Marquette University College of Engineering

2008 Honors Convocation

On the evening of April 25th, your students, faculty and alumni were recognized for their career, academic, teaching and research achievements at the annual Engineering Honors Convocation. With guests filling the seats in the Weasler auditorium, these groups were collectively honored on one stage – the only campus awards program that brings all three together. As a result, your alumni were highly impressed with your students’ academic achievements, your students now have new role models, and your faculty has a better insight into how to prepare students for the 21st century.

The Convocation began with nearly 90 undergraduate students receiving awards for academic achievement and service outreach, half of which were given to graduating seniors. Two faculty members were then recognized for their excellence in teaching and research. Selected by senior standing students, Dr. Christopher Foley, Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the 2008 Outstanding Teacher Award for his “passion and dedication to teach others to think.” This is the third time Chris has received this prestigious award. Dr. Charles (Steve) Melching, an Associate Professor in the same department, then received the 2008 Outstanding Researcher Award to acknowledge his “international research and scholarship in evaluating uncertainty in water resources.”

The Convocation concluded with six outstanding College alumni being recognized with awards. Andrew Williams, Associate Professor of Computer and Information Sciences and Director of the Artificial Intelligence, Informatics and Robotics Lab at Spelman College, received the Young Engineer Award for career achievements by an alumnus under the age of 40. A Service Award was presented to Thomas Miotke, Chairman of the Board for The Jansen Group, Inc., for embodying the vision and mission of Marquette in his service to your College, the university, the construction industry and the community. Ashok Rao received the Entrepreneurial Award for his many financially successful enterprises in telecommunications and now, as CEO of Excalibur Pictures. The Professional Achievement Award was presented to James Krause for his leadership in technology at Honeywell and Eaton Corporation and currently as Director of Technology for Lockheed Martin Tactical Systems. F. William Gutzwiller was recognized with the Dean’s Award for being an integral part of the GE team that introduced the Silicon-Controlled Rectifier fifty years ago, which made possible the speed control of all motors and revolutionized the power electronics and controls industry. Michael Wallace received the Distinguished Alumnus Award to acknowledge his more than three decades of nuclear utility experience and now as Vice Chairman of Constellation Energy, his leadership in building new nuclear plants.
For additional information on these alumni and other university alumni award recipients, please visit the Celebrate Excellence Alumni Awards Web page.