Page 17 - 2020 March E-issue

Announcing the Award Recipients

Join us Saturday, April 18, 2020 at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center
Come congratulate eight 2019 Engineers of Distinction

2019 How have you used your engineering skills for community and
Engineer of Distinction professional leadership?
Taking on technical leadership roles in the International Radio Team, utilizing my engineering knowledge
and problem-solving skills to guide radio and waveform developments to match technology concepts and
capabilities to customer needs.

What do you consider your greatest engineering achievement?
Being a core member of the engineering team that created the RF-7800V-HH radio. The development
included new hardware, new operating environment and industry leading waveform capabilities. The radio
and software became the foundation for the highly successful RF-7850 Product Family.

Describe a key event or individual that had a profound effect on your
career.
Early in my career at Kodak, I was given a “stretch” opportunity to develop image processing algorithms on a
Janet C. Ibarluzea new controller utilizing parallel DSPs. This set the stage for the next 25+ years, with a focus on digital signal
processing.
Director, System Engineer -
International Radio Software What advice would you give to our scholarship recipients, who will be in
attendance at the Gala?
- Communication Systems, Find an area in engineering that both interests and challenges you. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Be a
L3Harris Technologies team player, many innovative ideas and capabilities come from peer brainstorming sessions.

Education: Articulate your vision for engineering in Rochester
Michigal State University, BS Computer To expand the engineering presence in Rochester by combining our strong academic talents with our globally
Science (19991) recognized technology industry and lead western NY into the future…

2019 How have you used your engineering skills for community and
Engineer of Distinction professional leadership?
Kodak’s 21 Century Learning Challenge put employees into classrooms as STEM Coaches, before the
STEM acronym existed. Making hardware to help teachers deliver science and math was a life-changing
experience. Chairing the current RES Initiative, STEM Bridges, has allowed me to continue making STEM
exciting for students.
What do you consider your greatest engineering achievement?
I designed a “Parallel” Lift Fixture, which solved the height problem in the final-assembly of the 33 foot
Chandra Space Telescope.
Describe a key event or individual that had a profound effect on your
career.
Dr. Edward T. Kirkpatrick was the Dean of the Engineering College at RIT when I enrolled. He gave a
Freshmen Orientation Class that convinced me I had chosen the best possible career path. I have carried his
enthusiasm for engineering throughout my career.
What advice would you give to our scholarship recipients, who will be in
attendance at the Gala?
Jon M. Kriegel My observation is that studying engineering is not a career-path decision, it is a life-style choice. My wife and
I visit a couple Museums in Manhattan; on the way home she asks “How did you like the MoMA” “Did you
see how they supported the ceiling in the Main Dome?” “Did you see any of the Art?” “Oh yeah, there was a
RES Board Member picture frame that was all one piece, must have been 3D printed.” She says “I give up!”
STEM Bridges Director Articulate your vision for engineering in Rochester
(RES STEM Initiative) I changed jobs six times; three of these jobs were here in Rochester. That gave me exposure to three other
cities. None of them had an affiliate organization like the RES. I found only nine other cities with similar
organizations. In Chicago, the ASME Section gives a presentation and announces it to only their own 340
Education: local members. In Rochester we give a talk about the Design of the Bouncy Ball that let the Mars Lander
Rochester Institute of Technology survive it’s impact on Mars, and the invitation goes to all of our 3100 members, representing all engineering
BSME (1970) disciplines! The resulting talk was given in the morning to RIT’s Faculty and Student Body, and that evening,
to more than 600 Engineers. The RES provides an incredible Community Service.
cover article MARCH2020 The ROCHESTER ENGINEER | 17