5/15/2026
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Each spring, MechSE students are recognized for their outstanding leadership, academic achievements, and character. The following graduate and undergraduate students are the recipients of the 2025-26 departmental awards. They were honored at the MechSE awards banquet April 17.
MS/PhD Graduate Student Awards
Fred B. Seely Award, Outstanding TA for a TAM course
JeongA Lee
Pavan Ravi
Ramdas Tiwari
Recognizes graduate students in the Theoretical and Applied Mechanics program who are determined to be the most effective teaching assistants.
Fred B. Seely Award, Teaching Excellence as a Teaching Fellow
Mikayla Hoyle, ME 481
Luis Marcelo Baldelomar Pinto, ME 320
Jose Gabriel Rosa, TAM 251
Teaching Fellowships are awarded to MechSE students who have passed the doctoral qualifying exam and expressed an interest in a career in academia. Their selection is based on academic records, teaching ability, and potential for success in academia.
James O. Smith Memorial Award, Outstanding TA for an ME course
Md Muntasir Alam
Kenta Hirashima
Atharva Modi
Vivek Sharma
Liyuan Zhang
Given to the mechanical engineering student whose teaching assistant service has been exemplary. Students are chosen to receive this award because of their initiative, reliability, commitment to the students, and their overall contribution to the teaching mission.
Stanley I. Weiss Outstanding Thesis Award (ME)
Mohammad Tanver Hossain
Vinit Kumar
Recognizes a mechanical engineering student for an outstanding MS or PhD thesis.
Stanley I. Weiss Outstanding Thesis Award (TAM)
Zhengyu Yang
Recognizes a theoretical and applied mechanics student for an outstanding MS or PhD thesis.
Robert E. Miller Award for Teaching Excellence
Jahid Emon
This award was established to honor the career of Professor Emeritus Robert E. Miller, who earned three degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: a BS in aeronautical engineering (1954), and an MS (1955) and PhD (1959) in theoretical and applied mechanics. He joined the TAM faculty in 1959, and for 35 years he inspired generations of students through his superb teaching skills, devotion to his students, and service to his discipline.
David Hinde Memorial Award
Valentin Beloslutsdev
Honors the memory of David Hinde, an alumnus of the department and former Research and Development Director of Hillphoenix. It is presented to a MechSE graduate student with a research interest in natural refrigerant technology.
Hassan Aref Memorial Award for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
Chenghao Xu
Awarded to a select TAM graduate student of good academic standing with a research interest, preferably, in fluid mechanics.
Graduate Award Honoring TAM Faculty and Michael A. & E. Ann Sutton
Golam Sobahani
Zachary Wolfgram
Hansen Zhang
Given to an outstanding graduate student in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, with preference given to research in solid mechanics or experimental solid mechanics. Dr. Michael A. Sutton established this award to honor the profound impact that the outstanding faculty in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics had on his professional career.
M.Eng.ME Graduate Student Awards
Seichi Konzo Memorial Award
Aryan Chauhan, for academic achievement in Controls and Robotics
Sihan Du, for academic achievement in Controls and Robotics
Justin Frank, for academic achievement in Design and Mechanics
Christopher Kornowski, for academic achievement in Biomechanics
Sotaro Koizumi, for academic achievement in Energy
Katerina Rahhal, for academic achievement in Design and Mechanics
Spencer Thompson, for academic achievement in Energy
Xiangyu Zeng, for academic achievement in Controls and Robotics
Ziyu Zhao, for academic achievement in Controls and Robotics
Lu Zhou, for academic achievement in Controls and Robotics
Marvin Stippes Award
Iakov Gurevich, for academic achievement in Fluid and Thermal Sciences
Young Park, for academic achievement in Fluid and Thermal Sciences
Katerina Rahhal, for community engagement
Maharshi Patel, for academic achievement in Manufacturing, and for community engagement
Undergraduate Student Awards
C.L. and Harriette Johnson Scholarship
Hiruni Bopearatchy
Benjamin Judd
This award was established by Clarendon Lee Johnson (BS Marketing 1954) and Erle Johnson (BSGE 1949) in memory of their father, Clarence L. Johnson. Although Clarence was not a graduate of Illinois, he developed a strong attachment to the MechSE Department through his love of steam engines. This award is determined by scholarship, personal qualities, and professional and cultural activities.
Oscar A. Leutwiler Award
Adham AbdelMaguid
Reginald Chen
Mohamad Fouda
This award is given to a senior in mechanical engineering or engineering mechanics in honor of Oscar A. Leutwiler, professor of mechanical engineering and head of the department from 1934 to 1945. Established in 1991, recipients of this award are determined based upon scholarship, personal qualities, and professional and cultural activities.
Fred B. Seely Award
Lydia Antol
Matthew Nelson
This award honors an outstanding senior in engineering mechanics and was established by Professor Fred B. Seely’s sons in his honor. Professor Seely was department head of the former Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Department from 1934 until 1952. Professor Seely was not only a leader in the field of mechanics, but also had a gift for enriching the educational experiences and creative talents of his students. Every action and deed coupled with a warm and friendly attitude displayed his sincere desire to be helpful and thoughtful of others. Meticulous in his technical writing and setting high moral and ethical standards in his own activities, he inspired those who worked with him to develop professionally to their fullest capability.
John C. and Elizabeth J. Chato Award in Bioengineering
Luciana Pizza
Patrick Selby
This award was established in 2001 and is given to an outstanding undergraduate student engaged in activities related to bioengineering. Professor John C. Chato joined the faculty of mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois in 1964 and retired in 1996. He was instrumental in establishing the campus-wide Bioengineering Program and was the first chairman of its executive committee. Elizabeth Chato earned a B.S. degree in zoology from the University of Cincinnati in 1954, and later worked as a Laboratory Technician with the Department of Horticulture at Illinois.
Helmut H. and Rudi K. Korst Award
Michael Villanueva
Canyue Wang
Established in 1984, this award is presented in honor of Professor Helmut H. Korst and his wife Rudi K. Korst and is funded by the Korst children. Professor Korst served on the faculty of the Department of Mechanical Engineering from 1948 to 1984 and as head of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering from 1962 to 1974. Rudi was his gracious partner and teammate throughout Helmut's tenure in the department and played an active role in assimilating the students, spouses and partners into the university culture. The award is presented to a senior in mechanical engineering who displays excellence in thermal science courses and in overall scholarship.
Fred B. Seely TAM Merit Award
Robert Borland
Christian Gitzinger
Established in the early 1980s by the former Theoretical and Applied Mathematics Department, this award honors a student's special contributions to engineering mechanics programs and activities. The TAM Merit Award is not an annual award, but rather, is given when a student's contributions during the year are determined to have been significant.
Alfred B. Swanson Endowed Fund in Environmental Research
Amar Koric
This award is presented to a student who has demonstrated significant interest in working to protect the earth’s ozone layer and stabilizing the global climate by working with technologies that reduce emissions of ozone-depleting fuels, to use fossil fuels more efficiently, and to produce energy from non-fossil fuels.
Kenneth J. Trigger Award (in Mechanical & Industrial Engineering)
Lillian Abbed
Pranav Budhia
Rohit Choudhary
Ethan Peng
Rohan Shah
Matt Springer
Benjamin Tsao
This award, in honor of Professor Trigger, is presented to a senior in mechanical engineering or engineering mechanics who has displayed an interest in manufacturing and has demonstrated excellence in that area, as well as overall scholarship.
J. W. Bayne Award for Outstanding Senior in Pi Tau Sigma
Henry Fraipont
Aanvi Gaur
Gabe Gryzmala
Owen Hayden
James W. Bayne attended the University of Illinois and earned both his BSME and MSME from the former Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department. During his career in engineering education, Professor Bayne dedicated himself to fostering the careers of young people with an interest in engineering. This award is presented to an outstanding senior in Pi Tau Sigma determined by scholarship, activities, and service.
ASME Junior Leadership Award
Melody Breg
Grace Carsello
Aman Jhurani
Zachary Yashar
Established in 1975, this award is given to a junior studying mechanical engineering and is based upon achievement and leadership within the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
Pi Tau Sigma Sophomore Award
Jacob Blakely
Ahmed Faraz
The recipient of this award is selected by the Illinois Alpha chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, a national mechanical engineering honors fraternity. This award was established in 1962 and is given to the most outstanding sophomore in mechanical engineering each year.
Harper Safety Award
Benjamin Tsao
This award was established by Professor George W. Harper’s children, Allen Harper and Mariann Harper Mayes, in 1990 in honor of their father. It is presented to an undergraduate or graduate student in MechSE who has done outstanding work in the area of safety engineering.