Brian Dutra Honored at Western New England University College of Engineering

Related Media

(L-R) Dean of Engineering S. Hossein Cheraghi, Brian Dutra, and Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Bart Lipkens

SPRINGFIELD, MA (06/13/2012)(readMedia)-- Brian P. Dutra of Rockland received the College of Engineering's Henry L. Sundberg Jr. Award during Baccalaureate ceremonies at Western New England University. The award honors the student chosen by the faculty to represent the College of Engineering at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Region I student competition. Dutra placed first in the event's oral presentation competition and his presentation was judged as having the highest technical content.

Presenting the award, Dr. Bart Lipkens had high praise for Dutra's senior project, which used acoustics to separate fat particles out of a blood stream. "We presented this work to a well known heart surgeon who got quite excited about the opportunities Brian's work presents," said Lipkens. "In my ten years at Western New England University, I can honestly say that Brian's senior project is among the top three of all projects I have supervised."

Dutra graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. While at Western New England University, he was inducted into the Alpha Lambda Delta, Tau Beta Pi, and Sigma Beta Tau honor societies and was active in the Outing Club and Alternative Spring Break. He plans to continue his studies by pursuing a master's degree from Western New England University

The Sundberg award is named for Professor Emeritus Henry Sundberg Jr., who retired in 1991 after 32 years in the mechanical engineering department.

Western New England University is a private, independent, coeducational institution founded in 1919. Located on an attractive 215-acre suburban campus in Springfield, Massachusetts, Western New England serves 3,700 students, including 2,550 full-time undergraduate students. Undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs are offered through Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy and the School of Law.