2021 Sponsors and Award Winners

City of San Jose 1936 - Transforming Silicon Valley

Transforming Silicon Valley

Watch an introduction from Dean Sheryl Ehrman

Congratulations to our 2021 Award Recipients

Alumni of Distinction Award - Jim Puzar (‘85) Senior Operations Development Manager at Jabil

Dean’s Service Award - Erica Lockheimer Vice President, Software Engineering - LinkedIn Learning & Talent Solutions/Careers; Women In Tech Founder - LinkedIn WIT

Donald Beall-Rockwell Award for Engineering Accomplishment - Afreen Chaus Industrial and Systems Engineering

Scott T. Axline Memorial Student Award for Excellence in Service - Joshua Paul Bevis Mechanical Engineering

Newnan Brothers Award for Faculty Excellence - Hiu Yung Wong Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering

Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching - Crystal Han Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

Faculty Award for Excellence in Service - Samuel Obi Professor and Director of Technology

Faculty Award for Excellence in Scholarship - Nima Karimian Assistant Professor, Computer and Software Engineering

Award for Outstanding Lecturer - Michael Larkin Computer and Software Engineering

Staff Excellence in Service Award - Lisa Francesca Communications Specialist, Dean’s Office

Staff Excellence in Service Award - Karen Tang Financial Analyst, Dean’s Office

Staff Excellence in Service Award - Fabiola Arellano Administrative Analyst, Industrial & Systems Engineering

Tributes

Don Newnan

Don Newnan graduated in engineering with honors from San Jose State College and went on to receive his MS, MBA, and a PhD in civil engineering from Stanford. He worked as a design engineer before serving as an officer in the US Army in Korea. In 1959, he joined the San Jose State Industrial and Systems Engineering in 1959  and from1978 to 1979 he was the interim Dean. He is the author or co-author of more than a dozen books. 

David Brown

A Distinguished Alumnus of the College of Engineering, David Brown (Mechanical Engineering 1968) was passionate about providing equality and access to STEM education to underserved communities. The David Brown Fellowship in Mechatronics was established in 1996 to promote the professional development of students in the area of mechatronics, and to advance the development of the mechatronics program. The recipient of the $2,000 award contributes to mechatronics laboratory development and laboratory instruction during the fellowship year.

Charles W. Davidson

Charles W. Davidson graduated from Civil Engineering in 1957, after working nights in local railroad yards and attending classes during the day. An entrepreneur who founded and managed five thriving companies, he built thousands of homes, was a pioneer in creating and enabling affordable housing, and provided San José State with the largest private grant in its history: $15 million to the College of Engineering.