Cal Poly engineering professor named Bentley Educator of the Year
Bentley Systems, Inc., a software developer for architects, engineers, designers, and construction firms working on infrastructure projects, on Wednesday announced the winners of Bentley LEARNservices’ 2013 Scott Lofgren Student Design Awards.
The awards were recently renamed to honor the late Lofgren, Bentley global director, who passed away May 24, and was a tireless advocate for academic programs that prepare young people for careers in engineering, Bentley said.
The awards recognize projects created by university, technical, and high school students around the world using Bentley software, and acknowledges the achievements of the students’ educators.
Bentley said the competition is meant to boost students’ interest in the architectural, engineering, construction (AEC), geospatial, and operations professions by encouraging them to explore and apply its software, which they’ll need as future members of the infrastructure community.
“Bentley colleagues will remember Scott Lofgren for his infectious zeal and many accomplishments in sustaining the infrastructure professions by ensuring graduates are prepared for careers in architecture and engineering – or, as he liked to put it, ‘are job ready,’” said Bentley Systems CEO Greg Bentley.
This year’s winning projects are:
- Eveleigh Cinémathèque, Marguerite Farmakis, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, in the “Innovation in Architectural Design” category
- IIT Madras Design for Haji Ali Junction, Aakanksha Jadhav, Siddhesh Godbole, and Dinesh S Soundappa, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India, in the “Innovation in Road or Bridge Design” category
- Onehunga Primary School Entranceway, Melanie Pau, Yusef Patel, and Stefan Panovski, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, in the “Innovation in Engineering Design – Structural, Mining, or Hydraulic” category
- Church in Trinidad Bay, Mateusz Ilba, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland, in the “Innovation in Rendering using MicroStation” category
- Union Station, Washington D.C., Francis Jacaban, Eastern Technical High School, Baltimore, Md., U.S.A., in the “Design a Retail Center” category
Winners will each receive a scholarship and their respective schools will receive a handcrafted award and a 10-seat Academic SELECT software subscription – including more than 50 products and OnDemand training – through Bentley’s Be Careers Network.
Bentley Educator of the Year
The company also named Francelina Neto, department chair of civil engineering at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, as Bentley Educator of the Year, recognizing her record of achievement and commitment to inspiring students to pursue infrastructure industry careers.
Neto, an educator for over over 25 years, holds a doctorate in photogrammetry and a master of science in remote sensing from the University of London. She introduced spatial analysis and 3D modeling into the curriculum in preparatory and advanced courses at Cal Poly, Pomona, Bentley said.
“I am proud of my overachieving students, but even more proud of the ones who get off on the wrong foot, but work hard and eventually take their place within the community of engineering professionals,” Neto said.
Neto’s award will be presented at The Year in Infrastructure 2013 Conference, held Oct. 28-31 at the Hilton London Metropole in London.
