Fall 2020

NSPE Today
NSPE Honors Profession’s Finest

The Society’s highest honors were presented during the 2020 Virtual Professional Engineers Conference to some of the profession’s most accomplished professional engineers for their dedication and myriad contributions to the world.

NSPE Award

Steven Arndt, Ph.D., P.E., F.NSPE

The Society’s most prestigious award for professional engineers is presented to an engineer who has been committed to the profession, public welfare, and humankind. In a noteworthy 35-year career, Arndt has become a world-renowned authority in nuclear safety. He has held many volunteer leadership roles within NSPE and the engineering profession.

His expertise in nuclear power plant simulation, severe accident analysis, software reliability, cybersecurity, and digital instrumentation and control has benchmarked his career as an educator, consultant, and regulator. He serves as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s senior technical advisor in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and as a professor at three universities.

“Throughout my career, I have endeavored to be a good engineer, but I never dreamed of being in the company of the great engineers who have won this award,” he says. Working with talented engineers has taught Arndt that “science and engineering are part of what makes our country and our world a great place, and that just doing a good job as an engineer is not enough,” he says. “You have to put science and engineering to work for all of mankind.”

Distinguished Service Award

Teresa Helmlinger Ratcliff, Ph.D., P.E., F.NSPE

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes NSPE members for their exceptional contributions to the engineering profession, to their communities, and to NSPE. In 2003, Helmlinger Ratcliff became the first woman to serve as president of the Society, and today she is director of interprofessional education and outreach and Professor of the Practice at Campbell University’s School of Engineering. Prior to working at Campbell University, she was North Carolina State University’s vice provost for outreach and engagement and executive director of industry expansion solutions. She also worked with Progress Energy for 20 years.

“I have loved NSPE from the beginning and have appreciated so much the people who have surrounded me and supported me,” Helmlinger Ratcliff says, adding that she loves her profession and it is “gravy on top” to win this award.

Young Engineer of the Year

Jonathan Hartman, P.E.

For Hartman, sharing his technical knowledge, professionalism, and creativity have become milestones in his young engineering career, matched only by his enthusiasm for mentoring others. He serves on the Baylor University Electrical and Computer Engineering Board of Advocates, appraising educational and recruitment needs and recommending programs that promote the university’s mission.

Also, Hartman serves on the West Texas A&M University Engineering Advisory Board, where he provides guidance and recommendations on the university’s new electrical engineering program. As an undergrad, Hartman originally planned to become an architect, but realized engineering was the right path for him after speaking with his father and mentors from the profession.

“I cannot stress enough the importance of finding these mentors in your life and utilizing their experience and advice to help guide you in your career and in your life,” he says. “The challenge in building relationships and the satisfaction in making positive impacts is what makes mentoring worthwhile to me.”