Paul Alongi – ClemsonNews
Some of the most outstanding students in the Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences were honored in an April 18 ceremony.
The awards recognized top students’ accomplishments in a number of areas, including scholarship, character and service.
Anand Gramopadhye, the college’s dean, said engineers and scientists’ legacy will be defined by the sustainable solutions they provide to the world’s grand challenges, such as access to clean water and electricity in parts of the world where they remain dreams.
“To succeed we need a new breed of innovative, diverse, entrepreneurial and service-minded scientists and engineers,” Gramopadhye said. “I call upon tonight’s honorees to take on these challenges.”
This year’s college-level awards and their winners are listed below. You can also hear from the winners themselves in a series of videos that were shown at the ceremony and will be posted on the college’s social media channels here: Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
SAMUEL B. EARLE AWARD
Giovanni Orlandi, Senior, Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Samuel B. Earle was director of the Engineering Department from 1911 to 1933 and dean of the School of Engineering from 1933 to 1950. The Samuel B. Earle Award is given in his honor to the most outstanding senior in engineering on the basis of scholarship and character.
OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHER AWARD
Yitong (Gary) Chen, Senior, Mechanical Engineering
The Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award is given to one undergraduate researcher who has been recognized by faculty for having shown outstanding research potential in their field of study.
ROBERT W. MOORMAN AWARD
Justin Tyler Furgala, Junior, Bioengineering
Dr. Robert W. Moorman was the son of Commandant Thomas Moorman, a graduate in civil engineering and head of the Engineering Mechanics Department from 1958 to 1974. The Robert W. Moorman Award is given in his honor to the most outstanding junior in engineering on the basis of scholarship and character.
OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING OR APPLIED SCIENCES
William Cummings, Senior, Geology
This award is given to the outstanding senior in the School of Computing or Applied Sciences and recognizes scholarship, character and other factors demonstrating the recipient’s integrity in the field of Computing and Applied Sciences.
PHI KAPPA PHI CERTIFICATE OF MERIT
Katelynn Thorne, Senior, Electrical and Computer Engineering
The honoree must be a graduating senior with a GPA of 3.4 or above and have made noteworthy contributions in areas such as leadership, service and creative endeavors to his or her department, college and Clemson University.
J. WESLEY DAVIS LEADERSHIP AWARD
Teague McCracken, Senior, Biosystems Engineering
The J. Wesley Davis Leadership Award is given in memory of Dr. J. Wesley Davis, a graduate of Clemson University in electrical engineering and a former president of the Clemson University Engineering Foundation. This award is given to a senior engineering student for outstanding scholarship, leadership in a student engineering organization, and high potential for success in the engineering profession.
BLUE KEY ACADEMIC AND LEADERSHIP AWARD
Amanda Lee Beall, Senior, Bioengineering
As a result of funds generated from Tigerama, an endowment has been established to give an award to one student in each of the seven colleges at the university who has distinguished himself or herself in academic scholarship and campus leadership.
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT AWARD
Margaret Ann Bolick, Ph.D., Engineering and Science Education
The Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award is given to graduate assistants who have been recognized by the faculty, students and fellow graduate teaching assistants as exemplary in undergraduate teaching.
OUTSTANDING GRADUATE RESEARCHER AWARD
Tyler Ard, Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering
The Outstanding Graduate Researcher Award is given to one graduate researcher who has been recognized by faculty for having conducted outstanding research during the school year.
ROBERT W. SNELSIRE DIVERSITY PRIZE
Voné T. Whaley, Sophomore, Industrial Engineering
The Robert W. Snelsire Diversity Prize honors the memory of Dr. Bob Snelsire, a professor of electrical engineering who was also a champion of underrepresented students in the college. This award recognizes a student who has been of service to PEER, Programs for Educational Enrichment and Retention, or WISE, the Women in Science and Engineering Program.
JACQUELWYN WILLIS ANTHONY AWARD
Aissatou Wann, Junior, Industrial Engineering
This award, established by alumna Janine Anthony Bowen, honors her mother as a source of inspiration and encouragement during her college career. This award is presented to a student for distinguished service to PEER, which is the support network for minority students in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.