<p dir="ltr">I have taught Dustin and worked with him on a project. I concur with both Yusuf and Ashkan.<br>
Sunil</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Apr 16, 2015 3:56 PM, "Ashkan Ashrafi" <<a href="mailto:ashrafi@mail.sdsu.edu">ashrafi@mail.sdsu.edu</a>> wrote:<br type="attribution"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
I completely agree with Yusuf. Dustin is truly an outstanding
student with leadership skills. He is also very personable and
courteous. I highly recommend him for Engineering Valedictorian.<br>
<br>
Best regards,<br>
Ashkan<br>
<pre cols="72">
</pre>
<div>On 4/16/15 1:56 PM, Yusuf Ozturk wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Engineering
Faculty, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">I
like to add that Dustin Wright has been a leader among his
friends and in my lab over the period he worked with me as
a researcher. He managed a group of undergraduate students
he recruited for building components of a research project
and worked closely with several graduate students enabling
them to make advances in their projects. As an
undergraduate student his research productivity was at a
level expected from a Ph.D. student. In addition, he was
the IEEE student chapter secretary for two years. Not only
he was an exceptional student but also he is an exceptional
person that brings joy to the work environment. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Best
regards</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d">Yusuf
Ozturk </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="14cc473037fda61c__MailEndCompose"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#1f497d"> </span></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
Faculty [mailto:<a href="mailto:faculty-bounces@engineering.sdsu.edu" target="_blank">faculty-bounces@engineering.sdsu.edu</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Donovan Geiger<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, April 16, 2015 11:48 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:faculty@engineering.sdsu.edu" target="_blank">faculty@engineering.sdsu.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Faculty] Engineering Valedictorian Vote</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Engineering
Faculty: </p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">As the
departmental outstanding graduates have now been selected,
the Engineering Valedictorian vote will now take place.
Please select one and email me your choice by<b> <u><span style="color:red;background:white">12:00pm tomorrow,
Friday March, 17th</span></u><span style="color:red;background:white">. </span></b></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">The
candidates are:<br>
<br>
<b><br>
</b><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Ryan Scurlock<br>
<br>
Major GPA 3.89, CUM 3.85, Summa Cum Laude (1st honors
rank)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m from San Diego. I chose to
study mechanical engineering because I wanted to challenge
myself and I enjoy math/science. During my time at SDSU,I
have performed research into wind turbines under the
supervision of Dr. Luciano Demasi. Professor Demasi has been
an unbelievable mentor and I have greatly enjoyed my time
working with him. He is by far my most influential
professor. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have also worked in the
Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) under Dr. Beyene. Next
Fall, I will attend the University of Texas at Austin to
pursue a master’s degree in Engineering Mechanics. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m an avid San Diego State
basketball fan and regularly attend home games.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">_______________________</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<b><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Dustin Wright<br>
<br>
MAJOR GPA 4.00, CUM 3.97, Summa Cum Laude (1st honors
rank)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dustin Wright studied electrical
and computer engineering with a minor in computer science
from fall 2010 to fall 2014. Through this, he was exposed to
a breadth of courses spanning basic electrical hardware
implementation to digital signal processing, object oriented
programming, algorithms, and numerical analysis. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He worked three summer
internships during his time at SDSU at BAE Systems, San
Diego Gas and Electric, and Hewlett-Packard. Dustin was
actively involved in research on campus under Dr. Yusuf
Ozturk. In his research, he investigated cognitive and
scalable online video streaming with learned user
preferences, dynamic energy rate adaptation using a closed
loop cloud to mobile system, and concentration detection
enabled by electroencephalography. Through this, he authored
and co-authored 3 peer reviewed conference papers,
delivering a technical presentation at UC Berkeley for the
2015 International Conference on Soft Computing and Software
Engineering, and has 2 conference and 2 journal papers
currently under review. In addition, he presented his
initial research work at the 2014 SDSU student research
symposium and was a participant in the first Center for
Sensorimotor Neural Engineering hackathon at the University
of Washington. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He is currently a software
engineer at BAE Systems and hopes to eventually attain a
Ph.D. with his research focusing on machine learning and
brain-computer interfaces. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
______________________________<br>
<br>
<br>
<b><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Tanner Verhoeks<br>
<br>
Major GPA 4.00, CUM 3.89, Summa Cum Laude (1st honors
rank)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My name is Tanner Verhoeks; I
was born and raised in San Diego so becoming an Aztec was an
easy choice. After graduating from high school in 2011 with
21 college units completed, I went on to obtain my
associates in Civil Engineering from Cuyamaca Community
College and Mathematics from Grossmont Community College. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I started at the College of
Engineering in the summer of 2013 and, through determination
and hard work, earned my Bachelors of Science in Civil
Engineering in December 2014. During this time, I was
fortunate enough to have the opportunities to initiate for
Chi Epsilon while acting as the project manager for our
initiate project (where we built a 4 foot, illuminated,
aluminum builders transit that is sitting in the department
office today), participate in the ASCE student chapter, and
compete in PSWC 2014. During my senior year I was awarded an
internship scholarship from APWA and spent 6 month interning
at Atkins. I culminated my experience at SDSU with holding
the position of project manager for my capstone team and
lead them to earn A's which solidified my 4.0 campus GPA.
Since March 2015, I have been working at Hatch Mott
Macdonald as an Engineer II on aviation and tunneling
projects. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My plans are to continue to
further my career as a Civil Engineer by beginning my
Masters next year in Engineering Management and then to
continue on to sit for my PE. My motivation in life is to
have a part in building our Country's infrastructure while
providing for my beautiful wife and soon-to-be child. I hope
to give back to the Engineering Community by participating
in the Chi Epsilon Alumni Association, ASCE's Younger Member
Forum, as well as the American Public Works Association. I
would be very honored to be recognized as the Outstanding
Graduate for the CCEE Department and would like to
personally thank said department and respective professors
for the knowledge and experience that was passed on to me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><br>
_____________________________<br>
<br>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:13.5pt">Zac Ghanim Al Wakeel<br>
<br>
Major GPA 3.75, CUM 3.57, Cum Laude (3rd honors rank)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Zac Ghanim Al Wakeel who will
graduate with honor and receive a bachelor’s degree in
aerospace engineering in May 2015, was selected as the
outstanding student in the aerospace engineering class of
2015. Zac will be graduating with highest overall and major
GPA in his graduating class at SDSU. While his academic
record puts Zac in a small distinguished group of SDSU
graduates, his nomination for the outstanding student award
also a recognition of his hardwork, motivation, dedication,
perseverance and passion for aerospace engineering.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The path to graduation has been
a long arduous journey for Zac. Zac came to the US in 2009
as his parents fled the war and persecution in Iraq. The
strength and resolve Zac learnt in order to endure the
dreadful experience of war, served him as he had to adapt
quickly to a new and unfamiliar life in the United States.
His singular focus in his pursuit of becoming an aerospace
engineer helped Zac overcome many cultural, language and
academic barriers he faced when he started his studies in
the US. Zac started his studies at Cuyamaca and Grossmont
community colleges before transferring to SDSU in 201 .
Acceptance in to SDSU aerospace engineering degree program
was a child hood dream come true. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Zac is a hard working student
with exemplary grades. He has been selected to the Dean’s
list several semesters. In addition to doing well in his
undergraduate course work, Zac has been involved with
research on composite structures under the guidance of
Professor Venkataraman. He also found time for service, and
mentored many immigrant Iraqi students at SDSU and served as
a tutor for the Statics course in the MESA program. As a
tutor he earned high praise from his students for his
teaching and the care and attention he showed them. In his
senior year Zac was awarded a NSF scholarship at SDSU. Zac
will be pursuing a master's degree in aerospace engineering
at SDSU specializing in Propulsion Systems and do research
with Professor Jacobs.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"> </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best regards, <br>
<br clear="all">
</p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#073763">Donovan
Geiger, MBA</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#990000"><br>
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black">Student
Affairs</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif">
<span style="color:black"><br>
College of Engineering<br>
San Diego State University<br>
<a href="tel:619.594.6079" value="+16195946079" target="_blank">619.594.6079</a></span></span><span style="color:#663300"><br>
<br>
</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
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</pre>
</blockquote>
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