2021 Issue

For the 2021 Engineers week awards recognition, four UEC-member engineering societies submitted nominees for Educator of the Year. The following societies submitted nominees, who were then judged by a panel of four volunteers from the UEC Board.

Distinguished Service Award Winner
Jacob Browning, FL Smidth
It is the tradition of the Utah Engineers Council to recognize the First Past Chair with the Distinguished Service Award for contributions to the engineering practice through many years of service to the council.

MESA Teacher of the Year
Mark D. Jasumback
Each year, the Utah Engineers Council recognizes the Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program Teacher of the Year, who is selected by the educational community. MESA is an award-winning K-16 organization that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). It engages students, parents, and alumni as advocates for equity and access to high-quality STEM education and training for students. This year, the MESA Teacher of the Year is Mark D. Jasumback, a physics teacher and MESA adviser at Skyline High School. Mr. Jasumback accompanied MESA students to the MESA National Engineering Design Competition at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, where the team took first place both years!

2021 Fresh Face of Engineering
Justin Wettstein
Northrop Grumman Corporation
Nominated by AIAA
Justin Wettstein became a first-generation college graduate in 2015. He started as a product development engineer at Orbital ATK/Northrop Grumman in 2016, and he became an analyst for solid rocket motor performance. His work involves qualifying rockets through static tests, analyzed flight performance, and designed the performance of future rockets. While working full time, he pursued a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Over the past few years, he has spent nearly every weekend following his passion for skiing, snowboarding, climbing, and mountain biking.

2021 Engineering Educator of the Year
Dr. Doug Hunsaker
Utah State University
Nominated by AIAA
Dr. Doug Hunsaker has been teaching at Utah State University since January 2014. His research focuses on computational methods ranging from potential flow to full Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes computational fluid dynamics (RANS CFD) for two-dimensional and three-dimensional modeling and optimization. These research efforts support improved aircraft efficiency interests of NASA and the Air Force Research Lab and the rapid design and optimization needs of the emerging drone industry. Doug also has a strong interest in studying unsteady flows as they pertain to flapping flight.

2021 Engineer of the Year
Tait Ketchum, S.E.
Dunn Associates, Inc.
Nominated by SEAU
Tait Ketcham has been a strong advocate for the structural engineering profession in Utah for over 25 years and has fostered improvements in design processes and given back to the practice throughout his career. He has served on the SEAU legislative committee, working closely with the Utah State Legislature to initiate the Structural Engineer’s Practice Act, setting policy, and raising the bar for the entire profession. Tait has served his professional society in progressively increasing positions of responsibility and authority, on its Board and as SEAU President. He has provided mentoring and outreach though The Civil Engineering Academy, elementary schools, and SEAU Young Member events, promoting STEM learning and inciting an interest in engineering and math though his passion for the profession. Being the ultimate “Team-First” guy, Tait attributes his consideration for this award as the result of the esteemed mentors and industry associates he has collaborated with throughout the years, and the loving support of his wife and family.

When I was originally asked to speak, I thought I would talk about the U.S. Air Force’s YAL-1A Airborne Laser aircraft because it was the engineering marvel of its time. But this year’s theme for the annual UEC Banquet was “Imagining Tomorrow.” We celebrated the engineering scholarship recipients and people who are advancing within their professional societies, so I decided to talk instead about a little bit of the technology changes I’ve seen in my lifetime and where I think we are going.

A family photo taken on Scotty’s retirement day from the Air Force. From left to right: Seth, Christina, Scotty, Joelyn, Jonathan and Faith. Scotty (left) and his father building model rockets. Scotty’s interest in all things rocket and aerospace was a result of his father’s interest. Scotty (10) on a family hike. The Minuteman III …

Getting to Know Scott Nowlin Read More »

Dr. Scott Nowlin was the featured speaker at the annual UEC dinner in February 2021. He grew up in Nevada, where his father introduced him to aeronautics and aircraft when he was fairly young. It became a shared interest.

The annual UEC banquet was held Feb. 27, 2021, at the Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah. It was a hybrid event because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and members of the UEC either attended in person or watched a livestreaming video. The hybrid format meant people were able to participate from as far away as Connecticut. Scholarship students watched in real time with their friends and other students.