Tau Beta Pi, an engineering honor society, has named the 2021 recipients of its 25th annual Distinguished Alumnus Award. Dr. Martin C. Jischke, former Missouri S&T chancellor and a current member of the Kummer Institute’s board of directors, is recognized for his leadership capabilities and impact on academia.

Jischke led S&T as chancellor from 1986-91. He began his career as an engineer with RAND Corp., and became a research fellow at NASA. He joined the University of Oklahoma in 1968 as an assistant professor. In 1975, he spent a year as a White House fellow and assistant to the secretary of transportation at the U.S. Department of Transportation. He is an  administrator and advocate of higher education. He previously served as dean of the University of Oklahoma’s College of Engineering, president of Iowa State University and president of Purdue University.

Jischke has made civic, educational and professional contributions, which include service to nonprofit organizations, leadership to intercollegiate athletics and community service. He founded and served as president of the Global Consortium of Higher Education and Research for Agriculture, won the Indiana International Citizen of the Year in 2007, served as founding chair of the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors and is author or co-author of 52 journal publications and technical reports.