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Commencement 2006by Kathy Hedges New Mexico Tech's Education Outreach and Distance Instruction
(EODI) has created a Flash presentation featuring the 2006 Commencement
ceremony. You may access the presentation by going to
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~eodi/info/graduation.html or by clicking
on any of the graduation photos found at www.nmt.edu/~eodi.
Right: Fidel Center SOCORRO, N.M., May 13, 2006 – New Mexico Tech held commencement ceremonies today for a record-setting 309 graduates, followed by a dedication of the new Joseph A. Fidel Center. The state-supported research university granted 186 bachelor’s degrees, 104 master’s, and 19 Ph.D.’s. Congratulations to December 2005 graduates and May 2006 graduates.
Left: The ribbon is officially cut by an explosive. In addition, the university granted an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Sen. Ben D. Altamirano and paid recognition to Sen. Joseph A. Fidel, after whom the new student center is named. Fidel Center was officially dedicated with a ribbon-cutting accomplished with a small explosive rather than low-tech scissors. 
Right: Tara Mayeau The top student award to an undergraduate, the Brown Award, went to Tara Mayeau, who earned a bachelor’s degree in geophysics with highest honors. Mayeau has compiled a catalog of Socorro and New Mexico earthquakes which is leading to a better understanding of the Rio Grande Rift and the magma body that underlies Socorro. Mayeau is headed to Yale University for graduate work. See Tara Mayeau, Brown Award 2006
Left: George Schmaltz The top award to a graduate student, the Founder’s Award, was presented to George Schmaltz, who also received a master’s in engineering management degree. Schmaltz was known to everyone as a person who volunteers for everything. He has been active in the Graduate Student Association, Tau Beta Pi (the engineering honor society), and the Newman Association of Catholic College Students. See George Schmaltz, Founders Award 2006
Right: Cheyenne Hollow Horn The Cramer Award for the woman engineering student who ranks highest in scholarship went to Cheyenne D. Hollow Horn of Gallup, N.M. She earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and was a member of the prestigious Scholarship for Service program, a program sponsored by the National Science Foundation through Tech’s Computer Science Department. Hollow Horn also held several very impressive summer internships: at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, General Electric Healthcare Information Technologies, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. After graduation, she will work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. See Cheyenne Hollowhorn, Cramer Award 2006 The Cramer Award for top male engineering student went to William Shuter, who is one of the first graduates of Tech’s new civil engineering program. Shuter was instrumental in establishing a student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. He was also a key member of the team that recently participated in the ASCE’s annual bridge-building contest. See William Shuter, Cramer Award 2006
Right: Dr. Huade Guan The Langmuir Award for best research paper by a recent graduate of
the university went to Dr. Huade Guan, who earned his Ph.D. in
hydrology last year and is now a postdoctoral student at the University
of Texas at San Antonio. Guan was author of a paper on the effects of
ocean cycles on precipitation in northern New Mexico.
Left: Dr. Al Smoake Dr. James "Al" Smoake was named recipient of the Distinguished Teaching Award for 2006. Smoake is retiring this year after 33 years of teaching at New Mexico Tech. During that time, he has not only chaired the biology department for many years, but also served as Graduate Dean for 11 years. In addition to this, he has served as advisor to most, if not all, of Tech's pre-med students. Many of these students remember Al fondly and they wrote in to nominate him. One alumna said, "I just recently spoke to an alumnus who smiled at the mere mention of Dr. Smoake, a sign that he has touched many lives in a positive manner." Another recalled "The wonderful thing about having Dr. Smoake as your advisor was that, if you would allow him, he became, not only your teacher and advisor, but also your mentor, research director, and friend." Students commented that Al Smoake truly cared that they learn how to think analytically and design experiments well. One student remarked, "He has an amazing ability to make a personal connection with every student, and he can turn a normal physiology lecture into an exciting hour of enthusiastic learning. He engages students during lectures by asking critical thinking question and points out controversial issues that arise in the field of biology." His students commented on his passion for biology, especially physiology. One student said, "We showed up for Physiology Lab and stayed late because we were learning so much, even though it was Friday afternoon." Al has been known to show up for class on Halloween dressed as Mr. Clean, although no one mentioned whether he ever came as the King of Siam. Several years ago, Al Smoake played that role in THE KING AND I, a New Mexico Tech spring musical. His was a virtuoso performance, and one he and his audience clearly relished. One alumna summed up, "Dr. Smoake gave me the role model of a
teacher who cares passionately about biology, learning, research, and
students, and combined that with being an incredibly honest, ethical,
and joyful person. That role model is with me, demanding excellence.
When my students ask me why I stay late to help them, even though I
won.t be paid any extra, I say, 'I'm only passing on what was given to
me. Let me tell you about Dr. Smoake.'"
Right: Dr. Robert Bowman Dr. Robert Bowman, professor of hydrology, was chosen as recipient of New Mexico Tech's Distinguished Research Award for 2006. Bowman joined New Mexico Tech's hydrology program in 1987, having earned his bachelor's degree at the University of California at Berkeley and his doctorate at New Mexico State University. During his time at New Mexico Tech, Dr. Bowman has achieved an exceptional record of innovation in soil and water-related environmental research. He has almost 70 peer-reviewed publications, many of them in the most prominent and highly cited venues in his field. One of his major early contributions was the development of a new class of water tracers, called FBAs, which are now used by soil physicists, chemists, and hydrologists worldwide. Dr. Bowman has also pioneered important new applications of natural minerals called zeolites for removing chemical contaminants and toxic organisms from contaminated water. He made the surprising observation that surfactant-modified zeolites immobilize viruses and bacteria, which could have a major impact on public health in developing areas of the world. Dr. Bowman's group has pioneered another remediation strategy which uses electric currents to decontaminate soils, a method which is being widely adopted. For the U.S. Army, Dr. Bowman has worked on models to improve the detection of landmines. For the state of New Mexico, he is leading studies of stream-aquifer interaction for the Rio Grande basin, with significant implications for the water balance of our region. In addition, Dr. Bowman is the primary investigator of the water portion of New Mexico's new EPSCoR project, recently funded by the National Science Foundation. Rob Bowman has had a lifelong commitment to encouraging young people to participate in science. New Mexico Tech's Master's of Science Teaching Program, Science Olympiad, and Science Fair have all benefited from his work. He has also provided service in the region, with the Socorro Soil and Water Conservation District, the Middle Rio Grande Water Supply Study, and the Socorro-Sierra Regional Water Plan. -NMT- |
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