The South Dakota Engineering Society (SDES) is a local society of professional engineers (PE) and engineers in training (EIT) from all disciplines. The society promotes the ethical and competent practice of engineering, advocates licensure, enhances the image of its members, and advocates legislation and public policy for the betterment of human welfare and the profession. SDES Black Hills Chapter is an affiliate of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE).
Each year the SDES Black Hills Chapter presents three awards. These awards serve as an opportunity to recognize the exceptional engineering professions throughout the Black Hills. Last month, the chapter honored this year’s recipients of the awards.
Young Engineer of the Year
The Young Engineer of the Year Award is presented to an engineer under 34 years old. The Black Hills SDES presented Christopher McKillop from HDR Engineering with this year’s honor. McKillop is a PE in South Dakota, North Dakota, Illinois and Kansas. He leads the Kiewit Power Engineers for HDR Inc. In addition to his work, he also gives his time to the Rapid City Parks and Recreation Adopt-a-Park program, Feeding South Dakota, Club for Boys, and United Way Month of Caring.
Engineer of the Year
Joseph Noble is an Air Force Veteran and PE in South Dakota and Colorado. He works for Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services (AE2S) in Rapid City. Noble received his bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the US Air Force Academy and a MS in Environmental Science & Engineering from Colorado Mines. He was recognized as the Engineer of the Year not only for these career and academic accomplishments, but also how he serves the community. Noble volunteers for Feeding South Dakota, Club for Boys, WiSE, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity.
Outstanding Engineering Achievement
Lastly, SDES presents an award for an Outstanding Engineering Achievement. This is an organizational award given for the completion of a significant South Dakota project completed in 2023. HDR Engineering received this honor for their work on the Spearfish Sportsplex. Officially named the Sky Ridge Sports Park, the project was a collaboration with the City of Spearfish and Tallgrass Landscape Architecture.
For more than four years they worked together to create a 40-acre complex that includes four regulation-sized softball fields with night lighting and scoreboards by Daktronics and six soccer fields including one regulation-sized high school soccer field. Each field can be divided into 18 smaller fields for younger age classes. The facility also includes a playground, restroom, and large shelter that will serve the people using the complex and the adjacent Sky Ridge neighborhood.
Congratulations to the 2023 SDES Black Hills winners!
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