Page 45 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering Magazine

STUDENT NEWS
Student News
Charalampos Andriotis, a recent civil engineering doctorate recipient and current postdoctoral researcher in the department, received the 2019 Civil Engineering Risk and Reliability Association (CERRA) Award at the International Conference on Applications of Statistics and Probability in Civil Engineering (ICASP), held every four years. ICASP brings together engineers, scientists, educators, researchers, students, and practitioners for
a better understanding and management of uncertainty and risk in all aspects of civil engineering.
Andriotis also received first place in the Probabilistic Methods Student Paper Competition and second place in the Structural Health Monitoring and Control Committee Student Paper Competition at the 2019 Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference. In addition, Andriotis was a 2019 recipient
of the Mark E. and Claire L. Alpert Graduate Fellowship, awarded to CEE graduate students at Penn State that exhibit outstanding academic excellence.
Autumn Dietrick, an undergraduate student majoring in civil engineering, received the John Sr. and Kimlyn Patishnock first place award, one of the 72 Undergraduate Research Awards given by Penn State University Libraries for Excellence in Information Literacy. Dietrick received the award for her poster, “Optimizing the Weir Equation for Nature-Like Fish Passages.” Dietrick performed the research
in the Environmental Fluid Dynamics research group under Associate Professor Xiaofeng Liu.
Susana Garcia Gonzales, a recent civil engineering doctorate recipient, received
the Universities Council on Water Resources (UCOWR) 2020 Outstanding Dissertation Award in Water Policy and SocioEconomics. The goal of her research was to map and quantify indirect water uses associated with the production
and consumption of agricultural and industrial products under a data-driven approach, relying on complex network theory, econometrics,
and statistical modeling. The UCOWR is a consortium of academic institutions and affiliates invested in water resources research, education, and outreach.
Bonnie McDevitt, a recent environmental engineering doctorate recipient, received the 2020 Alumni Association Dissertation Award from the Graduate School at Penn State. The award provides funding and recognition to outstanding full-time research doctoral candidates who have passed their comprehensive examinations and have received approval of their dissertation topic. It is considered to be among the most prestigious awards available to Penn State graduate students.
Zachary Ryan Neff, an undergraduate student majoring in civil engineering, received the Tom Strickler and Steve Artz Engineering Scholarship, awarded by the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity.
The founder of a new fraternity chapter of Pi Lambda Phi whose goals are standing for equality and fighting for the end of prejudice, Neff has encouraged men in the LGBTQ+ community to join without fear of discrimination.
Sudheer Prabhu, a civil engineering doctoral student, was awarded the Edward S. Nolan Scholarship from the International Association of Foundation Drilling. Prabhu’s research focuses the mechanical behavior of sands under high strain rates.
Sajjad Salam, a recent civil engineering doctorate recipient, received the Harry G. Miller Fellowship in Engineering, awarded for excellence in graduate studies and research. Salam recently defended his dissertation, “Cyclic behavior of fine coal refuse and seismic stability of coal tailing dams.”
The Penn State University Park chapter of the American Society of
Civil Engineers (ASCE) received a 2019 ASCE
Honorable Mention Chapter Award, selected by the ASCE Committee on Student Members. This recognition is received by only the top third of all ASCE student chapters. The Penn State chapter is one of the original seven founded in 1920.
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CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 36, 2020 45