Colorado School of Mines’ faculty and students attended the 2016 American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Colorado Engineering Excellence Awards on Nov. 2, at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver. It was a tremendous opportunity for Mines faculty and students to learn more about local engineering projects and how their coursework relates, connect with industry colleagues and network with potential employers.
According to Stephanie Panza, an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in environmental engineering and 2015 ACEC Scholarship recipient, “I enjoyed learning about the amazing projects that companies have completed this year and seeing how they overcame challenges as they planned and worked on the projects. It was also really interesting to see how the engineering companies fulfilled the clients' needs and desires, while still creating incredible projects that positively impacted the surrounding communities.”
Joseph Verissimo, a current civil engineering undergraduate and recipient of the 2015 ACEC William Russell Stoneman Scholarship, felt similarly, “Attending the Engineering Excellence Lunch gave me a chance to hear from consulting engineers as they described their award winning work. The diverse projects ranged from unique water treatment systems to ecosystem mapping and complex structural engineering design. My professors had discussed some of these innovations in the classroom, and it was exciting to see how Mines is positioned on the cutting edge of research in civil and environmental engineering.”
This luncheon celebrated and recognized outstanding projects by Colorado engineering firms. A panel of industry leaders rated each project based on uniqueness and innovative applications; future value to the engineering profession; perception by the public; social, economic, and sustainable development considerations; complexity; and successful fulfillment of client/owner’s needs, including schedule and budget. Colorado’s Grand Conceptor and Engineering Excellence Award project winners advance to the national ACEC competition, which will be held in April in Washington, D.C.
Learn more on the ACEC Colorado web site.
