To add to the celebration, the college also hosted a dance in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union the following Saturday, creating “Engineers’ Week.”
Although more than a half-century has passed since those early E-Day events, the excitement still remains. Today, the annual tribute to engineers is held in October, when the entire UW-Madison campus is awash in Homecoming festivities and overflowing with red-and-white- clad alumni rekindling old friendships, revisiting old haunts, and celebrating their alma mater.
At next year's Engineers’ Day, you’ll meet award recipients as the college celebrates Engineers’ Day in much the same way as it did more than 60 years ago — by honoring engineers who have continued the tradition of engineering excellence.