Wice Accepted into SAME Academy of Fellows

Rick Wice, CEE part-time remediation engineering instructor, was recently accepted into the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Academy of Fellows Class of 2023. The Academy of Fellows recognizes individuals who’ve shown dedicated service to SAME and military engineering—as well as the architecture, engineering, and construction industries. Wice, a senior geologist at Battelle, was nominated by his peers for the honor—and explains that the vetting process is rigorous with a high fail rate for first-time nominees.

Wice credits his teaching experience at Carnegie Mellon for helping him to gain admission to the 2023 class. “The Academy of Fellows is a collaboration between the private sector and the government, and Fellows also show a passion for sharing knowledge and education,” he says.

The acceptance is a career milestone for Wice, who takes pride in connecting with and mentoring his students. “I enjoy sharing real-world case studies with students, helping them to gain experience and prepare for a future in engineering.”

He’s also a strong supporter of STEM education and reinforcing STEM careers through career advice. “I take time with my students for coffee chats that lead to career and educational discussions—as well as lectures on what to expect in life after their studies are completed.”

Wice adds that joining the SAME Academy of Fellows affirms his decision to work in the industry both as a geologist and an instructor. “I consider my teaching job to be very enjoyable and rewarding. In fact, I once ran into a student I had many years ago at a trade show. He came up to me and told me that I’d inspired him to go into remediation work.”