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Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award
The application deadline for the 2025 award is January 30. Apply today!
About the Award
Reidar Bjorhovde was a consummate professional, researcher, leader, and enormous contributor to the world's knowledge of steel structures. He had a life-long passion for mentoring bright young professionals, whether in graduate school or just starting out in an engineering career. We'll introduce the award recipient to steel industry leaders who will act as mentors and "connectors," much as Reidar did for so many.
"I am truly grateful for the Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award I received last year. This honor provided me with an exceptional overview and offered a fresh perspective on the steel industry. I am eager to contribute to the growth of the steel industry in my local community of New Mexico." -- Cristopher Montalvo, 2023 AISC Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award Recipient
The AISC Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award will give the recipient a broad look at the world of steel throughout 2025.
- The annual award will go to a graduate student who is within one year of graduating or an engineer within five years of having graduated.
- The winner will receive a travel grant and complimentary registration (as applicable) to attend the following events:
- 2025 NASCC: The Steel Conference in Louisville, Ky., April 2-4 (required).
- 2025 AISC Task Committee and Committee on Specification meetings, Chicago: mid-November (required).
- A mill tour, location TBD, date flexible (required).
- A fabricator tour, location TBD, date flexible (required).
Those applying for this award must be:
- a full-time graduate student who is within one year of graduating; or,
- a graduate (Bachelors or Masters) within 5 years of having graduated.
Applicants must have an undergraduate engineering degree and have completed or are currently enrolled in a structural-engineering-focused program at a U.S. university.
Past Recipients
2024: Ahmad Hassan
Ahmad Hassan graduated from the University of California, Davis, with his PhD in structural engineering in December 2022. Shortly thereafter, he went to work at Degenkolb Engineers.
Amit Kanvinde--a structural engineering professor at UC Davis, the 2022 T.R. Higgins Award winner, and a notable contributor to AISC standards and research--provided a recommendation letter for Hassan. “I have been extremely impressed with Ahmad's intelligence, work ethic, dedication, and professionalism," Kanvinde wrote. "He is one of the best students I have had the pleasure to supervise--and I say this with confidence."
2023: Cristopher Montalvo
Cristopher Montalvo, a structural engineer for Dekker Perich Sabatini (DPS) was the inaugural recipient of the Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award.
Montalvo formed and currently chairs the Structural Engineers Association of New Mexico’s Young Member’s Group to provide networking opportunities, learning activities, and resources for young professionals working toward licensure. He is a graduate of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology ('18 BSCE) and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ('19 MSCE), and he held leadership positions with his local ASCE and SEI student chapters throughout his academic career.
"I am truly grateful for the Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award I received last year. This honor provided me with an exceptional overview and offered a fresh perspective on the steel industry. I am eager to contribute to the growth of the steel industry in my local community of New Mexico." -- Cristopher Montalvo, 2023 AISC Reidar Bjorhovde Outstanding Young Professional Award Recipient
We sincerely thank Nucor, Pat Bjorhovde (Reidar’s widow), and many generous donors who helped us establish this award in 2023. If you'd like to contribute to this award, please contact the Education Foundation at giving@aisc.org.
