News Release

 

Three IEEE Members Recognized as EWeek New Faces of Engineering

WASHINGTON (16 February 2006) — Vanessa Koutroupas, a principal engineer at General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Bloomington, Minn., is the IEEE/IEEE-USA’s 2006 New Face of Engineering. One of 16 young engineers recognized for this international honor, her picture and bio appeared in a full-page ad in USA Today on 15 February.

The Engineers Week (EWeek) New Faces of Engineering program highlights the vitality, diversity and rich contributions of engineers under 30. Each engineering society’s top choice must hold an engineering degree, be employed as an engineer from two to five years, and have worked with projects that significantly affect public welfare or further professional development and growth.

Within a year of completing her first undergraduate degree at 20, Koutroupas joined Lockheed Martin and earned a patent for software used in reliability analysis, and co-published LifeTests: Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck in several magazines. She now works as a key member of the General Dynamics’ engineering team that is designing an integrated computer system for the U.S. Army Future Combat System. For more on Koutroupas, go to www.todaysengineer.org/2006/Feb/newfaces.asp.

Senior IEEE Member Dr. Yazhou Liu is the “New Face” for the Chinese Institute of Engineers-USA. Liu is a senior power conversion system engineer for the Thales group in Seattle. He is playing a key role in the power conversion system for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a family of three highly fuel-efficient airplanes. At 30, the Fushun, China native is one the IEEE’s youngest senior members.

Timothy Swieter, who works as an electrical engineer for Birket Engineering Inc. of Ocoee, Fla., rounds out the IEEE’s honorees. He is responsible for designing safe control systems for major theme park rides such as “Revenge of the Mummy, The Ride,” at Universal Studios Orlando (Fla.); and “Fear Factor Live!” at Universal Studios Hollywood. Swieter was nominated by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE).

For more on all the 2006 New Faces honorees, go to www.eweek.org/site/Engineers/newfaces2006/index.shtml.

Koutroupas was selected by an ad hoc committee of IEEE members including Kiki Ikossi of Alexandria, Va.; Terry Malkinson of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and Lee Stogner of Taylors, S.C. The committee’s other top choices were Sophia Buckley, who works in Needham, Mass.; Dr. Jonathan Fredrick (El Segundo, Calif.); Dr. Tomas Palacios (Santa Barbara, Calif.); and Mathew
Charles Rodrigue (Dedham, Mass.). Their bios are available at www.eweek.org/site/Engineers/newfaces2006/IEEE.shtml.

The New Faces of Engineering recognition program is part of EWeek, a formal coalition of more than 75 engineering, professional, and technical societies and more than 50 corporations and government agencies, including the IEEE. Founded by NSPE in 1951, EWeek is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of, and interest in, engineering and technology careers among young students, and by promoting precollege literacy in math and science. EWeek also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers’ contributions to society. The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Northrop Grumman Corp. are co-chairs for 2006. Visit www.eweek.org for more information.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes the careers and public policy interests of more than 220,000 engineers, scientists and allied professionals who are U.S. members of the IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's largest technical professional society with 360,000 members in 150 countries. For more information, go to www.ieeeusa.org.

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Contact: Chris McManes
IEEE-USA Senior Public Relations Coordinator
Phone: + 1 202 530-8356
E-mail: c.mcmanes@ieee.org

Last Update:  15 May 2007
Staff Contact: Pender M. McCarter, p.mccarter@ieee.org