Professor Nick Garber has been awarded the 2008 Robert A. Bland Award at the SEAS Thornton Society Banquet on Friday Evening, October 17, 2008. The citation on the award is "To recognize extraordinary contribution to the field of engineering and applied science by a University of Virginia Engineering School African-American student, faculty member, or alumnus/alumna, or by a University of Virginia Engineering School student, faculty member or alumnus/alumna whose contribution to the field is of particular significance to African-Americans.

Dr. Garber joined the University in 1980 as a Visiting Professor and earned an appointment as associate professor with tenure in 1981. Since that time, Professor Garber has been a leader for African-Americans in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), as Nick has dedicated the majority of his career to the University where he has served the longest of any African-American as a faculty member and department chair in the history of SEAS. During his first ten years at the University, he was the only tenured/tenure track African-American faculty member in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). His contributions to academia and the engineering profession have been recognized internally and nationally, culminating with election to the National Academy of Engineering.