Hannah Prater Denson. Submitted photo
A University of Mississippi civil engineering alumna was named the Jackson area’s Young Engineer of the Year for 2020 by the Mississippi Engineering Society and recently learned she was also named the state’s Young Engineer of the Year by the society.
Hannah Prater Denson (BSCE 15) was recognized by the organization for her efforts with the Women’s Transportation Seminar to help bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics education to her local community by coordinating the preparation and delivery of STEM kits to Raines Elementary School.
WTS, with help from the American Society of Civil Engineers, MES and other consulting firms, has been preparing and delivering 100 kits monthly during the 2020-21 school year. The kits contain an educational packet with a QR code to a fun instructional video, all the materials required for the kit and a few fun surprises.
“I was incredibly surprised and very honored that my peers felt I was worthy of this recognition,” said Denson, who works as a transportation engineer for Gresham Smith in the Jackson office. “I’ve poured myself into the STEM kit project, and so this honor was a reminder that serving our communities should remain constant in this industry. While the STEM kits directly served my local community, I was reminded that work I do every day serves the traveling public.”
The award is weighted on professional development, community service and extracurricular activity that extends beyond the engineering field, and promotion of the welfare of the engineer and the engineering profession.
Denson said her incentive to develop the STEM kits began with her dedication to serve her local community and provide awareness about STEM careers to children who otherwise might not be exposed to them.
“The STEM kit project started based on a request made by Raines Elementary for support during a year of virtual learning,” Denson said. “While WTS committed to providing kits each month to Raines Elementary, we thought that we could reach a farther audience by making the videos and instructions available on the WTS website, so we did.”
Hannah Prater Denson and her husband, Andrew Denson. Watson Photography
Denson, who also earned a master’s degree in engineering from Mississippi State University in 2018, said she has received valuable support for her efforts from her employer.
“Gresham Smith has become a wonderful support system that encourages service for our communities,” she said. “When I started working at Gresham Smith, I did not know how grateful I would become for their philanthropic culture.”
Denson’s professional memberships include ASCE, MES and WTS. She credited ASCE with playing a critical role in her collegiate life by giving her opportunities to make connections that led to internships and eventually jobs.
“My involvement in ASCE in college even gave me the confidence to join the local Jackson branch, where I served as younger member chair, secretary, treasurer, vice president and president,” she said. “I have become involved at the state level, where I currently serve as secretary.
“ASCE is truly a wonderful organization that is set up to allow networking and growth. Serving on the leadership teams for ASCE has allowed me to hone my communication skills and continue learning about topics that interest me in civil engineering.”
Denson said two of the engineering professors who influenced her the most were Marni Kendricks, assistant dean for undergraduate academics, and Chris Mullen, associate professor of civil engineering.
“Mrs. Marni taught Introduction to Civil Engineering,” she said. “After taking this course and seeing how a civil engineer could take an idea, design it and then construct it, I immediately felt like I had truly found my calling. I liked the physical aspect of being able to see just an idea come to fruition as a part of our built environment. Mrs. Marni also showed me that you could be comfortable being the only female in a room and to have confidence if you ever found yourself in this situation.”
Denson said Mullen was “pretty much a constant” throughout her years at Ole Miss.
“His commitment and dedication to his students and research gave me a glimpse into what the professional side of engineering would look like,” she said. “The structure of his courses prepared for the real world by working in teams and having to stick to hard deadlines.”
Denson’s achievement is rewarding, said Jacob Najjar, chair and professor of civil engineering.
“This speaks volumes to the reputation of our department,” Najjar said. “We are extremely delighted by Hannah’s notable recognition. Truly, she represents an outstanding role model for our civil engineering students and recent graduates. We are very proud of her and wish her the best in all of her future endeavors.”
Denson’s family includes her husband, Andrew Denson; her parents, Al and Beth Prater, and two sisters, Allie and Leeta Prater. Her father and sisters are also UM alumni.
In Denson’s spare time, she enjoys playing the piano and being outdoors.