The Bridge - Issue 2, 2018 - 32

2018IEEE-HKN
HKN Awards
Ceremony:
Outstanding Student Awards
News
& Updates

IEEE-HKN Outstanding Student Award
The IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN) Board of
Governors and the HKN Los Angeles Alumni
Chapter are pleased to announce the winners
of 2017 Outstanding Student Award: Katelyn
Brinker, Gamma Theta Chapter, Missouri University
of Science and Technology and James Smith, Xi
Chapter, Auburn University. For the sixth time in the
fifty two year history of this award multiple students
have been recognized.
Miss Brinker graduated from Missouri University
of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) in May
of 2017 with degrees in Electrical Engineering
and Computer Engineering and is currently
pursuing her master's in Electrical Engineering at
Missouri S&T with the support of a NASA Space
Technology Research Fellowship. Throughout her
undergraduate career she was heavily involved
with the Missouri S&T world champion Mars Rover
Design Team, IEEE Student Branch, and Eta Kappa
Nu Gamma Theta Chapter in addition to being the
IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society
Undergraduate Representative and working at the
campus Writing Center as a Peer Writing Consultant
and at the Applied Microwave Nondestructive
Testing Laboratory as a Research Assistant. After
completing her master's she hopes to pursue a
career in the field of space science and engineering
and develop new technologies that will advance our
exploration capabilities.
Mr. Smith is originally from Huntsville, AL and
completed his undergraduate degree at Auburn
University. He graduated as a University Honors
Scholar with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering
and minors in Computer Science and Political
Science. While at Auburn, James completed

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several internships and held an undergraduate
research fellowship, conducting research in antenna
optimization by genetic algorithms. In addition to his
academic pursuits, James held leadership positions
in several organizations including Eta Kappa Nu,
Spring Up Leadership Programs, and Auburn for
Water, a philanthropic organization he co-founded
with friends. He was also a member of the Auburn
Triathletes and competed in several marathon
and ultramarathon distance races. In April 2017,
James received the Auburn University College of
Engineering President's Award and was the Auburn
University Electrical Engineering Student of the Year.
Currently, James is enrolled in a PhD program at
Auburn University, conducting research in machine
learning with a focus in artificial neural networks.
The committee wishes to confer Honorable Mention
to the following students:
Alex Mages, Epsilon Xi Chapter, Wichita State
University
Keith Doggett, Epsilon Omicron Chapter, University
of Delaware
The Alton B. Zerby and Carl T. Koerner Outstanding
Student Award recognizes outstanding scholastic
excellence and high moral character, coupled with
demonstrated exemplary service to classmates,
university, community, and country.
The award was presented at the Electrical and
Computer Engineering Department Heads
Association (ECEDHA) Awards Dinner on The IEEEHKN Outstanding Chapter Awards will be presented
at a special reception proceeding the dinner.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Bridge - Issue 2, 2018