91社区

On April 16, the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences celebrated innovation and leadership in the engineering field at the Fifth Annual Ingenium Awards reception at NYIT de Seversky Mansion on the Long Island campus.

The milestone event raised a record-breaking $100,000 and brought together students, staff, faculty, alumni, and industry collaborators.

鈥淎s we celebrate five years of Ingenium, we are not only recognizing individual achievement, but we are also celebrating the power of a community that brings together academia, industry, and government to drive innovation,鈥� said Babak D. Beheshti, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences. 鈥淥ur honorees represent the very best of what engineering and computing can achieve when talent, opportunity, and purpose align.鈥�

Beyond the individual and organizational achievements celebrated, Ingenium highlighted student research and innovation. Students from the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Technology Center (ETIC), Ph.D. candidates, and student entrepreneurs from and the (NESTS) course showcased their work throughout the venue. 

鈥淭he students, faculty, and graduates of our College of Engineering and Computing Sciences are among the best examples of 91社区鈥檚 鈥榙oer-maker-innovator鈥� spirit,鈥� said Jerry Balentine, D.O., 91社区 president. 鈥�91社区 looks to help grow a community of entrepreneurs on Long Island from the grass roots up. We want to provide young would-be entrepreneurs with hands-on experience, interdisciplinary learning, and mentorship. By investing in our students, 91社区 will empower them to grow this economy and to help shape it for the future.鈥�

Award Winners

The evening recognized outstanding individuals and organizations whose work continues to shape the future of engineering and computing sciences.

Shanjee Kirupananthan (B.S. 鈥�18) and Robert Maksimowicz (B.S. 鈥�23) were recognized as the Rising Star Honorees. Kirupananthan is a software engineer at Boeing, working on autonomous vehicle control and aircraft health management systems. At Boeing鈥檚 production facility in St. Louis, Mo., Kirupananthan and her team developed health management software for both the F/A-18 Hornet and the Super Hornet.

鈥淩eceiving this recognition is a reminder that this is not a finish line, but inspiration to keep going and keep striving to make a real difference,鈥� said Kirupananthan.

Maksimowicz is an associate electrical engineer at Leviton. He serves as a product line engineer within the residential products division, working on electronic/firmware design and product development. In addition to his professional engineering career, Maksimowicz is the founder of Avant-Garde Labs, a manufacturing company focused on developing products for post-disaster environments and scenarios where internet connectivity is limited or unavailable.

鈥淲hen I became a student worker on the [NASA] T2X program, it allowed me to flourish as an engineer,鈥� said Maksimowicz. 鈥淭here, I worked on extraordinary projects that pushed the boundaries of my knowledge and grew my technical understanding.鈥�

The Mid-Career Excellence Award was presented to Richard Mortimore (B.S. 鈥�15), mechanical engineer at The TurboChyll Company. Mortimore earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical engineering in 2015, and during his time at 91社区, he served as president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Long Island chapter for four years and competed in the VEX World Championship Robotics competitions. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Robotics World Hall of Fame in 2016. His work at The TurboChyll Company focuses on energy-efficient and infrastructure projects for New York City hospitals and commercial facilities.

鈥淢y journey into engineering really started long before college. It began with my grandfather, who had a huge influence on my life,鈥� said Mortimore. 鈥淗e always told me to work with my brain instead of just my hands and back鈥攖o find a way to be smarter than he had to be in his time. That advice stuck with me, and it helped shape the path I chose. Everything I鈥檝e accomplished is rooted in that simple but powerful message.鈥�

For the second year in a row, the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences celebrated its strong alliance with government organizations. Brookhaven National Laboratory received the 2026 Government-University Innovation Excellence Award for its partnership with 91社区 and for providing faculty and students with access to world-class research facilities, collaborative opportunities, and impactful scientific engagement.

鈥淏rookhaven Lab and 91社区 have a shared purpose in using science and technology to solve problems and positively impact the nation and the world,鈥� said Gabriella Carini, associate laboratory director, discovery technologies directorate, who accepted the award on the organization鈥檚 behalf. 鈥淣early 60 employees at Brookhaven have studied at 91社区, and more than 40 percent are engineers. We build upon each other鈥檚 work, and we all work together to push the frontiers of science and technology.鈥�

The 2026 Industry Partner of the Year Award was presented to H2M architects + engineers for their sustained commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community impact, as well as its strong support of student development and experiential learning. Accepting on behalf of H2M was President and Chief Executive Officer Rich Humann (B.S. 鈥�91), a mechanical engineering alumnus. Humann commended 91社区 for its commitment to educating career-ready students.

鈥淭he experiences I gained as a student at 91社区 set me on the path to become the leader of H2M,鈥� said Humann. 鈥淲hat impresses me the most about students that come out of 91社区 is they are ready to contribute. 91社区 recognizes the importance of putting theory into practice. I鈥檓 proud to say that 87 of our employees are 91社区 graduates..鈥�

Two more alumni were added to the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences Hall of Fame: Thomasom Van Laan (M.B.A. 鈥�84) and Oneil Gayle (B.S. 鈥�01). Both were recognized for their distinguished careers and lasting contributions to the engineering profession and 91社区.

Van Laan is a chief executive officer (CEO), engineer, and investor with more than 45 years of experience in the software industry. He served as CEO of COADE Engineering Software for nearly 20 years and is currently CEO and founder of CloudCalc, Inc. He is a licensed professional engineer in three states, the author of Piping and Pipe Support Systems: Design and Engineering, and has mentored and/or invested in nearly 50 tech startups. Van Laan has been actively involved with 91社区 since 2012 as a member of the Dean鈥檚 Advisory Board of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences and, most recently, as a member of the 91社区 Board of Trustees, co-chairing the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Committee. He has been instrumental in establishing the ETIC, the inaugural Ingenium event, Startup Tech Central, and the NYIT Venture Fund.

鈥淵ou too can get involved in a place where great things are happening,鈥� said Van Laan. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter how you start; whether it鈥檚 by attending Ingenium or deciding to write a $25 check like I did. Just get involved.鈥�

Gayle is the CEO of Loring Consulting Engineers. He first joined Loring as a summer intern in 2002 and has built an exceptional career on an accelerated trajectory, being named chief operating officer in 2016 and CEO in 2023. Born in Jamaica, Gayle came to the United States on an athletic scholarship, earning a cum laude mechanical engineering degree at 91社区. A product of Loring鈥檚 exceptional mentoring system, he has worked to develop a diverse, vibrant work community and provide a range of opportunities, including the next-gen mentoring and training program. He has championed Loring鈥檚 expansion into new market sectors and geographic areas in the United States. Canada, and now Jamaica.

鈥�91社区 has played such an important role in my journey from intern to CEO,鈥� said Gayle. 鈥淚t was one of my classmates who got me the internship at Loring, and Dr. Tabi, who was my HVAC professor, took it beyond teaching. We had to present to him, professionally dressed and ready to explain our project. 91社区 prepares you for the future. It sets you up for success. I鈥檓 so proud to be an alum.鈥�

Beheshti closed out the awards program with a special recognition of alumna Brianna Hobert (B.S. 鈥�23, M.S. 鈥�24), who is a mechanical engineering Ph.D. candidate. Hobert received the Emerging Leader Award for her exceptional student leadership, academic excellence, and commitment to advancing opportunities for her fellow students and alumni.

By Sabrina Polidoro