Pitt ASCE Chapter Once Again Wins Distinguished Chapter Award and is Ridgway Award Finalist
PITTSBURGH (May 4, 2020) — The University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) received the organization’s Distinguished Chapter Award for Region II. The chapter is also one of five selected as a finalist for the Robert Ridgway Student Chapter Award, presented annually to the single most outstanding ASCE student chapter nationwide.
“The chapter’s dedication to our profession and our department is truly inspiring,” says Radisav Vidic, PhD, professor and department chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Their accomplishments are a credit to them, our department, the Swanson School and Pitt.”
The Distinguished Chapter Award is based on the chapter’s annual reports from the previous year. Among the highlights of this year was the chapter’s first Civil Engineering Day, which introduced high school students in the area to civil engineering through hands-on experiences. Students from Pitt ASCE won first place overall at the 2019 Ohio Valley Student Conference, attended the ASCE National Conference in Miami, presented at the Environmental & Water Resources Institute Conference, and sent seven students to the Region II Assembly at Drexel University.
“As president, I could not be prouder of the students that make up this group. Every member should be very honored about what they've done and been a part of. They put their heart and soul into what they do, and this award really showcases that determination and drive on an national stage,” says 2019-2020 Pitt ASCE President Kaitie DeOre, who won the 2020 ASCE Bridge Leadership Award. “There were a lot of special moments this year, and I'm just really proud to say that I was a part of it. Being a finalist for the biggest award that a student chapter can win is the best possible way to end my tenure as president of Pitt ASCE; being chosen for this award is every president's dream.”
The Ridgway Award was named for Robert Ridgway, past president of ASCE, and has been awarded annually since 1963. The Pitt ASCE Student Chapter has been a finalist for this award three times in five years and has received the Distinguished Chapter Award for Region II four times in five years.
“This organization has done an excellent job of enhancing the experience of civil engineering undergraduates at the Swanson School,” said Anthony Iannacchione, PhD, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and faculty advisor to the chapter. “Their passion for the field is evident in the events they organize and the way they welcome anyone who wants to be involved.”
Contact: Maggie Pavlick