Summer 2023
NSPE Now
Honoring the Best of the Profession
Waterloo Tsutsui, Ph.D., P.E., has been awarded the prestigious Engineering Education Excellence Award. The award recognizes engineering faculty who have demonstrated the ability to link engineering education with professional practice. Recipients must be licensed professional engineers and have a faculty appointment in an ABET-accredited engineering program. The award is sponsored by NSPE’s Professional Engineers in Higher Education.
Tsutsui is a senior research associate in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University, where his primary aim as an engineering educator is to provide a rigorous education that nurtures an engineering mindset among students, empowering them to analyze, communicate, and solve complex problems. By bridging the gap between engineering education and practical application, Tsutsui strives to equip students with the essential skills to excel in real-world engineering practice. He ensures students derive maximum advantage from meticulously designed educational experiences integrated into their curriculum.
As an example, Tsutsui implemented virtual labs and visualizations in lab courses as an innovative way to link engineering practice to education. These virtual labs allow students to experientially learn aerospace structural mechanics concepts by conducting virtual structural mechanics experiments on their computers without needing physical lab equipment.
Prior to joining Purdue, Tsutsui amassed over a decade of experience working in the automotive industry, with his last position as a senior mechanical engineer involving the research and development of lithium-ion battery cells for electric vehicles. He received his doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University in 2017.
Tsutsui’s research interests encompass systems engineering, structures and materials. He has been recognized numerous times for his teaching and leadership and received the 2022 Purdue College of Engineering Excellence in Instruction Award.
Tsutsui is active in the American Society for Engineering Education and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and holds professional engineer licenses in Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Sri Kumar, P.E., has been awarded the New Professional Engineer of the Year Award. This award recognizes a young NSPE member who has made outstanding contributions to the engineering profession and the community during the early years of one’s career.
Kumar is the president and CEO of Connico, a national consultancy serving the aviation, civil, and transportation markets. He is responsible for outlining the company’s strategy for the future. He is passionate about developing a strong, diverse, and uniquely talented team who work on solving some of the nation’s most complex infrastructure challenges.
Kumar started his career at Connico over a decade ago after receiving a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University. His first role with the firm involved boots-on-the-ground engineering and construction project work, including tackling complex challenges at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, one of the world’s busiest commercial airports. There, he developed a deep understanding of local soil conditions, concrete mix design specifications, and airfield electrical lighting requirements.
He later moved to Connico’s office in Hebron, Kentucky, to work on a nearby greenfield roadway construction project. At the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, he led projects involving the design and construction of roadways and parking lots, demolition of old terminal buildings, and runway pavement condition studies. He also led the execution of projects at the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in Jackson, Mississippi, and the Norfolk International Airport in Norfolk, Virginia.
In addition to his career achievements, Kumar is active in the engineering profession. In 2014, he joined the NSPE Northern Kentucky Chapter and recently served as chapter president. He participated in the Kentucky Society’s Leadership PE program and is a graduate of Nashville’s CEO Connect program for budding CEOs. In 2021, he was named a 40 Under 40 award recipient by Airport Business magazine.
Kumar is the past chair of the Airport Consultants Council (ACC) Young Professionals Forum, served as chair of the 2022 ACC Annual Conference. He currently serves on the ACC Board of Directors and on the ACC Foundation as a director.
Kumar is passionate about giving back to his community. He volunteers annually with his local Future City competition and with Kentucky MATHCOUNTS. He is involved with Amigos, a group supporting young people from significantly underdeveloped countries through music and education.