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Outgoing SLC President Wins Best Student Article Competition

Jeffrey Berman (C), University at Buffalo, receives his award from MCEER’s Director Michel Bruneau (R) and Education Director S. Thevanayagam (L).

Jeffrey Berman, University at Buffalo graduate student and outgoing SLC president, won this year’s Best Student Article Competition for his paper, “Testing of a Laterally Stable Eccentrically Braced Frame for Steel Bridge Piers.” As the winner, Jeff made a presentation on his research at the 2005 Annual Meeting. Following his presentation, MCEER Director Michel Bruneau and Education Director S. Thevanayagam thanked Jeff for his dedication and contributions as a two-term president of MCEER’s Student Leadership Council with an inscribed desk clock and pen set. Jeff is also featured in this issue’s Student Spotlight.

Upon turning the leadership reins over to new SLC President Mike Pollino, Jeff reflected, “I’d like to thank all the SLC members who helped me during my three years as chair. We have maintained and even accelerated the ambitious activities of the SLC. It is a meaningful and worthwhile organization that brings together the future leaders from many disciplines within the earthquake and hazard mitigation field. I would also like to thank the Director, Deputy Director, and Education Director of MCEER for their encouragement and support of the SLC. They are educators in the truest sense of the word and genuinely care about delivering to the students the tools they need to succeed. Additionally, the support that the SLC has received from all the MCEER staff and the investigators has been outstanding and is crucial if the SLC is to continue to function at a high level. I look forward to working with SLC members in different capacities as we embark on our careers, and I am certain I will cross paths with many of them again. Finally, I would thank the new SLC Chair, Mike Pollino. It is not an easy task to lead an organization that is this active while keeping up with the research that will lead to graduation, but I know Mike will not only handle it, but excel at it.”

This year, 11 students competed for the Best Student Article award. Jeff’s was selected as the winner by a panel of judges, comprising distinguished members of MCEER’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB). Honorable mentions were awarded to Anita Jacobson, Cornell University and Michael Astrella, University at Buffalo. The papers are included in the 2003-2004 Student Research Accomplishments, available from: http://mceer.buffalo.edu/publications/resaccom/04-sp06/default.asp.