The purpose of this prize is to commemorate and honor the legacy of Sho Funai, by annually celebrating a top-level graduate student in Structural Engineering at U.C. San Diego. The prize will be awarded to one exceptional student who upholds some of the values that Sho embodied and who demonstrates passion and inspiration for achieving their goals. The prize will award $1,000 to one student.
Background: Sho Funai (1988-2012) was an exceptional student in the U.C. San Diego Structural Engineering program. He achieved his B.S. degree in 2010 and completed a M.S. thesis in 2012. More information about Sho can be found at the Sho Funai Educational Foundation website: http://www.shofunai.org.
Eligibility
- Minimum 24 units of coursework (letter graded graduate courses, not counting SE 296)
- Enrolled in UCSD SE graduate program < 2.5 years and will be enrolled in fall quarter during which the prize will be awarded (you are ineligible if started before March 2017)
- Engaged in research activity (M.S. thesis or Ph.D. dissertation; for M.S. this can also be faculty-guided research project without thesis)
- GPA 3.5 or higher
- Agree to be publicly recognized as recipient of this prize during SE department event
In order to be considered for this prize, you must complete an application by December 15th, 2023. The award will be announced at either the fall or winter quarter celebration.
To apply:
- Prepare your resume to be uploaded in PDF format named as Lastname_Firstname.pdf
- Compose your response to essay questions (see below; use word processor to prepare).
- Complete application and essay questions online: https://forms.gle/EfrXQiU6EMSiCfpc6
Application Questions (provided here for reference – enter response into form linked above)
**Responses allow 1000 characters including spaces, which is about 160-170 words **
Note: In addition to answering questions 1 and 2, answer either question 3 or 4 (only question 3 will be evaluated if both are submitted)
- How would you describe your life purpose? How do you plan to employ your Structural Engineering education to have an impact on the world?
- What is your plan and what steps have you taken towards achieving your purpose or goal?
- Please tell us about something (doesn’t have to be school or engineering related) that you are passionate about or that inspires you and others. Explain why?
- or Please tell us about a time when you did something that had a profound impact on others. What did you do and why?