Tau Beta Pi, a national engineering honor society, recently created an award solely for Clemson University's South Carolina Alpha Chapter at the association's 97th Annual Convention in Detroit. Named the Executive Council Membership Commendation, the award recognized Clemson's extraordinary efforts and success in substantially increasing new membership in their chapter.

Clemson moved from initiating less than 10% of the eligible students to initiating over 50% in a single year, dramatically increasing the number of students initiated from twelve students in the fall of 2000 to 70 students in the fall of 2001.
Clemson University's South Carolina Alpha chapter, founded in 1928, also won two more awards at the association's convention. The Secretary's Commendation was awarded for excellence in reports submissions, and the group also received the Chapter Project Award for outstanding, diverse project work during 2001-02.

In addition to the chapter's celebrated success, Matthew Ohland, assistant professor in general engineering program and chief advisor to the South Carolina Alpha Chapter, was installed as president of the executive council for Tau Beta Pi.

Tau Beta Pi President
Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society has a new Executive Council, and serving as national president is Matt Ohland, an assistant professor in Clemson's general engineering program. Previously, Ohland was the assistant director of the National Science Foundation-sponsored SUCCEED engineering education coalition.

His research interest is engineering education, and he has spoken and conducted workshops nationally and internationally, primarily in the area of assessment. He received his Ph.D. in civil engineering with a graduate minor in education from the University of Florida in 1996. Ohland is a recipient of the national 4-H Presidential Award (1986), the highest honor given by that organization. Ohland will serve as president from 2002-06.