News Release July 1, 2013

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Electrical engineering senior receives top 2013 Rice Global E&C Forum scholarship award

HOUSTON – Vivas Kumar, a Rice University senior studying electrical and computer engineering in Will Rice College, claimed the top 2013 scholarship award from the Rice Global Engineering & Construction (E&C) Forum.

On track to fulfill requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree in spring 2014, Kumar plans to study social entrepreneurship in business school following graduation. Active throughout his career at Rice in the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), he was project leader of the chapter’s Nicaragua II initiative in 2011-2012 and was elected recently to become the only student representative on the EWB-USA board of directors. In the latter role, Kumar will voice concerns and opinions of students in EWB board deliberations.

The Rice Global E&C Forum provides support to deserving Rice School of Engineering students each spring in the form of cash awards that may be used to defray educational expenses. The E&C Forum Board of Directors sets the total amount of scholarship money to be offered, and the E&C Forum Scholarship Committee manages the scholarship-award process. Priority is given to applicants who are in or planning to enter the Professional Masters program in the School of Engineering and who have expressed interest in the engineering and construction industry or in careers in companies and industries that employ E&C companies. The E&C industry historically has hired graduates of chemical, civil, environmental, electrical, and mechanical engineering programs at Rice.

This spring, E&C Forum board members agreed to make a total of $15,000 available to Rice students for the 2013-2014 academic year. The Scholarship Committee awarded the full commitment to 14 applicants, with the largest amount awarded–$2,500–going to Kumar. Information about all of this year’s award winners is posted on the E&C Forum’s web site, at: http://www.forum.rice.edu/sponsorships/scholarships/recipients/

EDITORS: The Rice Global E&C Forum is a voluntary academic-industry organization dedicated to stimulating original thinking, discussion, and resolution of the major economic, political, strategic and technological challenges and opportunities faced by global engineering and construction companies. For further information, please visit http://www.forum.rice.edu/.

For further information, please contact: Dr. Satish Nagarajaiah, Rice School of Engineering representative on the E&C Forum board and chair of the E&C Forum scholarship committee, at 713-348-6207; Martin Van Sickels, E&C Forum executive director, at 281-370-0374; or A. D. Koen, E&C Forum media advisor, at 713-812-1623 (office); or by e-mail at adkoen@comcast.net.

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