Graduate students, mentors honored at annual Graduate Education Week awards reception

The Graduate School recognized master’s and doctoral students as well as faculty mentors from across Virginia Tech’s campuses and programs for their work, honoring them with awards of excellence at its annual awards reception during Graduate Education Week.

Award recipients included the Graduate Students of the Year and students who received the Graduate Service Excellence Award, Graduate Teaching Assistance Excellence Awards, and Outstanding Dissertation and Thesis Awards. Outstanding Master’s Degree and Ph.D. students chosen by each college received honors, as did faculty members chosen by the colleges.

Student of the year and service awards

• Graduate Students of the Year: Mohannad Elhamod, Ph.D. student, computer science, College of Engineering; and Alexandria “Alli” Rossi-Alverez, Ph.D. student, industrial and systems engineering, College of Engineering
• Graduate Service Excellence Award: Mohammed Ba-Aoum, Ph.D. student, industrial and systems engineering, College of Engineering

Thesis and dissertation awards

• Outstanding Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Dissertation Award: Ebenezer Fanijo, civil and environmental engineering, College of Engineering
• Outstanding Social Sciences, Business, Education, and Humanities (SSBEH) Dissertation Awards: Kuan Hung Lo, science, technology, and society, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences; Duygu Pamukcu, business information technology, Pamplin College of Business
• Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award, STEM: Haider Ali, computer science, College of Engineering
• Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award, SSBEH: Erica Blake, history, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Teaching awards

• Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Instructor of Record Excellence Award: Emily Burns, Ph.D. Student, higher education administration, College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
• Graduate Teaching Assistant Excellence Award: Adam Masters, Ph.D. student, engineering education, College of Engineering

Outstanding doctoral degree students

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Claire Murphy, food science and technology
• College of Architecture, Arts, and Design: Negar Goljan, architecture design research
• College of Engineering: Wendell Grinton, civil and environmental engineering
• College of Natural Resources and Environment: Joshua Mouser, fish and wildlife conservation
• College of Science: Corinne Carlton, psychology
• Pamplin College of Business: Sara Easterwood, finance
• Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: Alexandra “Allie” Kaloss, veterinary medicine
• Interdisciplinary doctoral student: Neeti Gandhi, chemical engineering, College of Engineering

Outstanding master's degree students

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Diana Schmidt, biological systems engineering
• College of Architecture, Arts, and Design: Rodney Kimbangu, creative technologies
• College of Engineering: Emily Meilus, mechanical engineering
• College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences: Thomas Miller, sociology
• College of Natural Resources and Environment: Darby McPhail, fish and wildlife conservation
• College of Science: Jasmine Lewis, psychology
• Pamplin College of Business: Gwyneth Schloer, business administration
• Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: Nicole Sugai, biomedical and veterinary science

Outstanding faculty mentors

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: Professor Scott Salom, entomology
• College of Architecture, Arts, and Design: Associate Professor Marcia Feuerstein, architecture
• College of Engineering: Professor Zhenyu Kong, industrial and systems engineering
• College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences: Associate Professor Ashley Shew, science, technology, and society
• College of Natural Resources and Environment: Associate Professor Ashley Dayer, fish and wildlife conservation
• College of Science: Associate Professor Susan Whitehead, biological sciences
• Pamplin College of Business: Associate Professor Richard “Rick” Hunt, management
• Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine: Assistant Professor Nisha Duggal, biomedical sciences

For more information about the awards, visit the Graduate School’s awards and honors webpage.