CE alumni Ron Klemencic, PE, SE (BSCE '85) and Dr. Essam Sharaf (BSCE '75, MSCE '80, PhD '84) have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.

Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to "the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."

Ron Klemencic is chairman and chief executive officer of Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA). He is recognized for his innovation in the design of high-rise buildings worldwide, and for research and design guidelines to advance structural engineering practices.

Dr. Essam Sharaf is a professor in the department of public works at Cairo University in Giza, Egypt. He is recognized for his leadership to modernize transportation systems in Egypt and the Middle East through scholarship, advocacy, and public policy.

Election of new NAE members is the culmination of a yearlong process. The ballot is set in December and the final vote for membership occurs during January. Individuals in the newly elected class will be formally inducted during a ceremony at the NAE's annual meeting in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 4.