Eisenhower Fellowships

Five Cal State Fullerton civil engineering majors, including a brother and sister, have been awarded Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Awards by the Federal Highway Administration.

The national fellowships are designed to advance the transportation workforce by attracting the brightest minds to the field.

“We’ve had fellowship winners every year,” said Sergio Guerra, director of the Center for Academic Support in Engineering and Computer Science, who initiated university participation in 2006. “Each year, we’ve had at least 20 applications. I think the students here just love the challenge.”

Joining Guerra in screening the proposals before they were forwarded to Washington, D.C., were: Raman Unnikrishnan, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Victor Delgado, assistant dean of the college; and a representative from Caltrans.

Recipients are:

• Beena Ajmera of Ontario — $7,500 fellowship for furthering her work on “The Effect of Salt Water on the Settlement of Soft Soils.” A senior majoring in mathematics and civil engineering, she is advised by Binod Tiwari, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering.
• Keyur Ajmera of Ontario — $1,500 fellowship for continuing his work on “Hydraulic Lane Changers.” He is also a senior majoring in mathematics and civil engineering and advised by Tiwari.
• Kaushlendra Das of Fullerton — $1,500 fellowship for “Analysis of Safe Sidewalks, Intersections and Street Networks.” This graduate student also is advised by Tiwari.
• Jon Haider of Upland — $5,000 fellowship for “Elevated Parallel Overpasses as Means of Congestion Relief.” Tiwari and Uksun Kim, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, serve as the senior’s advisers.
• Audrey Perry of Riverside — $5,000 fellowship for “The Impact of Tunnel Engineering.” Prasada Rao, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, advises this senior.