College of Engineering faculty and staff members were honored April 28 at a special reception and ceremony at the Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences.

The following staff members were recognized for five years of service with the College of Engineering, IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering
Radoslaw Goska
Daniel Gilles
Sandra Gerard
Robert Johnson
Harvest Ellis
Melinda Keyte
Karin Kee
Heather Hunter
Kyung Moo Lee
Richard Saeugling
Sayyed Mousaviraad
Seyed Sadat Hosseini
Tony Loeser

Ten Years of Service:
Chris Murphy of Center for Computer-Aided Design
Bill Easton of Engineering Computer Services
Andrew Craig of IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering

Fifteen Years of Service:
Bart Brown of Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
Scott Coffel or the Hanson Center for Technical Communication

Twenty-Year Awards:
Marian Muste of IIHR—Hydroscience & Engineering
Tom Barnhart of the Engineering Electronics Shop

Twenty-five years:
Sheila Britton of Engineering Computer Services

Thirty years:
Chris Fomon of Engineering Computer Services
Dave Funk of Engineering Computer Services

Jon Kuhl, professor of electrical and computer engineering, has received the 2016 Faculty Excellence Award for Service.  Kuhl currently serves on nine collegiate or university committees, including chair of the Chief Technology Officer search for the College of Engineering, undergraduate program chair for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, ABET coordinator for the department, and chair of the Engineering Faculty Council committee on OneIT.  He has been instrumental in establishing a new Computer Science and Computer Engineering degree program.  The Electrical and Computer Engineering ABET self-study report written by Kuhl has been labeled exemplary by the last ABET team and has been displayed in ABET Symposium

H.S. Udaykumar, professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, received the 2016 Faculty Excellence Award for Research.  His research is supported by federal agencies such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, the Whitaker Foundation, Veteran’s Administration and the Department of Defense and covers a broad spectrum of physics that includes heart valves, how objects move when thrown by blast waves and how projectiles penetrate into metal targets.  Citations of his work average 300 or more each year.  His involvement with the Winterim in India course has introduced many students to the problem of deforestation in India and its environmental, social and health-related issues. 

Julie Jessop, associate professor of chemical and biochemical engineering, received the 2016 Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching.  Jessop’s passion for teaching is demonstrated in the innovative methods she uses in the classroom such as minute papers, trivia games, and informal cooperative learning groups.  She has taught the chemical and biochemical engineering capstone project for the past nine years.  The designs are part of the national AIChE safety award competitions with winners in 8 of the last 14 years.  Industry experts are invited to present current day topics. 

The Staff Excellence Award for Community Engagement has been presented to Sarah Williams.  A dedicated Engineering Computer Services staff member, she solves problems by day in the Seamans Center and by night from wherever she is – at her son’s soccer match, at her daughter’s dance competition or at home.  Williams was instrumental with Engineering Staff Council’s adoption of families for the past two holiday seasons. 

Jennifer Rumping, departmental administrator for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the Mary Sheedy Staff Excellence Award.  The award recognizes a staff member who provides outstanding service to the College of Engineering, has a positive attitude that impacts and improves the work atmosphere within the College, leaves a lasting impression with the College and its constituents and demonstrates a commitment to the College and its mission.  Rumping is known as “the fixer” in her department.  She handles all the responsibilities of an administrative supporting role and handles any out of the ordinary problems with a smile and “We can do it” attitude.