Undergraduate Student Awards
Bei Tse and May Chao Award
Joshua Lipman
Presented to a senior within the department who has displayed extraordinary scholarly achievements and promise. It is given in honor of Professor Bei Tse Chao, a pioneering scholar in the diverse fields of metal cutting, heat transfer, and multipurpose flow, and Professor May Kiang Chao, an assistant professor of library administration at Illinois. In 1952, Professor May Kiang Chao began her career at the university shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree in library science from Illinois. Professor Bei Tse Chao began his career at Illinois in 1948. He held fellowships with ASME and ASEE. In 1975, Bei Tse Chao was named Head of the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, serving from 1975 to 1987. In 1985, he was among the first group of University of Illinois faculty to receive the University Scholar Award.
Fred B. Seely Award
Felipe Pallo Rivadeneira
Marshall Tenzer
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.
C. L. and Harriette Johnson Scholarship
Anastasia Hernandez
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
Sumayyah Hussain
Aaryaman Patel
Grace Smith
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.
Student Design Awards
James and Loretta Bayne Award for Outstanding Senior Design Project
CAPSLock Team
Fall 2023
Aroun Awasthi, Seamus Mellican (pictured), Nikita Pawar (pictured),
George Penn, and Nick Winkler
Mechanical Fixture Design Team
Spring 2022
Gage Brust, Graham Kingston, Beno Maya, Armaan Mehta (pictured), Ritesh Prusty, and Jacob Sitzberger (pictured)
This award is presented in honor of Professor James W. Bayne to a Senior Design team that had an outstanding project from the previous fall and spring semesters.
Interest Area Awards
John C. and Elizabeth J. Chato Award in Bioengineering
Maria Attaallah
Jose Hernandez
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.
A. G. Friederich Memorial Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering
Justin Fiore
This award is given to a junior or senior in mechanical engineering or engineering mechanics who has a special interest in machine design.
Seichi Konzo Memorial Award
Daniel Kawiecki
Grace Smith
This award is given to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering.
Fred B. Seely TAM Merit Award
Nicholas Son
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.
Helmut H. and Rudi K. Korst Award
Dimitri Kalinichenko
Fabrizzio Vega
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.
Alfred B. Swanson Endowed Fund in Environmental Research
Vineet Patel
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)
Ximena Castillo
Jack Ren
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.
Student Society Awards
Patrick B. and Janet A. Flanagan ASME Senior Leadership Award
Hrushi Athreya
Each year, a senior in the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is selected by the organization’s faculty advisor. This award was established in 1974, and selection is based upon leadership within the society.
J. W. Bayne Award for Outstanding Senior in Pi Tau Sigma
Martin Waz
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.
Pi Tau Sigma Sophomore Award
David Gibek
The recipient of this award is selected by the Illinois Alpha chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, a national mechanical engineering honors fraternity. The award was established in 1962 and is given to the most outstanding sophomore in mechanical engineering each year.
ASME Junior Leadership Award
Rose Menichini
Henrique Teixiera
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).
General Motors Philip W. Leistra Jr. Scholarship
Jaden Thompson
This award was funded by General Motors in memory of Philip W. Leistra, Jr., who earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois in 1969. While working at General Motors, he was instrumental in acquiring financial resources from GM to support many Formula SAE race teams. The award is presented each year to an outstanding member of the SAE Student Chapter who is also an undergraduate in MechSE.