Ahmet Zeytinci, Ph.D., P.E., F.NSPE, of Washington, D.C., was recently awarded the 2015 Professional Engineers in Higher Education (PEHE) Engineering Education Excellence Award by the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Professional Engineers in Higher Education at its annual meeting in Seattle.

The PEHE Sustaining Universities Program of NSPE established the Engineering Education Excellence Award to annually recognize engineering educators and faculty who have demonstrated the ability to link engineering education with professional practice. The recipients must be licensed and have a faculty appointment in an ABET-accredited engineering program. Recipients receive $5,000 towards continued implementation of their best practices.

Zeytinci is an award-winning structural engineer, author, professor, and former chair of the Department of Engineering, Architecture, and Aerospace Technology at the University of the District of Columbia. Since joining academia, “Dr. Z,” as he is known by his students and colleagues, has distinguished himself on campus and beyond as an extraordinarily dedicated and passionate teacher, mentor, scholar, and champion for professionalism and service in engineering.

Dr. Z. is the author of “Dr. Z’s Corner” in the monthly newsletter of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ National Capital Section, helping students and practicing engineers not only in the Washington metro area but also around the globe for Fundamentals of Engineering/PE exam preparation. He was inducted as an Eminent Engineer by the Tau Beta Pi Honor Society in 2014 and received the Engineer of the Year in 2013 from the District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies (DCCEAS), an organization of 36 professional groups.

Dr. Zeytinci’s contributions to the professional societies, such as NSPE, ASCE, and ASEE, are numerous. He has served as the co-chair of the ASCE National Capital Section Education Committee, past president (twice) of the District of Columbia Society of Professional Engineers (DCSPE) and the campus representative of the American Society for Engineering Education. In recognition of this, Dr. Zeytinci received the 2015 Campus Representative Award from ASEE’s Mid-Atlantic Region and the 2015 Community Service Award from the ASCE-National Capital Section in Washington, DC. As a licensed structural engineer, he designs residential, industrial, and commercial structures in the Washington metro area, including the award winning 7th District Police Station.

For more information on the NSPE/PEHE Engineering Education Excellence Award, please visit the NSPE web site at www.nspe.org/Awards.