The NCSEA Diversity in Structural Engineering Scholarship was established by the NCSEA Foundation in 2020 to award funding to students who have been traditionally underrepresented in structural engineering. In the first year of this scholarship, NCSEA received an abundance of qualified applicants and is proud to announce the first-ever recipients of this program. Congratulations to each of the following recipients who each received a $3,000 scholarship, an invitation to attend the 2021 Structural Engineering Summit as a guest of NCSEA, and a $1000 travel stipend generously sponsored by Computers & Structures Inc.
Aime Nacoulma, Oregon State University, is pursuing a bachelor’s in civil engineering. He is passionate about structures and plans to embrace the field of structural engineering with the goal to work on public infrastructures such as hospitals or schools. Aime is building his leadership experience with active involvement in the ASCE student chapter, STEM Leaders program, and the Student Government at OSU.
Brown
Jessica Brown, University of Southern California, is a senior studying Civil Engineering. As a native of the Washington, DC area, as well as a student in Los Angeles, Jessica has seen how infrastructure affects the lives of city residents. Living in these cities has inspired her to use her curiosity, love for problem solving, and passion for the public’s well-being to create impactful solutions to complex urban problems.
Jessica Gonzalez, University of Texas at San Antonio, is a graduate student conducting research aimed at quantifying changes in the seismic collapse risk of concrete structures associated with switching from conventional reinforcing bars to Niobium-based. She is looking forward to becoming a licensed SE to help her community by considering the balance of safety, economy, and sustainability. Jessica wishes to influence young minority women to conquer their dreams no matter the present stereotypes.
Juan Vera-Bedolla, Rowan University, is a rising senior Civil and Environmental Engineering student. Juan plans to get his Master’s in Structural Engineering through the Masters program at Lehigh University. His interest is in designing new buildings and reconstructing infrastructure. Juan’s goal is to work across the globe helping to improve the infrastructure in developing countries.