The Politecnico di Milano honored Mark Sarkisian, SOM Structural and Seismic Engineering Partner, with an Honorary Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering on September 23, 2021. The Honorary Degree was conferred during a special ceremony that included a keynote lecture titled “Engineering as Art”, presented by Mark.

Earlier this year, Mark was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering distinguished for his “innovation in efficient and aesthetic design of tall buildings and structures.” Among several other honorary awards, Mark holds fourteen U.S. and international patents for high-performance seismic structural mechanisms that are designed to protect buildings in areas of high seismicity, and for the design of environmentally responsible structural systems. Mark also teaches integrated studio design classes that include students from the University of California, Berkeley, California College of Arts, Stanford University, Cal Poly, Northeastern, North Carolina State University, and the Pratt Institute.

The Politecnico di Milano has a long tradition of distinguished honorary laureates (Laurea Honoris Causa), with few Honorary Degrees awarded over the last twenty years to highly esteemed engineers and architects.