Smith receives 2021 Ralph S. Quatrano Prize in Engineering
Hannah Smith, a senior majoring in applied science, is president of the WashU NSBE chapter
Hannah Smith, a senior majoring in applied science (electrical engineering) has been chosen to receive the 2021 Ralph S. Quatrano Prize, given in honor of Ralph Quatrano, the Spencer T. Olin Professor Emeritus, dean of Engineering from 2010 to 2015 and former chair of the Department of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis. She was honored at the Engineering Awards Ceremony April 21.
Established through a generous donation by Katherine Day Reinleitner, the prize is sponsored by The Mindlin Foundation, which presents two prizes annually, one in Engineering and one in biology, both honoring Quatrano’s exemplary leadership as Engineering dean and his important work as a researcher in biology.
Smith, of Silver Spring, Maryland, is president of the McKelvey School of Engineering chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. Prior to becoming president, she was the group’s Pre-College Initiatives chair and has been a community outreach tutor during her undergraduate career. In addition, she is the sole student appointee of the Washington University Equity & Inclusion Council and is a student member of the McKelvey School of Engineering Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee. She has been a tour guide for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions; a member of the traveling Debate Team; a Mental Health Peer counselor with Uncle Joe’s; and a student fundraiser for the university Call Center. She has completed summer internships at Mahlet Consulting Inc. in Columbia, Maryland, and at Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California.
