News Release

AAES honors outstanding engineers, recognizes top reporting at 26th annual awards ceremony

World Trade Center safety engineer among honorees

Grant and Award Announcement

IEEE-USA

The American Association of Engineering Societies (AAES) recognizes the outstanding achievements of six U.S. engineers and a journalist on Monday, 9 May, at its 26th annual awards ceremony, in the Great Hall of the National Academy of Engineering in Washington, D.C.

Dr. E. Walter LeFevre, senior vice president and principal, Engineering Services, Inc., Springdale, Ark., is the winner of the "National Engineering Award," the AAES' highest honor. Dr. LeFevre is being recognized for advancing engineering education through service on the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET), and for his commitment to teaching the next generation of engineers as University Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Although officially retired for the last six years, he continues to teach. The "National Engineering Award," established in 1979, honors engineers for inspirational leadership and tireless devotion to the improvement of engineering education and to the advancement of the engineering profession, as well as to the development of sound public policies as an engineer-statesman. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) President Bill Henry will present the award.

George J. Tamaro, senior partner in Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers, based in New York, will receive the prestigious "John Fritz Medal" for providing guidance to emergency workers to navigate safely around the former World Trade Center site -- both above and below ground. Mr. Tamaro directed the design of the stabilization of the "bathtub" slurry walls during the recovery effort, as well as the foundations for the new Seven World Trade Center building. He continues to consult with the owner, developer and architects for the Freedom Tower and the memorial proposed for the site.

The "Fritz Medal" was established in 1902 as a memorial to the distinguished engineer whose name it bears. The award is presented annually for scientific or industrial achievement in any field of pure or applied science. In addition to its namesake, previous recipients include Lord Kelvin, George Westinghouse, Alexander Graham Bell, Alfred Nobel, Orville Wright, Guglielmo Marconi, Herbert Hoover, Charles Kettering, Vannevar Bush, Stephen Bechtel, David Packard, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore. ASCE's Henry will present the award.

Luther W. Graef, P.E., a member of the Executive Council and U.S. delegate to the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) will be presented the "Kenneth Andrew Roe Award." Mr. Graef is being honored "for commitment and leadership facilitating the U.S. engineering community's unity across disciplines and for his dedication in helping U.S. engineers understand their role in the international community through the WFEO." The "Roe Award" was established in 1986 to honor AAES founder Kenneth Andrew Roe. It is presented on behalf of the engineering community to recognize an engineer who has been effective in promoting unity among the engineering societies. ASCE's Henry will make the presentation.

Dr. Bernard Amadei, professor of civil engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, will receive the "Norm Augustine Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Communications." Dr. Amadei is being honored for his passion and commitment to training globally responsible engineering students through the creation of Engineers Without Borders-USA, Engineers Without Borders-International, and the two groups' student chapters. He is also being recognized for founding Engineering for Developing Communities. Efforts of EWB-USA in addressing the Southeast Asian tsunami were embraced by the engineering community as part of Engineers Week 2005. The "Norm Augustine Award" is presented annually to an engineer who communicates the excitement of engineering to the public. ASCE's Henry will make the presentation.

Jon Palfreman, film director and writer and adjunct professor at Tufts University, Boston University and Suffolk University, will receive the "AAES Engineering Journalism Award." Mr. Palfreman is being honored for creating a 60-minute television documentary, "Light Speed," telling the story of humankind's efforts to communicate at a distance, leading to the birth of fiber optic technology. The award recognizes outstanding reporting of an event or issue that furthers pubic understanding of engineering. A veteran of television in both Britain and the United States, the AAES award recipient has made more than 40 BBC and PBS one-hour documentaries including the Peabody Award winning series, "The Machine That Changed the World." AAES Chair Suzanne Jenniches and AAES Interim Executive Director William Salmon will present the organization's "Engineering and Journalism Award."

Dr. George G. Wicks, consulting scientist, Waste Management & Environmental Remediation, Savannah River National Laboratory, will receive the "Joan Hodges Queaneau Palladium Medal." Dr. Wicks is being recognized "for playing a crucial role in designing the engineering solution to nuclear waste containment in the United States and globally through his work as a senior level researcher at the Savannah River National Laboratory." His contributions to the implementation of the Defense Waste Processing Facility in Aiken, S.C., enabled the safe and efficient long-term storage of billions of curies of nuclear waste. The "Palladium Medal" was established in 1977 to recognize an individual who encourages cooperation between engineering professionals and environmentalists to create innovative solutions to environmental problems. AAES' Suzanne Jenniches and Dr. David Clark, Professor and Head, Department of Material Sciences and Engineering, Virginia Tech, will present the Medal.

Russel C. Jones, P.E., private consultant, World Expertise L.L.C., of Falls Church, Va., will be presented the 2005 "AAES Chair's Award." Dr. Jones is being honored "for his career-long dedication to the highest standards in engineering education, and for his leadership of the U.S. engineering profession in the disciplines' engagement with world organizations in advancing engineering capacity building as the foundation for raising the standard of living of developing nations." He is also editor of "International Engineering Education Digest." Established in 1980, the "AAES Chair's Award" recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the welfare of the United States. Ms. Jenniches, AAES Chair, and John Parker, AAES Past Chair, will present the award.

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The American Association of Engineering Societies is a federation of engineering societies dedicated to advancing the knowledge, understanding and practice of engineering. AAES's membership represents more than one million engineers in the United States. For more information, go to http:www.aaes.org.

[NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of the award recipients can be obtained after 9 May from the media contacts.]


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