2010 Outstanding Senior, Junior Named

MELBOURNE, FLA.—At Florida Institute of Technology’s annual Honors Convocation, held recently, Judson Benton “Ben” Locke of Gulf Shores, Ala., was named Outstanding Junior and Dwight Pate Jr. of Lake Alfred, Fla., was named Outstanding Senior. They were chosen by a faculty committee from among those earning Outstanding Junior and Outstanding Senior designations within each academic area.

Locke, who is working toward a bachelor’s degree in physics, has been accepted for a prestigious experience this summer conducting research on the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research in Geneva, Switzerland. The CMS is one of the large international experiments at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland.

His undergraduate research at the university has resulted in several publications, including those with faculty adviser, Associate Professor Physics Marcus Hohlmann, on muon tomography for the detection of nuclear contraband.

Locke is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Society of Physics Students, Society for the Exploration and Development of Space and is on the board of FITV, the campus TV network.

Pate, who earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering in May, will begin an M.B.A. program at Florida Tech this fall.

He has been class council president since 2007. He has served as vice president of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and vice president of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, both since 2009. Pate was past secretary of the International Business Club, a residence life assistant, a participant on the tennis team and captain of the intramural volleyball team.

Among his many awards have been the Silver Presidential Service Award, Scholar Athlete of the Year and Rising Star Student Leader of the Year. He was also on the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll.