Dayton Engineer
2020 Vision Award Winners Lead the Way Towards a Promising New Year
By Morgan Brewster, marketing communications intern
Every year, the School of Engineering recognizes four outstanding faculty and staff members who go above and beyond in their work relating to our common values: innovation, scholarship, community, engagement and service. The 2020 Vision Award winners are Erin Gibbemeyer, Judy Grant, Partha Banerjee and Beth Hart.
Erin Gibbemeyer, a Diversity and Social Justice Fellow, is the recipient of the 2020 Vision Award for Excellence in Community. Through her work with the Inclusive Excellence Academy and the COIL Fellows program, she has recognized countless opportunities and created a more welcoming and inclusive environment at the School of Engineering.
The recipient of the 2020 Vision Award for Excellence in Engagement and Service is Judy Grant. As a participant in the Summer Initiatives Coalition, she showed great leadership and helped jumpstart the first Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium (SURS). “I have always been passionate about helping the next generation realize their full potential,” says Grant. “So often, the field is dominated by traditional figures, that it can often be difficult to break the barrier. I am passionate about opening STEM and research opportunities for all who are interested.”
Partha Banerjee has shown tremendous initiative with his research and dedication to the Common Good, and is the recipient of the 2020 Vision Award for Excellence in Scholarship. Banerjee has contributed greatly in areas such as metamaterials, nonlinear optics, photorefractives, digital and dynamic holography, optical trapping, and more over the course of his engineering career. His research has been noted in over 300 publications, and he has mentored over 40 graduate students within his department.
The recipient of the 2020 Vision Award for Excellence in Innovation is Beth Hart, lecturer and coordinator of the EGR 103 class, Engineering Design and Development. Hart has shown dedication and commitment to her students by providing unique and rewarding learning experiences in her classroom. Through her participation in the ETHOS Center, she has connected with community partners in the Dayton area and has integrated diversity and inclusion into her course. Hart reflects on her experience, “I am humbled to be recognized for my teaching with all of the amazing professors in the School of Engineering.”
With these award winners leading the way, 2021 will be a remarkable year for the School of Engineering.
Do you know an engineering faculty or staff member who deserves special recognition in 2021? Nominations for the UD School of Engineering 2021 Vision Awards are open until March 15, 2021. For more information or to nominate, please visit our Vision Awards website or complete our online 2021 School of Engineering Vision Awards Google form.