Congratulations to Sydney Neuman, the recipient of the inaugural David J. Duquette Capstone Prize. Sydney graduated in May with a B.S. in Materials Engineering. The award was presented to Sydney at the annual Materials Science and Engineering Dept Awards dinner on May 19. This award recognizes the outstanding performance and contributions of a Materials Engineering student on their Capstone project in the Multidisciplinary Capstone Design course. Sydney’s industry-sponsored project addressed substrate surface preparation for metal additive manufacturing. In the adjacent photo, Sydney is congratulated by Prof. Duquette’s wife, JoAnn, (left) and Prof. Kathryn Dannemann, Design Lab Director, (right).

The Duquette Capstone prize was initiated and funded by many of Prof. Duquette’s former students in his memory. Prof. Duquette, John Tod Horton Professor of Engineering, passed away in February 2023 following a 53-year career in the Materials Science and Engineering Dept. Most recently, he had served as a Capstone faculty member and was endeared by Capstone students for his practical engineering expertise and guidance.