Celebrating Our Excellence

By Niki Jennings, MSE Communications Specialist

On Thursday, April 14, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering held a first-of-its-kind event. Taking place at the grand Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on Centennial Campus in the evening, invited guests celebrated MSE faculty, staff, students, and the 2020 Hall of Fame Awardees. The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced a pause on all event plans for 2020 and 2021, but that only encouraged the department to be creative with showing all of its appreciation.

This special event, A Celebration of Excellence, formally recognized many MSE department accomplishments over the past two years:

  • Esteemed 2020 Hall of Fame winners, nominated in 2019 by the department
  • The inaugural Wang-Zhang Graduate Award of Excellence
  • Faculty and staff award recognitions, from 2020 to 2021
  • The Outstanding Senior for Undergraduate Research
  • The Outstanding Senior for Student Leadership
  • Recognizing the 40-year career achievements of a soon-retiring professor

Presented by Department Head, Prof. Donald Brenner, the presentation bestowed lavish praise and accolades for wide department achievements. The Dean of the College of Engineering, Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, shared sincere remarks about the department, and Professors Collazo, Sitar, So and Yingling graciously presented the awards to their students.

2022 Senior Undergraduate Awards, presented by Dr. Yaroslava Yingling
  • Tiernan Baucom, Outstanding Undergraduate Research
  • Kaitlyn Khachadoorian, Outstanding Student Leadership
Faculty and Staff Recognition, presented by Dr. Donald Brenner
Inaugural Wang-Zhang Graduate Award, presented by Dr. Franky So
  • Pegah Bagheri
MSE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by Dr. Donald Brenner