March 17, 2006 :: No. 169

Raman Unnikrishnan, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Cal State Fullerton, is being honored tonight by the University of Missouri-Columbia with the 2006 Missouri Honor Award for Distinguished Service in Engineering.

"This award is bestowed upon only a few outstanding engineers and engineering organizations," said Jim Thompson, dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where Unnikrishnan earned his doctorate in engineering.

The awards banquet is preceded by a campus ceremony during which St. Patrick, the institution's patron saint, "knights" College of Engineering honorees as part of a weeklong salute to engineering. Unnikrishnan also will attend a Saturday gathering of the engineering alumni board and Citation of Merit luncheon.

The Fullerton resident joined Cal State Fullerton as dean in 2001. He is credited with establishing an undergraduate program in computer engineering, as well as a master of science degree program in software engineering — the college's first online degree program. The inaugural class is scheduled to graduate this year. In addition, an Industrial Affiliates program he leads is building relationships with local industries and raising private funds for the college.

Earlier this year, Unnikrishnan hosted a Technology Summit, in partnership with California Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher (R-Brea), so that industry leaders could meet with educators in the College of Engineering and Computer Science to help engineer the future of technology education and workforce development in Orange County.

Unnikrishnan is an ongoing member of national and international accrediting teams that evaluate engineering programs at universities around the globe.

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