EXTON, Pa.— June 12, 2013 — Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure, today announced the winners of Bentley LEARNservices’ 2013 Scott Lofgren Student Design Awards, recently renamed in honor of the late Scott Lofgren, Bentley global director, who tirelessly advocated for academic programs that help young people learn technical skills in preparation for careers in engineering. Bentley also named Dr. Francelina Neto of California State Polytechnic University Pomona as Bentley Educator of the Year. The Scott Lofgren Student Design Awards recognize projects that were created, using Bentley software, by university, college, technical, and high school students around the world, and acknowledges the achievements of the students’ educators. The competition fosters interest and growth in the architectural, engineering, construction (AEC), geospatial, and operations professions by encouraging students to explore and apply the software they’ll need as future members of the infrastructure community. The Bentley Educator of the Year award recognizes a member of the academic community who has an outstanding record of achievement and is committed to inspiring students to pursue careers in the infrastructure professions.

Bentley Systems CEO Greg Bentley said, “Bentley colleagues will remember Scott Lofgren, who passed away on May 24, 2013, for his infectious zeal and many accomplishments in sustaining the infrastructure professions by ensuring graduates are prepared for careers in architecture and engineering – or, as he liked to put it, ‘are job ready.’ His role was very important to our company, and the academic programs he nurtured continue to benefit not only Bentley, but also the many AECO firms that rely upon them to meet their growing demand for new talent. Of course, his work and legacy will also long benefit students around the world in discovering the rewards of engineering careers, including the ability to contribute to a better quality of life for all through the infrastructure professions. Moreover, Scott’s integrity and skills as a leader, honed through his education at West Point and rise to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, provide all of us at Bentley Systems with an inspiring example of leadership at its finest.”

The winning projects in this year’s competition are:

• Eveleigh Cinémathèque, Marguerite Farmakis, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, in the “Innovation in Architectural Design” category;
• IIT Madras Design for Haji Ali Junction, Aakanksha Jadhav, Siddhesh Godbole, and Dinesh S Soundappa, Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, India, in the “Innovation in Road or Bridge Design” category;
• Onehunga Primary School Entranceway, Melanie Pau, Yusef Patel, and Stefan Panovski, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand, in the “Innovation in Engineering Design – Structural, Mining, or Hydraulic” category;
• Church in Trinidad Bay, Mateusz Ilba, AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland, in the “Innovation in Rendering using MicroStation” category;
• Union Station, Washington D.C., Francis Jacaban, Eastern Technical High School, Baltimore, Md., U.S.A., in the “Design a Retail Center” category.

The winning students and projects in the 2013 Scott Lofgren Student Design Awards competition will be recognized at their respective schools. Additionally, winners will each receive a scholarship and their respective schools will each receive a handcrafted award and a 10-seat Academic SELECT subscription – including more than 50 products and OnDemand training – through the Be Careers Network.

George Church, senior vice president, Bentley LEARNservices, said, “The Scott Lofgren Student Design Awards competition gives students an opportunity to demonstrate to the infrastructure community their ability to apply what they have learned in the classroom. Given the outstanding quality of the submissions this year, it goes without saying that many of these students will one day be the architects or design engineers who will create tomorrow’s sustainable infrastructure that improves quality of life for communities everywhere and inspires us all.”

He continued, “Fostering this talent are the many dedicated and gifted teachers who share their knowledge and expertise with students, and regularly challenge their capabilities to help them achieve their full potential. We recognize today just such an educator – Dr. Francelina Neto, department chair of Civil Engineering, California State Polytechnic University Pomona, and recipient of the 2013 Bentley Educator of the Year award.

“Dr. Neto holds a doctorate in photogrammetry and a master of science in remote sensing from the University of London. She has been an innovative educator for more than 25 years, who can count among her many innovative initiatives the introduction of spatial analysis and 3D modeling into the curriculum in preparatory and advanced courses at Cal Poly Pomona.

“As a dedicated mentor, Dr. Neto’s priority is to extend the educational experience she provides beyond university classrooms to help motivate young people of all ages to achieve their best. She mentors students at the junior college level, providing them the knowledge and motivation they need to become prospective engineering students. She also actively engages in elementary school programs in economically challenged areas, introducing younger students to engineering and showing them, as well as their parents, that a career in the infrastructure professions is within their reach and an excellent career choice.