The 2022 CAEE Student and Faculty award winners have been announced!
Left to right: Department Chair Bob Gilbert, Shailey Patel, Asish Govindan, Katelyn Dill, Ahmed Hussien, Emma Palmer, Associate Professor Raissa Ferron, Assistant Professor Blair Johnson, Allen Ho, Isabel Vargas
ACADEMIC AWARDS
John A. Focht Academic Excellence Award - Ashish Govindan
Presented to a Civil Engineering student who started as a freshman at UT-Austin, has the highest GPA in the class and is completing their degree in four years.
Ashish is civil senior, and a Lab Assistant at the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory under Dr. Chadi El Mohtar. He is also a member of ASCE.
Werner E. Dornberger Academic Excellence Award - Shailey Patel
Presented to an Architectural Engineering student who started as a freshman at UT-Austin, has the highest GPA in the class and is completing their degree in four years.
Shailey is an Architectural senior who will be continuing her education at MIT in the fall. While at UT, she’s been a member of organizations such as Phi Kappa Phi, Texas Sweethearts, Texas Visual Arts Collective, and the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).
Environmental Engineering Academic Excellence Award - Allen Ho
Presented to an Environmental Engineering student who started as a freshman at UT-Austin, has the highest GPA in the class and is completing their degree in four years.
Allen is an environmental senior who worked as a Ramshorn Academic Coach here at UT. His focus is water and waste-water, and is currently working as an intern at Plummer Associates, Inc.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Civil Engineering Leadership Award - Isabel Vargas
Presented to a Civil Engineering student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in campus and community activities.
Isabel is a civil senior who is also the president of ASCE. One of her nominators said, “She truly listens to all members and wants to make UT ASCE the best it can be!”
Architectural Engineering Leadership Award - Katelyn Dill
Presented to an Architectural Engineering student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in campus and community activities.
Katelyn is an ArchE senior working as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, as well as a member of WEP, AEI, and ASCE. In addition to her Architectural degree, she is pursuing the Humanitarian Engineering Certificate through the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering. She’s worked as an intern at both Austin Commercial and Tesla, and won 1st place in the Sustainable Dog House Challenge last year.
Environmental Engineering Leadership Award - Emma Palmer
Presented to an Environmental Engineering student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in campus and community activities.
Emma is an environmental graduate student pursuing her MS and PhD in EWRE, and is secretary of the GSAB. She completed her BS in Environmental at Duke, and holds a chemistry minor. Emma consistently shows up for the CAEE department, and helped organize this year’s Graduate Symposium.
One of her nominators said, “She truly exemplifies leadership and service to her EWRE community.”
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award - Ahmed Hussien
Presented to a teaching assistant who has shown exemplary dedication and motivation in their teaching.
Ahmed is a civil graduate student pursuing his PhD in Geotechnical Engineering. He received his masters in Mineral Engineering from New Mexico Tech. He helped lead the Civil Capstone Course, managing student-client relationships. Several of his nominators said he is the best TA they have had at UT. One nominator said, “His default demeanor is to make people feel valued and included. He approaches people with sincerity and goes the extra mile in understanding them and quickly identifies/communicates their strengths, uplifting them.”
FACULTY AWARDS
Ervin S. Perry Student Appreciation Award – Associate Professor Raissa Ferron
Presented to a faculty member who best meets the ideals of an excellent teacher and a good friend.
Dr. Ferron’s focuses on material science and cement-based materials. She develops outreach programs for underrepresented minorities for the Cockrell School. One of her nominators said she is “..the best professor I have had at UT so far. So much passion for the material she teaches and genuinely wants to get to know every single student and is willing to assist them on anything inside or outside the class.”
Department Teaching Award - Assistant Professor Blair Johnson
Presented to a faculty member who has excelled in teaching and has demonstrated exceptional motivation of students in the classroom. The recipient of this award is determined by a faculty committee comprised of previous winners through a holistic review process. Not only did they consider nominations received from students and peers, but also through written comments, teaching evaluation scores and previous CIS comments.
The committee stated that they were “impressed with detailed comments praising Dr. Johnson’s ability to teach complex topics, for her transition to online classes amidst the pandemic, and for the care she shows for her students and their well-being.” One of her nominators said, “She is kind, thoughtful and accommodating and remains one of the few professors I've had who made all of us feel like we mattered…I haven't met a single student who didn't enjoy her classes and find her a model teacher.”
