UMR scholar to receive award from electrical engineering society

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On April 4, 2005

Dr. Steve Watkins, professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Missouri-Rolla, will receive the Achievement Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) Regional Activities Board during the organization’s conference in Colorado April 7-9.

IEEE is recognizing Watkins for his outstanding contributions to the organization. In 2003, Watkins developed a student ethics contest for the American Society for Engineering Education’s Midwest Section, which inspired the development of a similar contest for IEEE. The Achievement Award is one of six given internationally.

This isn’t the first time IEEE has recognized Watkins. In 2004, Watkins was selected as one of two IEEE-USA Congressional Fellows and spent the year working for U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., in Washington, D.C. The IEEE-USA Congressional Fellowships are awarded to U.S. members of the IEEE to involve engineers in the public policy process.

Watkins spent the time serving as a legislative assistant to Rohrabacher on issues related to science, armed services, environment, and natural resources. As chair of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics and a member of the House Research Subcommittee, Rohrabacher deals with oversight of NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Science Foundation.

A member of the UMR faculty since 1989, Watkins holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from UMR.

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On April 4, 2005. Posted in News