On Tuesday, April 9, The University of Tulsa College of Engineering & Computer Science inducted three distinguished alumnae into its Hall of Fame: John (Musapet) Prakash, Timothy M. Latimer, and Antonio J. Pietri.
Held at The Mayo Hotel, the event welcomed honored alumni, faculty, staff, and students. Associate Dean for Research Michael W. Keller served as the Master of Ceremonies, and James Sorem Inaugural Dean Andreas A. Polycarpou kicked off the event with a warm welcome.
Speaking to Prakash, Latimer, and Pietri, Polycarpou said, “As a Hall of Fame inductee, you represent about one percent of all our engineering and computer science alumnae. You are truly exceptional. Your achievements illustrate the lifelong power of TU education. During your time on campus, you developed technical expertise, the habit of asking meaningful questions, and the conviction to apply your skills for the benefit of others. You have built on that foundation in extraordinary ways.”
Before the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the college recognized faculty and staff who received college-level awards including:
- The Kermit E. Brown Teaching Excellence Award for Undergraduate Studies: Javen S. Weston
- The Zelimir Schmidt Research Award for Early Career Research: William LePage
- The Zelimir Schmidt Research Award for Outstanding Career Research: Cem Sarica
- The inaugural Dean’s Faculty Excellence Awards: Amy Schachle and Mauricio Papa
- The inaugural Dean’s Staff Excellence Awards: Ann Archer-Lovell and Scott Graham
“Our Hall of Fame members have become leaders in multiple areas, and many have leveraged their own success into opportunity for others,” Keller said. “This evening, we are honored to add three esteemed colleagues to our Hall of Fame.”
John Prakash
John (Musapet) Prakash hails from Hyderabad, India. In the early 1970s, he relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he attended the University of Tulsa to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. After graduating with a bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering in 1976, he began his professional career as an electrical service engineer with the Westinghouse Corporation. By 1984, he took the entrepreneurial leap and founded his company, Industrial Electric & Testing Company (IET). Initially a modest testing company, IET expanded to become one of Oklahoma’s leading testing and construction companies. The firm boasts a prestigious clientele, including industry giants such as Phillips Petroleum, American Airlines, Williams Pipelines, Lumen, GE, GM, AT&T, and Meta, offering them technical, maintenance, and construction services.
Throughout the years, Prakash has been a benefactor for numerous commendable initiatives in the United States and back in his hometown of Hyderabad. He has endowed scholarships at TU and contributed to establishing a lab at TU’s College of Engineering & Computer Science. His commitment to community service is evident through his active participation and leadership in various boards of nonprofit organizations in Tulsa. Notably, he has been a member and chair of the Industrial Advisory Board for TU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. His philanthropic efforts in India include supporting a school for mentally disabled children and orphans.
Timothy M. Latimer
Tim Latimer is the co-founder and CEO of Fervo Energy. Fervo delivers 24/7 carbon-free energy through the development of next-generation geothermal power. Fervo’s technology incorporates proven, cost-effective technologies, such as horizontal drilling and distributed fiber optic sensing, to unlock the potential of geothermal energy.
Fervo successfully brought online the world’s first commercial next-generation geothermal project in 2023 with the successful commissioning of Project Red. Project Red is the first geothermal project to incorporate horizontal drilling and is successfully producing today as part of a partnership with Google, supporting their carbon-free energy goals in Nevada. Latimer began his career as a drilling engineer with BHP Billiton, working in the Permian and Eagle Ford basins. He left the oil and gas industry in 2015 to pursue an MBA and an MS in environment and resources from Stanford University and learn how to advance ideas to create a technological revolution in geothermal.
Latimer has also worked as a consultant for the Boston Consulting Group and as a consultant for startups Biota Technology and McClure Geomechanics. He has received significant industry recognition for his contributions to the energy industry, including the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, a Grist 50 Climate Fixer, and the geothermal industry’s Pioneer of the Year award in 2023. Latimer is a fellow at Activate and the Clean Energy Leadership Institute and was a member of the 2023 cohort of the Presidential Leadership Scholars. He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from The University of Tulsa in 2017, where he was a university ambassador and a tutor in the GEAR UP program. He was also recognized as a Sidney Born Distinguished Scholar.
Antonio J. Pietri
Antonio Pietri is the president and chief executive officer of AspenTech and also serves on the company’s board of directors. Before being appointed president and CEO, Pietri served as executive vice president, worldwide field operations, leading global sales, sales operations, professional services, and customer support and training. He previously served as senior vice president and managing director, regional operations, Asia Pacific, based in Singapore and Beijing, China.
Pietri joined AspenTech through the company’s acquisition of Setpoint, Inc. in 1996. At Setpoint, Pietri held a range of sales, services implementation, and consulting roles, overseeing the integration of AspenTech solutions at European refinery and process manufacturing sites. In 2002, he relocated to Singapore as vice president, business consulting, and was subsequently promoted to managing director of the Asia Pacific region. He began his career at ABB Simcon as an applications engineer focused on advanced control and multi-variable controllers for refining.
Pietri serves on the Chemical Engineering Advisory Board at The University of Tulsa. He was the 2017 selection for the MIT Warren K. Lewis Lectureship in Chemical Engineering and is a frequent speaker at industry events. He holds a master’s of business administration from the University of Houston and a bachelor’s of science in chemical engineering from The University of Tulsa (1987).
The College of Engineering & Computer Science Hall of Fame and Honors & Awards support is provided by Francis S. Manning, Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering.