October 28, 2009
Top civil engineering society honors Nicklow
The American Society of Civil Engineers recently named John W. Nicklow as a fellow of the organization. The distinction is one of the highest offered by the ASCE, which is considered the flagship professional organization for civil engineers.
Nicklow, associate dean of the College of Engineering and a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, said he felt honored by the fellow designation.
“This means quite a lot to me, both personally and professionally,” Nicklow said. “I am both humbled and honored that the society, and especially those I consider to be exemplars in my field, supported my promotion to fellow.”
Naming someone as a fellow is the second-highest membership grade ASCE bestows on its members. It recognizes the members’ professional distinction and achievements, including their having at least 10 years of “exceptional responsible charge” in engineering and maintaining a professional engineer and land surveyor license. ASCE-affiliated people must nominate them for the honor, with at least three testimonial references overall, two of which must come from ASCE fellows.
Sanjeev Kumar, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and himself an ASCE fellow, congratulated Nicklow on behalf of the department’s faculty.
“It is my pleasure to congratulate Dr. Nicklow for this distinction,” Kumar said. “(The award) by ASCE signifies his contributions to the profession of civil engineering. It is a testimony of the quality of faculty members we have in our department.”
ASCE fellows receive a plaque and commemorative pin, as well as increased visibility within the organization, among other benefits. A fellow is recognized in the field of civil and related engineering specialties as a person who has made an ongoing commitment to supporting ASCE's leadership in the profession.
Ramanarayanan Viswanathan, interim dean of the College of Engineering, said Nicklow is well deserving of the award.
“It is a great honor that is bestowed on members who have made significant scholarly and professional contributions,” Viswanathan said. “He joins this select rank that is held by less than 6 percent of ASCE members.”