Congratulations to Benjamin A. Cohen for his recent $1,000 scholarship in structural engineering from Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc. This award is part of the Structural Engineering/Architecture Student Scholarship program which offers scholarships to support education and encourage the design and building of safer structures in our communities.
Ben is enrolled in the BS/MS program in which he is studying structural engineering. He was 
valedictorian of his high school, Hebron Christian Academy, in Dacula, Georgia and began as a freshman at Georgia Tech in 2007. Currently, Ben is a senior in his fourth year of study. He will graduate with his bachelor's degree in May and has accepted a temporary position over the summer as a structural engineer with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) at Region II in Atlanta. He plans to return to his master's coursework in Fall 2011 and anticipates completing his MS degree in May 2012. At that time, Ben plans to pursue a permanent position with the NRC and will work to acquire his P.E. license in the future. In addition, he has entrepreneurial plans that he hopes can coincide with these goals.
Ben showed interest in civil engineering at an early age and he has always been a huge Yellow Jackets fan. He is the first member of his family to attend Georgia Tech and he extremely excited about all GT has to offer. He states, "A Georgia Tech engineering degree is an incredible bargain. The rate of return on investment is astounding when compared to other engineering degrees in the U.S. and around the world. It offers top tier engineering degrees combined with so much great sports history! But more importantly, its faculty are outstanding. The professors in the CEE department, such as Dr. Lawrence Kahn, Dr. Bruce Ellingwood, and Dr. Leroy Emkin, to name a few, add so much depth to the structural engineering curriculum. Their experience as practicing professional engineers is extensive and their dedication to educating students is inspiring."
Outside of engineering, Ben is an avid sports fan and he plays basketball on a regular basis. His other interests include reading and modern philosophy. He says he always makes it a point to carry a good book with him. He is also very interested in business, economics, and accounting. He says, "I am a huge fan of Warren Buffet and Benjamin Graham, world renowned value investors. I spend a lot of time following the equity markets and my personal investments in the stock market and derivative securities (primarily options trading for hedging)." Ben has also held a full-time job, working nights, for the last six years.
Recipients of the Structural Engineering/Architecture Student Scholarship are selected on the basis of academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, educational and career goals, outside appraisals and financial need.