EDUCATIONAL TRUST Robinson Appointed to Trust Board Dan Dragone, Chair The DFI Board of Trustees has appointed Helen Robinson, P.E., of GEI Consultants, to serve on the DFI Educational Trust Board of Trustees. She is serving as an at-large trustee for a period of two years, starting January 1, 2018. Robinson is currently the chair of DFI’s Women in Deep Foundations (WiDF) Committee. Under her leadership, the committee has greatly increased its activities and presence, both within DFI and in the industry. She previously served as executive editor of Deep Foundations magazine for three years. Robinson has also been active in various DFI Technical Committees since joining DFI in 2006. Before joining GEI Consultants last year as a senior project manager, Robinson was employed by Schnabel Engineering for 14 years, where she participated in a wide variety of projects. Ruben Tovar, is the recipient of the $5,000 Langan/Bernard F. Langan Scholarship at Purdue University. Tovar is a Ph.D. can- didate in civil engine e r ing, and his research topic is the Effect of Particle Crushing on the Axial Capacity of Piles. Hio Kuan “Elsa” Kong, is the recipient of the $5,000 Langan/Donald J. Murphy Memorial Schol- arship at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. Kong is an undergraduate student studying civil engineering with a minor in con- struction management. She is interested in a career in environmental engineering. The Langan Legacy Scholarships fund was established in 2015 with a $200,000 donation from Langan Engineering & Environmental Services and an additional contribution of more than $100,000 generously made by many principals of Langan. Donations to the Langan Engi- neering & Environmental Services Legacy Scholarship Fund can be made online at www.dfitrust.org. Manuel Fine Scholarships The Trust has awarded two Manuel Fine Civil Engineering Scholarships each in the amount of $2,500 USD. Lauren Augustin is an undergraduate The Trust Board is excited to have Robinson join as a trustee and is confident that her enthusiasm, combined with her organ- izing, leadership and fundraising skills, will be of great value to the organization. Langan Scholarships The Trust awarded two Langan Engi- neering & Environmental Services Legacy Scholarships in December. civil engineering student at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. She developed her interest in the deep foundations industry after a work term at a design-build construction firm, noting in her essay that “working at the firm … revealed the complexity of the field and made me interested in pursuing it further.” Yaman Zahra is an undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in civil engineering at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. Zahra noted in his essay that his internship for a foundation contractor [email protected] caused him to realize “that foundation work is way more interesting and challenging than any other type of construction because you are dealing with the earth, which is filled with surprises.” The Manuel Fine Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund was established in 2013 with generous donations from Berming- ham Foundation Solutions, where Fine was employed for 23 years, the Heavy Construction Association of Ontario, the Heavy Construction Association of Toronto and the Ontario Association of Foundation Specialists. The fund honors Manuel Fine, who served DFI for 24 years in many roles, including trustee, president, executive director, managing editor of Deep Foundations magazine, and in recent years, as publisher of the DFI Journal. The fund will provide scholarships only for civil engineering students attending universities in the Province of Ontario. Fine is a graduate of the University of Toronto. Donations to the Manuel Fine Civil Engineering Scholarship Fund can be made online at www.dfitrust.org . Stanley Merjan Scholarships Four students at City College of New York (CCNY) received Stanley Merjan Civil Engineering Scholarships from the Trust. Chaddy Ismail is a structural civil engineer- ing senior. He is currently a research assistant on a project studying how br idge deter iorat ion affects traffic patterns. After graduating from CCNY, he plans to earn a master’s degree, while preparing for the P.E. exam and working at an engineering company. Wen Li is a senior majoring in civil engineering with a concentration in struc- tures. Her interest in deep foundations DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAR/APR 2018 • 59
