Interim dean of engineering Norma Jean Mattei (second from left) and NCAM executive director Bruce Brailsford (first from right) pose with the Lockheed Martin external tank project team.
The University of New Orleans College of Engineering held its 15th annual Engineering Recognition Awards Ceremony to honor prominent UNO alumni and leaders in the engineering industry last night at the Homer L. Hitt Alumni and Visitors Center on the UNO campus.
The John Noll Crisp Award for Technical Excellence was presented to Lockheed Martin Corporation’s external tank “Return to Flight” team that led a successful redesign and flight of the external tank and the space shuttle. The team demonstrated not only technical excellence but the ability to rise to the challenge after the tragic loss of the space shuttle Columbia. All 12 members of the team are UNO graduates.
The Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award went to Charles P. Brandstetter, IV, a senior structural engineer with USACE New Orleans District and Glenn P. Gillen of Gillen Design Systems, LLC.
Recipients of the Distinguished Service to the College of Engineering Award were Catherine C. Dunn, deputy director of port development, Port of New Orleans; Ray Kuchler, director of external relations, UNO College of Engineering and retired deputy director, National Center for Advanced Manufacturing; and J. Madison Drake, systems engineer, U.S. Department of Energy Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
A Special Recognition Award went to Russell E. Trahan, dean emeritus of the UNO College of Engineering, and a Team Achievement Award was presented to the Lockheed Martin Corporation.