At the end of each academic year, we reflect on students who have shown outstanding contributions to various areas, highlighting those who went above and beyond. The MME Department is proud to announce the recipients of our 2022 Outstanding Student Awards!
Outstanding ME Master's Student, Marc Wasserman:
Marc Wasserman received a graduating GPA of 4.0 in our Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering Program. His diligent research efforts prepared him to guide space experiments aboard the International Space Station from the NASA-PSU control center. His live space-to-ground communications with astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough completed the test plan for the engineering study of hydroponic methods to water plants aboard spacecrafts for future automated plant production systems. This research will have long lasting impacts for data curation around the subject and will continue to evolve and inspire others.
Outstanding MSE Master's Student, Jennifer Lux:
Jennifer Lux received a graduating GPA of 4.0 in our Master of Science in Materials Science and Engineering program. While working full time at Intel, she conducted a research project focused on the investigation of novel 2D materials and their applications for nanoelectronics. In order to progress in her graduate study and her MSMSE project efficiently, she took initiative to identify a research project that is of Intel’s interests. Jennifer demonstrates that as a full-time working student, she can achieve both a high GPA and a research project that will have significant impact within her area of work.
Outstanding PhD Student, Bianca Viggiano:
Bianca Viggiano received a graduating GPA of 4.0 in our Mechanical Engineering PhD program. Her research work over the years has culminated in 15 peer-reviewed journal publications; of these publications, four came from her PhD thesis and two are still in preparation for publication. Her work has been featured in the Journal of Fluid Mechanics in a Perspectives Article for providing new ways of exploring Lagrangian turbulent flows. Bianca is an instrumental part of Dr. Raul Cal's research lab. Throughout her time at PSU, Bianca has received many accolades for her ongoing research work and dedication to her undergraduate, masters, and PhD program. She is now a Post-Doctoral Researcher at Johns Hopkins University.
Outstanding Research Assistant, Kaleb Hood:
Kaleb Hood is a graduate research assistant within the Masters of Materials Science and Engineering program. His current research project is focused on the developing graphene-based coating materials for the additive manufactured metals and alloys to enhance their anticorrosion properties. In less than two years of his graduate study, Kaleb has demonstrated his outstanding contributions to his research project through two accepted proceeding papers in which he serves as a first author for one and the second author for another. Currently, he is working on a full journal manuscript in which he serves as the first author. Kaleb is also a graduate student team leader in Dr. Jun Jiao's research lab. In addition, Kaleb helps MME graduate students to solve the desktop SEM operation problems and actively provides research lab tours for the MCECS prospective students. Kaleb shows great quality as a research assistant and a promising researcher.
Outstanding Senior, Brett Stinson:
Brett Stinson is graduating with a 4.0 in our Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering program. Brett is an exceptional student and individual. He is committed to his studies and research, dedicating his time and effort to support others around him both in his undergraduate program, and in our ASHRAE student group. He has achieved tremendous endeavors at PSU, including publishing his undergraduate research in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science and Technology, being awarded an NSF GRFP fellowship to continue his research, and winning first place in the ASHRAE thesis competition. He has presented his research at national and international conferences, including winning second place in an international student research competition at the REHVAC 14th Annual World Congress.
Outstanding Student Leadership, Catie Spivey:
Catie Spivey has been an outstanding student leader for MCECS, PSU, and the MME Department. While dedicated to her studies and research, Catie has achieved many incredible feats during her time as an undergraduate and graduate in the Mechanical Engineering program. During her time at PSU, Catie has served ans an MCECS Ambassador, a lead Mechanical Engineering representative for Oregon Cube Sat, co-founded the diversity-driven student group 'We In Space', received an internship with NASA, and served as a teaching assistant for the MME department for two terms of her graduate program. Catie was also a recipient of the Brook Owens Fellowship and the MacDonald Scholarship in Thermofluids. Catie is an unstoppable force within STEM and we cannot wait to see what she'll do next.
Outstanding Service to Department, Zein Sadek:
Zein Sadek has been an incredible help to the MME Department throughout the entire duration of Masters of Mechanical Engineering program. With his positive attitude, eagerness to take on complex tasks, and deep understanding the Mechanical Engineering curriculum, we know we can count on Zein. Departmentally, Zein was a key participant in ensuring course lab materials were organized, soldered, and prepared as we returned from remote learning. Zein also served as a mentor and hands-on contributor for three capstone projects, while lending a hand to other research colleagues and balancing his own offshore wind power research. He leads tours and demonstrations in the lab, for special guests and high school students interested to learn more about STEM.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant, Ryan Bixler:
Ryan Bixler has been consistently exceptional during the Freshman Engineering sequence this academic year. Ryan has gone above and beyond in support of this important series of classes, both to the students and to the faculty instructors. He has patiently and expertly provided students with advising, troubleshooting and teaching in-class, during office hours, and via email. He has debugged code with students, tested circuits, and encouraged students to perform at their best. His instructors noted that Ryan's support has been invaluable. He not only proficiently grades homeworks and reports, but does so with an intuition and expertise that is indicative of true mastery of the material. Ryan also provides constructive feedback regarding his perception of the progress of students, lectures, and content that has improved the ability to teach this course and will allow substantive improvements to future sections of this course.