Top Engineering Student -- Brian Dean, of Rawlins, the Wyoming Engineering Society Student Engineer of the Year, reviews his project prototype with Steve Barrett, professor of electrical and computer engineering and senior design instructor. Dean and his senior design team partner, Josh Staley of Cheyenne, are designing a chess game that may be played by individuals with physical challenges. Their project will automatically move chess pieces in response to players' input. Dean graduates in May with dual degrees in electrical and computer engineering. (UW Photo)

Wyoming Engineering Society Honors UW Students

March 3, 2006 - Brian Dean of Rawlins, a University of Wyoming senior in electrical engineering, has been named the Wyoming Engineering Society’s (WES) student of the year. The WES presented awards to several other UW students.

UW College of Engineering departments (Architectural, Civil, Chemical, Electrical/Computer, and Mechanical) each nominated their top graduating senior for this award. The WES Scholarships and Awards Committee reviewed written nomination forms and interviewed each of the candidates to select the Student Engineer of the Year.

Dean received an unrestricted grant of $2,500 and each of the four honorees received a $1,000 grant. WES sponsored all nominees to attend its annual state convention.

Dean is active in the Christian Student Center, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Phi Kappa Phi. He is vice president of projects and chairman of the Awards Committee of Tau Beta Pi, the national honor society in engineering. He plans to earn a master’s degree at UW, focusing on signal processing in biomedical engineering.

Other departmental nominees for WES student of the year were Chris Schabron, Laramie, architectural engineering; Patrick Shea, Douglas, mechanical engineering; Zachary Tyrrell, Kemmerer, chemical engineering; and Thomas Watson, Wheatland, civil engineering.

• Arvada, Colo. -- Amanda Johnson, electrical engineering, Carl Oslund Memorial Scholarship.
• Buffalo -- Clint Cummings, civil engineering, WES Surveyors’ Scholarship.
• Kemmerer -- Zach Tyrrell, chemical engineering, WES General Scholarship.
• Laramie -- Nicholas Mahon, mechanical engineering, WES General Scholarship.
• Thermopolis -- Gavin Phillips, computer engineering, WES Past Presidents’ Scholarship.
• Torrington -- Scott Seyfang, mechanical engineering, Incoming Freshman Scholarship.