The Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) is proud to congratulate the winners of the 2017 ASCE Structural and SEI Awards:
Structural Engineering Institute Awards
2017 Chapter of the Year Award
The 2017 SEI Chapter of the Year Award was given to the SEI Illinois Chapter. The SEI Illinois Chapter has focused on creating professional development activities and networking opportunities for structural engineers in the ASCE Illinois Section. They offer a Biennial Lecture Series bringing national speakers to the Chicagoland audience. Chapter dinner meetings often highlight local projects.
2017 ASCE Structural and SEI Award Winners
2017 Graduate Student Chapter of the Year
SEI presented the 2017 Graduate Student Chapter award to the University of Texas, Arlington Graduate Student Chapter. The chapter offers software training sessions, structural workshops, and site tours of existing structures and buildings under construction. The chapter’s activities help students broaden their educational experience and prepare for the transition to a professional career in structural engineering.
W. Gene Corley Award
The 2017 W. Gene Corley Award was given to Donald Dusenberry, P.E., SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE, for his many years of service to the Institute and the profession of structural engineering in nearly every possible capacity. He is a former President of the SEI Board of Governors, served on numerous SEI standards, technical and administrative committees, and was key to the development of the Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering: A Case for Change, which laid out a bold set of strategic initiatives to transform the profession.
Gene Wilhoite Innovations in Transmission Line Engineering Award
The 2017 Gene Wilhoite Award was presented to Ronald J. Carrington, P.E., M.ASCE. Mr. Carrington is an industry expert with over 30 years of experience in the engineering of power delivery projects and has worked extensively with SEI committees that have developed publications and information for transmission line engineers.
Dennis L. Tewksbury Award
The 2017 Tewksbury Award was presented to Robert E. Bachman, P.E., S.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE. Mr. Bachman has been one of the most effective liaisons among the many civil engineering professional organizations. He was chair of the SEI Codes and Standards Activities Division Executive Committee and served on the SEI Board of Governors.
Walter P. Moore, Jr. Award
The 2017 Walter P. Moore, Jr. Award was given to Andrew S. Whittaker, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE. Dr. Whittaker has made fundamental contributions in earthquake and blast engineering of buildings, bridges, and mission critical infrastructure. A hallmark of his work is quickly moving research results into design practice through codes, standards, and guidelines.
SEI President’s Award
The 2017 SEI President’s Award was given to Ashraf Habibullah, P.E., M.ASCE, for his many contributions to SEI and the profession. Mr. Habibullah is being honored primarily for his passionate advocacy in promoting the Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering: A Case for Change. Mr. Habibullah has been a strong advocate for strategic initiatives through the SEI Futures Fund and exemplifies the Structural Engineer’s role as Leader and Innovator.
American Society of Civil Engineering Structural Awards
Jack E. Cermak Award
The 2017 Jack E. Cermak Award was given to Xinzhong Chen, Ph.D., M.ASCE. Dr. Chen is one of the leading authorities in bridge and building aerodynamics. His research interests include modeling and simulation of wind load effects on dynamically sensitive structures, nonlinear aerodynamics and non-stationary wind load effects, reliability- and performance-based design of structures to extreme wind loading, probabilistic fatigue, and extreme response of large wind turbines.
Shortridge Hardesty Award
The 2017 Shortridge Hardesty Award was given to W. Samuel Easterling, Ph.D., P.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE, for his outstanding contributions to the field of steel and composite steel/concrete structures. His primary field of study is the development, testing, analysis, and design of composite steel/concrete floor and roof systems in steel building structures.
Ernest E. Howard Award
The 2017 Ernest E. Howard Award was given to John W. van de Lindt, Ph.D., F.ASCE. Dr. van de Lindt is a globally recognized expert in wood engineering. His research over the past decade has pushed the boundary of performance-based engineering for wood frame structures. He has greatly advanced the engineering community’s understanding of wood building system performance to extreme natural hazards.
Moisseiff Award
The 2017 Moisseiff Award was presented to Daniel M. Dowden, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., M.ASCE; Patricia Clayton, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE; Chao-Hsien Li; Jeffrey Berman, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE; Michel Bruneau, Ph.D., P.Eng., P.E., F.ASCE; Laura N. Lowes, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE; and Keh-Chyuan Tsai, Ph.D., for the paper titled “Full-Scale Pseudodynamic Testing of Self-Centering Steel Plate Shear Walls,” published in the January 2016 issue of the Journal of Structural Engineering.
Nathan M. Newmark Medal
The 2017 Nathan M. Newmark Medal was awarded to Xilin Lu, Ph.D., M.ASCE. Dr. Lu has made numerous significant contributions to structural engineering, particularly focusing on earthquake resistant design and testing of structures. Through shake table tests and theoretical analysis, his research results and devices have been successfully applied in many major projects.
Raymond C. Reese Research Prize
The 2017 Raymond C. Reese Prize was presented to Yongchao Yang, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE; Shunlong Li, Ph.D., Aff.M.ASCE; Satish Nagarajaiah, Ph.D., F.SEI, M.ASCE; Hui Li, Ph.D., Aff.M.ASCE; and Peng Zhou, for their paper titled “Real-time Output-Only Identification of Time-Varying Cable Tension from Accelerations via Complexity Pursuit,” published in the January 2016 issue of the Journal of Structural Engineering.▪
Visit the SEI website at www.asce.org/structural-engineering/structural-engineering-awards to submit a nomination for the 2018 awards.
