TENNESSEE SECTION
Knoxville Branch
2023 Outstanding Student Chapter Member Award
Zachary Nieves, S.M. ASCE
Zachary served as the 2022-2023 University of Tennessee ASCE Student Chapter Vice President and Captain of the Steel Bridge Team. Also during his time at the University of Tennessee, he has worked a number of notable internships in the area, including at Messer Construction and at GeoServices. We greatly appreciate Zach's service and the positive influence that he had on his peers. Zach graduated this Spring with his BS and is now working on his MS also at the University of Tennessee.
2023 Outstanding Young Engineer Award
Elina Geut, E.I.T., M. ASCE
Elina obtained her BS from the University of Tennessee - Martin, and her MS from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. During her Master’s program, Elina’s research focused on predictive fatigue of structural materials, under the guidance of Dr. Tim Truster. She is currently an assistant project manager for Civil & Environmental Consultants (CEC), working in their structural division. Elina has been dedicated to ASCE throughout all phases of her career. thus far. She currently helps with the Younger Members Group for the Knoxville Branch, assisting with planning future events and coordinating activities with ASCE Student Chapter at the University of Tennessee.
2023 Outstanding Government Engineer Award
Tom V. Clabo, P.E., M. ASCE
Tom is currently serving the City of Knoxville as the Engineering Director and has served the City since 1993 in a variety of positions. Tom earned his BS from the University of Tennessee in 1990, graduating with High Honors. He went on to earn his MS in Public Works Engineering also from the University of Tennessee in 1997. Tom is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Tennessee.
2023 Outstanding Engineering Educator Award
Mark Denavit, Ph.D., P.E. M. ASCE
Dr. Mark Denavit joined the University of Tennessee as an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the Fall of 2016. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Georgia and worked previously at Stanley D. Lindsey and Associates, Ltd., in Atlanta. He received his BS at the Colorado School of Mines in 2006. He later went on to receive his MS and PhD in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009 and 2012, respectively, and is an active member of AISC and ASCE, working with several committees such as the development of design provisions for steel-concrete composite structures. Dr. Denavit's primary research areas include steel and composite structures, stability, nonlinear analysis, and seismic behavior.
2023 Outstanding Engineering Project Award
Marconi Boulevard Project
The City of Alcoa's imminent development of Springbrook Farms, coupled with the growing volume of traffic in the area due to schools and residential neighborhoods called for a new roadway to support multimodal accessibility. The team worked to accommodate the environmental concerns of the former aluminum plant site and maximized the mixed-use developments with meaningful public spaces and transportation options. Gresham Smith served as the lead engineering firm on the Marconi Boulevard project, which includes a complex roundabout design, rehabilitation of the three historic railroad bridges, one new bridge, pedestrian amenities, concept planning, and low-impact stormwater design. The end result is an integral corridor that serves as the critical piece of infrastructure while also complimenting the aesthetics of the former structures, improving safety, and creating community connectivity.
2023 Distinguished Service Award
Helen S. Hennon, P.E., M. ASCE
Helen earned her BS from Tennessee Tech University in 1992, and her MS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Tennessee in 2004. She has worked for the University of Tennessee as a design engineer since 2016 and is currently a program manager in Design Services at the University. Prior to that, she spent 23 years growing from an Engineering Intern to Senior Engineer, Vice President, and Principle of Quantum Engineering and Environmental Services, LLC (QE2) and its predecessor companies. Helen has served ASCE in a major role for many years, starting with her involvement with the student chapter during her undergraduate career at Tennessee Tech. She has been serving as a Knoxville Branch officer since 2010, including two terms as President in 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. Helen has remained on the Knoxville Branch Board as Treasurer since 2015. She also served as the ASCE Tennessee Section Vice President in 2015-2016, followed by President-Elect, President, and Past President through 2019. Helen is a licensed professional engineer in the state of Tennessee.