Steven K. Dentel AEESP Award for Global Outreach

Nomination Form »

This award is given annually to recognize outstanding contributions and leadership by a faculty member through involvement in environmental engineering and science outreach activities to the global community. Outreach activities that advance the health and well-being of the global community through environmental education, research, entrepreneurship, international collaborations, program development, contributions to trans-national environmental efforts, mentoring students engaged in global outreach activities, or similar impacts, will be considered. The recipient of this award will receive a cash award of $500 and a plaque in honor of his/her achievements.

Past nominations will be carried over and considered for three years and can be modified during this period. Nominations from students are eligible for consideration. Refer to the nomination package for the required submission requirements.

Professor Steven K. Dentel was a Professor of 30 years at the University of Delaware in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He obtained Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in environmental engineering from Cornell University and a Sc.B. in mechanical engineering from Brown University. He was an active member of AEESP since 1984 until 2015. He served as Secretary of the AEESP Board of Directors from 2011 to 2012 and as Secretary of the AEESP Foundation Board of Directors from 2012 to 2013. Professor Dentel has been the faculty advisor of the University of Delaware's Engineer's Without Borders chapter since 2006.  In this role and through his various activities, he was an exemplary model and has set the standard for what global outreach leadership means to the AEESP community. This award is intended to recognize faculty leaders who, like Professor Dentel, have demonstrated continued and sustained service to our profession and dedication to global outreach.

*Eligibility: Previous recipients of this award are not eligible to be re-nominated.

President John Tobiason's message to the membership announcing Dr. Dentel's passing on February 18, 2015.

(2/19/15)

Dear AEESP Members:

I am writing to share the very sad news that Dr. Steven K. Dentel, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Delaware, passed away yesterday (2/18) due to cancer. Steve was a personal colleague and friend throughout my career. He was a wonderful person, mentor, teacher and researcher. We can all join his family and colleagues at Delaware in mourning our loss, and also remembering and celebrating his contributions and impacts on so many individuals.

Steve’s passion and contributions to improving the well-being of people in the world were recognized in 2014 by creation of the Steven K. Dentel AEESP Award for Global Outreach, with the initial award presented to Steve in the spring of 2014. In recent weeks, due to an initiative by Steve and his family, we have been working to initiate a fund raising effort to endow this award. Today we announce the formal beginning of the campaign to endow the Steven K. Dentel AEESP Award for Global Outreach. A link to the AEESP Foundation website where contributions can be made is provided below. We are hoping that very quickly we can leverage the generous matching donation from Steve’s family and the matching funds from AEESP to reach an initial fund raising goal of $30,000.

Please support Steve’s family and friends, and each other, as we mourn Steve’s passing. On behalf of the Boards of Directors of AEESP and the AEESP Foundation, we encourage you to consider a donation to the Steven K. Dentel AEESP Award for Global Outreach endowment fund.

Sincerely,
John E. Tobiason, President, AEESP
Robin Autenrieth, Chair, AEESP Foundation

Past Recipients