Alumni Awards
Each year, the College of Engineering presents awards to alumni deemed to be extraordinary in their personal achievements, developments they contributed to in their field of expertise, or their service to the College of Engineering or department. The Excellence in Engineering & Architecture Alumni Awards are presented annually during a ceremony.
The goals of the College of Engineering’s alumni awards program are:
- To advance the reputation of the College of Engineering by publicly recognizing the accomplishments of our alumni.
- To be inspirational and aspirational; Through recognition of our best and brightest alumni, we build pride among all of our alumni, and show current and future students the possibilities they too can share because of their experiences in the college.
- To showcase alumni accomplishments in a way that’s inclusive and reflects the diversity of the college’s alumni community.
- To cultivate and steward alumni to a greater connection with the college, through giving of their time, talent, or treasure.
The Distinguished Alumni Awards were established by the College of Engineering to recognize distinguished achievement on the part of alumni in the field of engineering or architecture by reason of significant inventions, important research or design, business or institutional leadership, or genius in production or manufacturing. Nominations are judged by the college’s award selection committee on behalf of the college alumni office.
The Distinguished Alumni Award for Academic Excellence recognizes alumni for significant achievement in an academic setting with an emphasis on teaching, research or other contributions to education.
The Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement recognizes alumni for significant achievement in business or institutional leadership and/or professional accomplishments.
The Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation recognizes alumni for significant achievement in research, design, creation or ideation of an original idea or concept, or achievements in a startup or self-made business.
This special award honors an exceptional individual whose sustained pioneering spirit and outstanding leadership have inspired others and had a profound economic, environmental or societal impact. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated ingenuity, creativity and/or dedication to improving our world. There is no expectation or requirement that this award must be conferred every year.
This special citation was established by the faculty of the College of Engineering in 1975 to recognize people "whose sustained and extraordinary personal service has had significant and lasting effect on the advancement of the College of Engineering." Members of the faculty and the Dean of Engineering may nominate candidates (including individuals who are not alumni of the College) to be recognized.
The Texnikoi Award was first presented in 1955 and has been awarded annually since then. The requirements of the recipient are as follows: An alumna/alumnus who is age 40 or under; an alumna/alumnus who has risen rapidly in their chosen field; or an alumna/alumnus who has made outstanding contributions through civic and social activities.
Benjamin G. Lamme, ME 1888, achieved international acclaim as a pioneering inventor and engineer for the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburgh. For 21 years he served as chief engineer for Westinghouse. Among his 162 patents were new inventions on railway motors, induction motors, converters, and the developments pertaining to the first Niagara Falls power system. In his Will he provided that a gold medal be presented annually to a technical graduate of his alma mater for "meritorious achievement in engineering" or the technical arts.