University relations director receives engineering education award

Jan. 2006

Lueny Morell, director, University Relations for Latin America, has been named one of five winners of the National Academy of Engineering's 2006 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for her work in developing an undergraduate engineering education program that encourages hands-on learning aimed at solving challenges facing industry.

The annual Gordon Prize recognizes innovation in engineering education and is considered among the engineering profession's top awards.

The prize includes a gold medallion and a cash award of $500,000, which will be divided among the individual honorees and the recipient's institution to support the continued development, refinement, and dissemination of the recognized innovation, in this case Pennsylvania State University.
 
Morell was cited for an engineering education program called “The Learning Factory,” which integrates design, manufacturing and business realities into the engineering curriculum. It features a practice-based curriculum that includes strong collaboration with industry through advisory boards, engineers in the classroom and industry-sponsored capstone design projects.

The Gordon Prize will be presented at Union Station in Washington, D.C., on February 21, during National Engineers Week.

As university relations director for Latin America, Morell is responsible for developing and strengthening HP's ties to a select number of institutions in that region, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.

Before joining HP in 2002, Morell had a 24 year career at the University of Puerto Rico, holding various positions at the Mayagüez Campus ( UPRM ) including a position as professor of Chemical Engineering. She has published more than 40 scientific and education papers, and has received many honors during her career.