School of Engineering Recognizes Student and Faculty Award Winners, Academic Excellence


The University of Kansas School of Engineering announces its outstanding undergraduate and graduate students and faculty and staff award winners.

“Earning an engineering degree is a challenging and rigorous process. This level of academic success requires extended hard work and dedication, and these students are to be commended for this achievement,” said Arvin Agah, Dean of Engineering.

Undergraduate Outstanding Seniors

Derek Barnes, mechanical engineering

Kaylee Barr, chemical engineering

Claire Bexten, civil engineering,

Anushka Bhattacharya, electrical engineering

Michael Estrada, engineering physics

Seth Law, architectural engineering

Harrison Luo, computer science

Kylie Personette, aerospace engineering

Personette is the winner of the Sammie and Carl Locke Award for Most Outstanding Graduating Senior.

Outstanding Graduate Researchers

Outstanding Master's Researcher: Sebastian Huayamares, bioengineering 

Outstanding PhD Researcher: Ember Krech, bioengineering

Master’s Student Nominees

Taylor George, aerospace engineering

Charles Mohr, electrical engineering & computer science

Kyle Stephens, chemical & petroleum engineering

Zachary Pessia, mechanical engineering

Ph.D. Student Nominees

Mohammad Alhawwary, aerospace engineering

Dhaval Mysore Krishna, mechanical engineering

Mahdi Al-Naddaf, civil, environmental & architectural engineering

Tugba Turnaoglu, chemical & petroleum engineering

Gould Award Winners

Outstanding Advisor – Kate Maisch, academic adviser, mechanical engineering

Outstanding Educator -- John Gibbons, associate teaching professor, electrical engineering & computer science

Highest Distinction/Distinction

Additionally, 55 students from the summer, fall, and spring graduating classes at the KU School of Engineering students received top honors for their academic performance. The University of Kansas awards Highest Distinction to the top 3% of each School’s graduating class, and Distinction to those in the top 10%.   

Highest Distinction

Claire Nicole Bexten

Anushka M. Bhattacharya

Evan Alexander Brown

Jacob W. Camenzind

Sherman W. Choi

Samuel R. Crowl

Matthew Eagle

Collin M. Edwards

Afnan Khaled Abdelhakim Elhamshari

David Gilbert Felton

Caleb Elliott Grabill

Alex M. Kunz

Matthew Brian McDonell

Patrick William Moeller

Nathan Lee Nichols

Sowmya Yamini Ragothaman

Distinction

Abdul-Rahman Imad Alkiswani

Abraham Oluwaseun Atte

Olivia M. Baird

Derek J. Barnes

Kaylee Elizabeth Barr

William Patrick Brabston IV

Kyley Kay Burkey

Mark Joseph Camenzind

Varun Chadha

Young In Chang

Hannah Josephine Couture

Mekayla Estella Rasel DePaolis

David D. Depew

Renee J. Ellegood

Sydney Nicole Gard

Drake B. Gilmore

Hirsh Guha

Zachary G. Hall

Andre Kurait

Seth Michael Law

Christopher R. Lawrence

Steven Craig Lee

Michael S Meissner

Brooklyn K. Mussman

Jay R. Patel

Emilia Paz Ojeda

Kylie A. Personette

Anthony Pham

Trenton Riley Potter

Elly Ramon Richardson

Scott J. Ring

Justin C. Roderman

Michael Shao

Rachel Elizabeth Speckin

Trevor A. Spraetz

Josiah A. Swim

Logan K. Wilson

Xinyun Yu