Huntsville Center Worker Honored as Engineer of Year

By Becky Proaps, USACE HuntsvilleMarch 5, 2009

Post Prize
Jeffrey Coulston, left, chief of the Structural Branch, Civil Structures Division, Engineering Directorate, Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, receives the Society of American Military Engineers, Huntsville Post Engineer of the Year awa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

An Army Engineering and Support Center employee received special recognition Feb. 19 from the Society of American Military Engineers, Huntsville Post.

Jeffrey Coulston, the chief of the Structural Branch, Civil Structures Division, in the Engineering Directorate, was named the Huntsville Post's Engineer of the Year for his leadership of a diverse group of structural engineers in support of numerous missions of national importance and visibility, and for his expertise in seismic design, explosives effects and structural design.

"I consider it a great honor to be selected when I know there are many deserving of this honor. I am humbled and feel a great deal of satisfaction and motivation to further fulfill my duties and responsibilities as an engineer," Coulston said. He was selected from several outstanding nominations submitted from industry and government engineers.

Coulston was surprised when he received the call telling him he had won, but those who know him and work with him weren't the least bit surprised.

"Jeff was nominated because of the great respect his employees, peers and supervisors have for him," Roger Young, chief of Civil Structures Division, said. "Jeff has an exceptional grasp of both engineering details as well as the 'big picture.' When you combine his engineering skills with his strong drive to empower, train and develop his staff members, we believe Jeff is truly an engineer to be admired and emulated."

Boyce Ross, the director of Engineering, agreed with Young's assessment.

"Jeff is one of the most talented engineers and mentors of young engineers in the Center," Ross said. "He has re-established Huntsville Center as a cornerstone in the Corps of Engineers' ability to meet blast design and explosives safety requirements on military facility designs. He is a 'real' structural engineer and is truly a role model for young professional engineers, his peers and even senior leadership to observe and model in the engineering profession."

Coulston started his career in July 1998 at Huntsville Center and has worked in several positions over the years. One of his many projects includes serving as the principal blast design point of contact in support of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Programs design of the Bluegrass Army Depot's Chemical Demilitarization Facility.