Graduating Student Awards

This award recognizes undergraduate students engaged with academics to an extent that elevates their own and/or others’ learning experiences. Examples of such engagement might include (but are not limited to):

• Serving as an exemplary CA, LA, or TA for a class
• Offering formal or informal tutoring
• Taking classes out of one’s comfort zone
• Intentional interdisciplinarity of academic coursework
• Exemplifying collaboration and teamwork in a class
• Supporting and/or contributing to an inclusive learning environment
• Adopting entrepreneurial or innovative approaches to an assignment/project
• Contributing to a department/program curriculum committee as a student representative
• No minimum GPA requirement

• Fall '21: Soham Tamhane, BS in Electrical Engineering 
• May '21: Emma Aoueille (Chemical and Biological Engineering), Kai Cui (Mechanical Engineering), Erica Landreth (Applied Mathematics) and Jenna Trost (Chemical Engineering and Applied Mathematics)

This award recognizes undergraduate students who contribute to improving their department/program, college, university and/or community. Examples of contributions might include (but are not limited to):

• Participating in service to the department/program, college, university and/or community
• Acting with respect and kindness towards classmates, faculty and university community
• Possessing the strength of character and courage to do what is right
• Promoting inclusivity in activities conducted in and outside of the university community
• Contributing through volunteer/non-paid/non-mandatory service
• Leading or inspiring others to altruistic action(s) embodied by this award
• No minimum GPA requirement

• Fall '21: Nikolas Provost (Electrical & Computer Engineering) and Leah Rivera (Environmental Engineering)
• May '21: Sasha Hall (Computer Science) and Cathleen Samson (Computer Science)

This award recognizes undergraduate students who are globally engaged in areas such as research, service, professional work, study abroad, EWB, EDC, Global Engineering, etc. The engagement does not need to be service-oriented, but engagement should demonstrate positive impact in increasing global awareness on the CU campus or community and/or bringing CU out into the world.  Engagement should demonstrate:

• Initiative demonstrated toward fostering global understanding
• Substantiveness of engagement (duration, depth of interaction, number of interactions)
• Impact of engagement on host community (bringing CU to the world) or on the CU campus
• Evidence of global learning, such as appreciation of other cultures and knowledge systems and/or ability to communicate and deliver technical practice across cultures
• No minimum GPA requirement

• Spring '21: Emily Zuetell, BS in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics

This award recognizes undergraduate students who make substantive contributions to JEDI work on- or off-campus. Examples of contributions might include (but are not limited to):

• Developing, leading and implementing JEDI-related activities
• Participation in and advocacy of JEDI work
• Mentoring and supporting students historically underrepresented in engineering
• Improving the culture and climate within the college
• No minimum GPA requirement

• Fall '21: Leah Rivera (Environmental Engineering)
• May '21: Marvin Gonzalez (Chemical and Biological Engineering), Shu-Yu (Michelle) Lin (Aerospace Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics) and Nadir Shakir (Chemical and Biological Engineering)

This award recognizes undergraduates students who persevere despite hardship. Examples might include (but are not limited to):

• Succeeding in the face of adversity
• Demonstrating ability to learn from challenges and display growth mindset in action
• Continuous academic improvement after academic difficulty by utilizing resources such as academic coaching, tutoring, workshops, etc.
• Assisting and supporting another who is facing their own adversity
• No minimum GPA requirement

• Fall '21: Keseani Anderson (Architectural Engineering), Samantha Lemley (Electrical & Computer Engineering), Calvin Mooz (Electrical Engineering) and Bailey Vigil (Environmental Engineering) 
• May '21: William Harris (Computer Science), Lisa Tenorio (Mechanical Engineering) and Nicole Travis (Chemical Engineering)

This award recognizes undergraduate students with demonstrated excellence in research. Research endeavors could be an extension of academic work or DLA appointment, but strong evidence in 3 out of 5 of the following dimensions are required:

• Contribution and Quality of research—Contributes new knowledge and innovations, and work is of highest quality.
• Research Impacts—Demonstrates strong potential for future impacts to science and society. Note that impacts can be defined as broad impacts to the student’s own career, to an industry or a discipline, relevant to workforce, or academic activities.
• Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Work—Spans more than one field (transdisciplinary). Extends progress in a given field; involves or enables innovations and/or collaborations across multiple different discipline areas. For example, research extended beyond CEAS (e.g., across campus, at another university, national lab, etc.).
• Knowledge Dissemination—Key examples include presenting at a conference/symposium (including paper or poster), publishing research in a peer-reviewed academic journal (nominator should detail the level of contribution made by the student), and/or innovative methods of broadening the dissemination of the research and its relevance.
• Communication Skills and Leadership Qualities—To be successful, researchers ultimately must be able to communicate successfully both in writing and in their daily interactions with others. This final criterion considers the student’s submitted personal statement, ability to lead and mentor others, and outside service and contributions to the broader community within the research context.
• No minimum GPA requirement

• Fall '21: Christina Chase-Markopoulou (Engineering Plus), Anthony Pimentel (Environmental Engineering) and Andrés Villani Davila (Engineering Physics)
• May '21: Kai Cui (Mechanical Engineering), Jimmy Gammell (Electrical and Computer Engineering and Applied Mathematics), Simon Julien (Applied Mathematics), Shu-Yu (Michelle) Lin (Aerospace Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics), Matthew Strong (Computer Science) and Jenna Trost (Chemical Engineering and Applied Mathematics)

This award recognizes undergraduate students who cultivate and promote individual and community health and wellness. Examples might include (but are not limited to):

• Promoting and advocacy for the CEAS Community Wellness Values Statement
• Demonstrating a health and wellness mindset and orientation
• Leading student engagement activities (in-person and/or virtual) to promote student connections and community-building
• Serving as a “course ambassador” to convey student wellness concerns to a course instructor
• No minimum GPA requirement

This award recognizes one undergraduate student who has maximized their educational experience in a holistic way, such as active participation in ProReady areas of career/professional development, internship(s), research, global engagement, student societies and professional organizations, health and well-being strategies for themselves and others in the community, resilience in pursuing academic endeavors while experiencing academic and personal challenges, going the extra mile, etc. In essence:

• Accomplishment across several of the award areas mentioned above
• No minimum GPA requirement

May '22: Cyrus Moezzi Haas, BS in Chemical & Biological Engineering
May '21: Emily Zuetell,  Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics
Dec '20: Michelle Galetti, Creative Technology & Design
May '20: Jonathan Bosnich, MechEngr and Math; Ellen Considine, ApMath; Peter Heller, EnvEngr; Zayna Pieper, EngrPlus
May '19: Marc Thomson, BS/MS ApMath and BS ChemEngr
Dec '18 Nicola van den Heever, CivEngr
May '18 Zoey Craun, ArchEngr
Dec '17 Kimberly Bourland ChemEngr
May '17 Chip Bollendonk BS/MS MechEngr
Dec '16 William Christopher Payne CompSci
May '16 Andrew O. Nelson EngrPhys
Dec '15 Peter Madigan EngrPhys
May '15  Brittany Earle ChemEngr
Dec '14 Ilana Trumble ApMath
May '14 Stephen Kissler BS/MS ApMath
Dec '13 Jhenya Nahreini ChemBioEngr
May '13 Tracy BabbBS/MS ApMath & Michael Skeen BS/MS AeroEng
Dec '12 Joel Jones EnvEngr
May '12 Bailey Leppek EnvEngr
Dec '11 Riley Pack BS/MS ElCompEngr/ElEngr & BS ApMath
May '11 Samantha JohnsonChemEngr
Dec '10 Hannah Cassard EnvEngr
May '10 Anna M. Lieb ApMath & EngrPhys
Dec '09 Nathan Calvert AeroEngr & ApMath
May '09 Julie A. Korak EnvEngr & ChemEngr
Dec '08 Laura A. Fisher AeroEngr
May '08 Wesley Ashwood CivEngr
Dec '07 Joshua C. Kats ChemEngr
May '07 Matthew R. Unangst ElecEngr
Dec '06 Scott R. Williams CompSci
May '06 John W. O'Brien ElCompEngr
Dec '05 Prenilla Pia Lindgren ArchEngr
May '05 Ryan Gardner CompSci/Math
Dec '04 Kevin Butler ElecEngr
May '04 Stephen Russell AeroEngr
Dec '03 Susan N. Jordan ElCompEngr
May '03 Jocelyn Renner ApMath/Russ
Dec '02 Celeste Leidich ArchEngr
May '02 Catherine Allen ElecEngr
Dec '01 Jesus Alejandro Chapa-Garcia AeroEngr
May '01 Melinda Roskos ChemEngr
Dec '00 Heather Doty CivEngr & Mus
May '00 Michael Detamore ChemEngr
Dec '99 Kevin Williams EngrPhys
May '99 Grey Greenwald ElCompEngr
Dec '98 Deanna DeMarco ElecEngr & Mus
May '98 Brian Cooper CompSci
Dec '97 Andrew Hooker EngrPhys
Dec '95 Andri Ioannidou CompSci
May '95 Susan Batiste CivEngr
Dec '94 Seth Wieman CivEngr

This award is given by the Colorado Engineering Council. Each ABET-accredited program/department, together with its engineering student societies, may nominate one graduating senior per ABET-accredited degree to be considered for this award.

2021 Abigail Weeks, Environmental Engineering and Political Science
2020 Annika Lai, ChemEngr
2019 Vismaya Bachu, BS ChemBioEngr
2018 Nicholas Monteleone ChemBioEngr
2017 Bridger Ruyle EnvEngr
2016 Claire Livingston ChemBioEngr
2015 Jordan Burns CivEngr
2013 Ariel Aguilar CompSci & Psych
2012 Anna Blakney ChemBioEngr
2011 David P. Eason MechEngr
2010 Mark J. Kissler ChemEngr
2009 Farheen Rizvi AeroEngr
2008 Ryan Erickson ChemEngr
2007 S. Clark Berngard ChemEngr
2006 John W. O'Brien ElCompEngr
2005 Jenna Martinek ChemEngr
2004 Corry Lee ApMath & EngrPhys
2003 Jocelyn Renner ApMath/Russ
2002 Mariah Mason ChemEngr
2001 Tye Rattenbury ApMath
2000 Michael Detamore ChemEngr
1999 Hyon Sung Lew MechEngr
1998 Cheryl Massie CivEngr
1997 Bryan Tompkins ChemEngr
1996 Jennifer Anderson ChemEngr
1995 James Czarnowski AeroEngr
1994 Colleen Walker CivEngr

This award recognizes the best dissertation (excellence of research, topical importance and presentation in the written dissertation) among students completing PhD degree requirements during a calendar year.

2021: Haichao Wu, PhD in Chemical Engineering
2020: Shankar Lalitha Sridhar, MechEngr
2019: Xin Qian, MechEngr
2018 Yao Zhai, MechEngr
2017 Zhengwei Li, MechEngr
2016 Xiaokun Gu, MechEngr
2016 Mark T. Wade, ElEngr
2015  Simon Pang, ChemEngr
2013 Michael Roberg, ElEngr 
2012 Daniel Knights, CompSci
2011 Nicholas Pedatella, AeroEngr
2010 Sri Rama Prasanna Pavani, ElEngr
2009 David M. King, ChemEngr
2008 Laurel Griggs Larsen, CivEngr