Dr. Ming Leu’s Ph.D. student Niloofar Zendehdel received the first place award in the Graduate Research Showcase.
On Wednesday, April 12, more than 60 graduate students presented their work at the Graduate Research Showcase in the form of a poster or short oral presentation. Their work was evaluated in the areas of communication, innovation and overall research by a panel of judges that included S&T faculty, staff and representatives from employers across the state. First-place winners were awarded a cash prize of $500. Second- and third-place finishers received $300 and $150, respectively. Other category winners received a cash prize of $150.
The following students were honored at an awards banquet in recognition of their outstanding achievements:
Best Research Poster
- First place
“Human-Robot Collaboration in Manufacturing” by Niloofar Zendehdel, Ph.D. student in mechanical engineering. The research advisor is Dr. Ming Leu, Keith and Pat Bailey Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
- Second place
“Using Vibration to Insert Rebar Reinforcement into 3D Printed Concrete” by Jeremiah Rittenhouse, a Ph.D. student in aerospace engineering. The research advisor is Dr. Daniel Stutts, associate professor of mechanical engineering.
- Third place
“High Resolution Characterization and Stratigraphic Variability of the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale: Implication on Fine-Grained Sedimentation Dynamics of the Continental Shelf” by Chukwuma Mgbenu, a Ph.D. student in geology and geophysics. The research advisor is Dr. Wan Yang, professor of geosciences and geological and petroleum engineering.
Guest judges included:
- Brandi Suhre from Thermo Fisher Scientific.
- Chris Coffman and Ryan Whitaker from Ocelot Consulting.
- Christy Truluck and Becca Balcom from Liberty Energy and Water.
- Dillynn Cook and Wes Safarik from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- Samuel Vader from the U.S. Navy.
Judges from the S&T community included:
- Dr. Hanli Wu, research associate in civil, architectural and environmental engineering.
- Dr. Sanjay Madria, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of computer science.
- Dr. Sanaz Vajedian, postdoctoral fellow in geosciences and geological and petroleum engineering.
- Dr. Daoru Han, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
- Dr. Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, assistant research professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.
- Dr. Chang-Soo Kim, professor of electrical and computer engineering.
- Dr. Viraj Athavale, assistant research professor of materials science and engineering.
- Dr. Irina Ivliyeva, professor of Russian.
- Dr. Michel Gueldry, professor of French.
- Dr. Rachel Kohman, director of Kummer Student Programs.
- Dr. Rainer Glaser, interim vice provost of graduate education and professor of chemistry.
Posted by Kimber Crull