Lauren Nucci, a senior civil engineering student in the UGA College of Engineering, has been awarded the 2015 Sharon D. Banks Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship by the Atlanta chapter of Women’s Transportation Seminar (WTS). The $2,000 scholarship is designed to encourage the development of women in the transportation field and is presented annually to a woman pursuing undergraduate studies in transportation or a related discipline.
“I really like every aspect of civil engineering and transportation engineering,” said Nucci, a native of Geneva, Switzerland. “I would like to design eco-friendly roads and we need much more research to determine how to create more sustainable infrastructure.”
Nucci says she is also interested in using GPS technology to design systems to help communities avoid traffic jams and parking shortages.
The competitive Banks Scholarship is based on applicants’ specific transportation goals, academic record and transportation-related activities or job skills. The winners of chapter scholarships are nominated for the National Sharon D. Banks Memorial Scholarship, worth $5,000. The national award will be presented at the WTS conference in Austin, Texas next spring.
“I am thrilled that Lauren received this award and is being recognized for her excellence in academics,” said Stephan Durham, an associate professor and coordinator of the UGA civil engineering program. “Lauren is a detailed, bright, and determined student who is very deserving of this award. She is a great example of the quality students we have in our program.”
In addition to completing her coursework and preparing for her professional licensing examination, Nucci works at Williams and Associates, an engineering company based in Athens. When Nucci graduates in December, she will be part of the first class of civil engineering graduates at UGA in more than 80 years.
“I’m proud to be one of the first graduates of our new civil engineering program,” said Nucci. “The professors here are exceptional and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my UGA experience.”
