NC State BAE has no shortage of outstanding alumni. This year, Larry Coats was name the Outstanding Distinguished Alumnus. And for the first time the department named an Outstanding Young Alumnus, Matthew Jones. Coats and Jones sat down with us to share some memories and their advice to current and future BAE students.
2017 Outstanding Distinguished Alumni Larry Coats
Larry Coats was named NC State BAE’s 2017 Outstanding Distinguished Alumni. Larry Coats is a founding partner in the law firm of Coats & Bennett PLLC. Coats & Bennett is an intellectual property firm that focuses on patent prosecution and patent infringement litigation. Larry obtained his Bachelor of Science in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from NC State in 1967, and his Juris Doctor was earned from the UNC at Chapel Hill in 1969. Admitted to practice law in the State of North Carolina before the North Carolina Supreme Court as well as before the Supreme Court in Pennsylvania, he is also registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. He is a member of the American Intellectual Property Association, North Carolina Bar Association, and Wake County Bar Association and has served on the Advisory Board for NC State University’s Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department.
2017 Outstanding Young Alumni Matthew Jones
Matthew Jones was named NC State BAE’s 2017 Outstanding Young Alumni. Matthew Jones is a senior associate with Hazen and Sawyer, where he leads the firm’s stormwater practice group. Matthew received his Bachelor of Science degree in 2005 and his Ph.D. in 2010 in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from NC State, studying the thermal impacts of stormwater best management practices with Dr. Bill Hunt. He has played a role in numerous innovative stormwater efforts with Hazen and Sawyer, including marquee green infrastructure initiatives in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. He also serves on and chairs the Advisory Board for NC State’s Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department.