Dr. Joseph J. Rencis, associate dean of Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University’s Worldwide School of Engineering, has been named the recipient of two American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) awards.

Rencis will receive the organization’s Benjamin Garver Lamme Award and Donald E. Marlowe Award at the ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, which will be held June 21-24 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Achieving these prestigious awards would not be possible without the hard work of collaborative faculty colleagues, passionate students, dedicated staff and supportive administration,” Rencis said. “This recognition is also a testament to the growth and success of the multiple engineering colleges and mechanical engineering departments that I have had the privilege of leading.”

The Benjamin Garver Lamme Award is given to an engineering educator for contributions to teaching, research and technical literature, and for achievements advancing engineering college administration. Established in 1928, the award was last presented in 2021.

The Donald E. Marlowe Award is a society award given to candidates with "broad national recognition," who show exemplary leadership in administering an academic department or larger group. Last awarded in 2014, the distinction is presented infrequently.  According to the ASEE board of directors, it is reserved only for those who demonstrate leadership going "beyond accepted tradition."

Rencis, who joined the Worldwide Campus in 2024, has received earlier accolades for his work. Last year, he was named the 2025 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Edwin F. Church Medalist. The Edwin F. Church Medal, which is awarded to one person annually, recognizes individuals whose dedication to engineering advances the value and importance of mechanical engineering education.

Rencis earned an A.A.S. and B.S. in Architectural and Building Construction Engineering Technology from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and is a current member of the Board of Regents. He also holds an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and a Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his career in the mechanical engineering department at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he was a tenured professor and director of engineering mechanics.

He has published more than 140 conference and journal papers and has experience working at U.S. Air Force, Army, and NASA research labs.

Rencis has held leadership roles at several institutions, including the University of Arkansas; Tennessee Technological University; California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; The State University of New York at Albany; the University of Texas at Permian Basin; and the University of Texas at Dallas.