By Jim Clark

Tufts University School of Engineering 2015 Outstanding Career Achievement Award recipient Paul Kelly (left) with Tufts President Anthony P. Monaco (right). ~Photo by Kelvin Ma/Tufts University

Paul Kelly, Senior Principal at the engineering firm Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc., Boston branch, was recently honored with the Tufts University School of Engineering 2015 Outstanding Career Achievement Award.

In introducing Kelley at the award ceremony on April 24, Tufts President Anthony P. Monaco said, “Paul is widely recognized as a leader in the profession. He has authored or co-authored 23 papers, is frequently sought out as a guest speaker, and has won numerous awards, including the Clemens Herschel Award of the Boston Society of Civil Engineers. The professional accomplishments of graduates like Paul Kelley make us tremendously proud, and provide outstanding role models for students today. Paul, we are pleased to present you with the Tufts University School of Engineering Outstanding Career Achievement Award.”

In his acceptance speech given, Kelley remarked on how special it was for him to be accepted into Tufts and what the experience has come to mean for him as he advanced throughout his career. The full text of his speech follows:

“Thank you very much for this award, I am of course honored to receive it.

“I was very surprised and gladdened when I learned of this award, and especially gladdened when I learned that several of my coworkers advanced my case.

“Any award name containing the words ‘career achievement’ is bound to trigger a period of reflection. In my case, I have reflected on how lucky I have been.

“I came from a loving and supportive family in Somerville. I had extremely supportive teachers in the now closed St. Ann’s parochial school. I attended Malden Catholic High School and learned there to act like an adult. I found a great job at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, where I have been challenged intellectually every day for 36 years. I have a wonderful wife and four children who have all allowed me the freedom to work hard and travel around the country on civil and structural engineering assignments of all types.

“Among the luckiest events in my life to date are two involving Tufts.

“The first stroke of Tufts’ luck was my admission to the undergraduate program. In the early 1970’s, it was difficult to gain admission to Tufts as a ‘townie.’ But in 1973, there was political pressure from Somerville and Medford to coax Tufts into letting more ‘townies” into the school. I benefited from the resulting increase in local students. I worked very hard at my studies and met many great professors, including Professor Lew Edgers, who taught me geotechnical engineering, and, especially, Professor Ken Tsutsumi, who taught me structural engineering, professionalism, and the benefits and joys of life-long learning.

“My second stroke of Tufts’ luck was being offered a two-year, graduate-school position as teaching assistant to Professor Tsutsumi – grading papers, running the structural lab, and eventually teaching a full course to second year students. The position came with a generous stipend and full tuition, without which I probably would not have attended graduate school. The extended course work and the opportunities to teach greatly prepared me to succeed as a consultant.

“Tufts introduced me to people from many different backgrounds and with many different viewpoints than I experienced growing up in Somerville. Tufts challenged me intellectually to such a degree that I had to learn to work hard for success. Tufts provided me a foundation to solve diverse technical problems, and, in the more recent years, business problems of all types.

“So again, I thank Tufts for the award, and I thank Tufts for the opportunities that have allowed me to experience such a wonderful career.”