4/27/2026 MechSE Communications
Written by MechSE Communications
In recognition of his research impact at the University of Illinois, MechSE graduate student Beomhui Lee has been awarded a competitive TechnipFMC Fellowship for the 2026-27 academic year.
A mechanical engineering doctoral student who is advised by MechSE assistant professor Lili Cai and teaching assistant professor Jiajun He, Lee earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Korea University. His research at Illinois is focused on the electrochemical conversion of natural gas (methane) to make value added products, and the evaluation of environmental impacts and economic feasibility of natural gas storage systems.
Lee said the award will enable him to “devote more time to delving into nanopore-confined catalyst research related to oil and gas industry, and to utilize both experimental and simulation-based methodologies to achieve more profound insights.”
After completing his PhD, Lee said he wants to become an energy transition engineer focused on the development of decarbonized technologies and cost engineering. He hopes to dedicate his career to making sustainable energy transitions economically feasible through a dual approach of experimental validation and computational simulation.
The TechnipFMC educational fund was originally created by Mr. Bert A. Gayman, a mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Illinois, with an initial gift of 10,000 shares of Chicago-based Link-Belt Company (later acquired by FMC Corporation, which later merged with Technip to create TechnipFMC). Gayman’s goal was to support three prongs – scholarships, fellowships, and/or research. Since his founding gift in 1963, the TechnipFMC Fellowship and Scholarship Program has supported thousands of students in advancing their academic, research, and professional goals.