Stevens People: Kiley Rode awarded prestigious SOM Engineering Fellowship

Kiley Rode

Kiley M. Rode, a senior in Stevens’ Civil, Environmental and Ocean Engineering (CEOE) Department, has been awarded the prestigious SOM Engineering Fellowship. The fellowship is given by the SOM Foundation, which is affiliated with Skidmore, Owing and Merrill Corporation (SOMC), the renowned architectural/structural engineering firm. The mission of the SOM Foundation Fellowship is “to identify and nurture emerging talent by sponsoring prestigious awards to students of Architecture, Structural Engineering, Design and Urban Design.” The SOM Fellowship provides a scholarship of $10,000 for travel to Europe to study aesthetic structures.

“I am excited and extremely impressed at this wonderful news. Kiley’s efforts and her talents contributed to this recognition, and for Stevens, this provides us with another avenue for national and international recognition. In particular, this is an occasion where a student is contributing to our pre-eminent status,” said Dr. George P. Korfiatis, Provost and University Vice President.

“In the last few years, the SOM award has gone to students from universities such as MIT, Columbia, Princeton and Yale,” he said. “I was told by the SOM Foundation that this year Kiley’s entry was considered to be so impressive that she came out unequivocally at the top, in the jurors’ judgment. At Stevens, we are extremely interested in supporting our students’ efforts in creative endeavors such as this. I congratulate Kiley for all her efforts, drive and focus for a work that was beyond her requirements for an undergraduate degree.”

Rode’s submission consisted of three parts. The first was her year-long independent work on structural function of aesthetic structures, which linked the aesthetic aspects of tall and extended structures, such as skyscrapers and suspension bridges, to the rigors of structural mechanics. The second was an essay, on her understanding of structures and her identification of a favorite structure. The final submission item was a meaningful study of ancient to modern European structures. Rode studied structures in Spain, Italy, France and England.

In addition to Rode’s work toward the Fellowship, she is currently exploring the renovation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan. At her initiative, the museum, for the first time, has provided the original architectural drawings for educational purpose only (a legal contract was signed between the Guggenheim and Stevens last year). The structural engineering work associated with the renovation is of an extremely complicated nature, as there are many unresolved issues. To that end, Rode is actively involved with consulting firms in New York as part of her learning process. – SM

Stevens People: Erik Gordon appointed Howe School associate dean for management programs

Dean Gordon

R.M. “Erik” Gordon has been appointed as the Associate Dean for Management Programs in The Wesley J. Howe School of Technology Management. In addition, Gordon also was named the Shulman Family Chair Professor of Technology and Business Management.

As Associate Dean, Gordon will be responsible for the associated research and the academic, administrative and financial operations of The Howe School’s Master’s programs in general management, technology management and business administration, as well as its graduate programs for experienced professionals.

Gordon has made significant scholarly and business contributions in the areas of marketing, intellectual property, technology commercialization, technology-based innovation and technology venturing. He also has a stellar record of crafting and growing graduate education programs across the board range of technology management disciplines.

Gordon will play a pivotal leadership role in The Howe School research and education programs in technology innovation and entrepreneurship, which form the core of The Howe School strategy. He comes to Stevens from Johns Hopkins, where he was leading the Graduate Division of Business and Management. Prior to that, he served as the director of the MBA program at the University of Florida. – SM