March 20, 2022
Mizzou Engineering recognized faculty, staff and students for outstanding performance and dedication to the College. They were honored Friday at an Awards Banquet alongside distinguished alumni.
“These awards allow us to recognize alumni who are leaders in the field, students who stand out in classes and labs, faculty who excel at teaching and research and staff members who go above and beyond in their service to our mission,” said Noah Manring, Dean and Ketcham Professor.
Faculty & Staff Awards
The following faculty members received 2022 awards for accomplishments in research and teaching:
Faculty award winners Khaza Anuarul Hoque, Sarah Orton and Caixia “Ellen” Wan with Dean Noah Manring. Not pictured: Prasad Calyam, who was represented by his sons.
- Kannappan Palaniappan, professor, received the inaugural James C. Owens Excellence for Research Collaboration Award.
- Prasad Calyam, associate professor, received the Outstanding Senior Faculty Research Award.
- Caixia “Ellen” Wan, associate professor of biomedical, biological and chemical engineering, received the Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Award.
- Sarah Orton, associate professor in civil engineering, received the Senior Excellence in Teaching Award.
- Khaza Anuarul Hoque, EECS assistant professor, received the Junior Excellence in Teaching Award.
Staff Awards
The following employees received a 2022 Outstanding Staff Award:
Recipients of the Outstanding Staff Award, from left, are Janese Heavin, Shelley Hilton, Amy Rhea and Heather Roberts, pictured with Dean Noah Manring.
- Shelley Hilton, director of engineering research office
- Janese Heavin, senor communications coordinator in marketing and communications
- Amy Rhea, business support specialist in industrial and manufacturing systems engineering and the information technology program
- Heather Roberts, business support specialist in biomedical, biological and chemical engineering
Professor Kannappan Palaniappan receives the inaugural James C. Owens Excellence for Research Collaboration Award from Dean Noah Manring.
Kannappan Palaniappan
Palaniappan is a professor of electrical engineering and computer science. He received the first-ever James C. Owens Excellence for Research Collaboration Award in recognition of his extraordinary record of interdisciplinary research. Over the past three years, he has collaborated with more than 10 departments outside of engineering, applying his engineering expertise to areas such as defense, agriculture and health care.
Prasad Calyam
Calyam is Greg L. Gilliom Professor of Cyber Security in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Mizzou Cyber Education, Research and Infrastructure (CERI) Center. He received the Outstanding Senior Faculty Research Award for his work around cyber security, computer networking and cloud computing. Calyam’s work has been funded by NSF, DOE, NSA, the Army Research Lab and more.
Caixia “Ellen” Wan
Wan is an assistant professor of biomedical, biological and chemical engineering. She received the Junior Faculty Excellence in Research Award for her work around biofuels and bioproducts, biocatalyst development and bioprocessing. Wan has funding from NSF, USDA, the National Dairy Council and industry for work such as converting biomass to value-added products.
Sarah Orton
Orton is an associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She received the Senior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award for positive student feedback and her commitment to the student experience. Orton developed a comprehensive Technical Communication Toolbox that allows students to access writing guidelines, examples and other resources online.
Khaza Anuarul Hoque
Hoque is an assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science. He received the Junior Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award for positive student feedback and helping develop new courses and collaborations within Mizzou. Hoque significantly revamped a course around programmable logic devices and is currently developing a course on cybersecurity in industrial AI.
Shelley Hilton
Hilton is Director of the Engineering Research Office. She received an Outstanding Staff Award for structuring the office in a way that’s become an example of all research offices on campus. Faculty rely on Hilton to help navigate complicated rant proposals and follow sponsor guidelines.
Janese Heavin
Heavin is a senior communications coordinator in Marketing and Communications. She received an Outstanding Staff Award for helping to promote the College through research stories, amplifying Mizzou Engineering news across campus and assisting with faculty award nomination packets.
Amy Rhea
Rhea is a business support specialist in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems and the IT Program. Rhea received an Outstanding Staff Award for helping students, managing events associated with the IMSE Hall of Fame, taking faculty meeting minutes, processing financials and more.
Heather Roberts
Roberts is a business support specialist for the Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering. She received an Outstanding Staff Award for going above and beyond to help with admissions processes, graduate recruitment, organizing alumni events and more.
Student Awards
Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering
The following students from Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering received Outstanding Student Awards.
BBCE student award recipients with Kevin Gillis, Chair, and Dean Noah Manring.
Junior: Trevor Vigus
Senior: Lesli Key.
PhD: Afia Shammi
PhD: Agasthya Suresh Babu
Junior: Mykaela Reiland
Senior: Kate Zawalski
Junior: Lucas Kuehnel
Junior: Campbell Sweet
Senior: Joe Anderson
Senior: Valerie Venier
PhD: Xiaofei Sophie Wang
PhD: Yadong Xu
Civil and Environmental Engineering
The following students from Civil and Environmental Engineering received Outstanding Student Awards.
Outstanding students from Civil and Environmental Engineering with Chair Praveen Edara and Dean Noah Manring.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Junior: Olivia Bommelje
Senior: Hannah Truitt
Master’s: David Treece
PhD: Rahamat Tanvir
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
The following students from Electrical Engineering and Computer Science received Outstanding Student Awards.
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science award recipients with Chair Kamrul Islam and Dean Noah Manring.
Junior: Malek Necibi
Senior: Paul Orton
Master’s: Joshua Thompson
PhD: Tianqi Wu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Senior: Riley Jackson
PhD: Wenlong Wu
Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
The following students from Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering received Outstanding Student Awards.
IMSE student award recipients with Chair Jim Noble and Dean Noah Manring.
Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering
Junior: Ray Wood
Senior: Grayson Burns
Master’s: Vitor De Oliveira Vargas
PhD: Wonjae Lee
Information Technology
The following students from Information Technology received Outstanding Student Awards.
IT student award recipients with program Director Brian Maurer and Dean Noah Manring.
Junior: Hailey Jessee
Senior: Destiny Ward
Senior: Payton Marlin
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
The following Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering students received Outstanding Student Awards.
MAE student award recipients with Chair Hongbin “Bill” Ma and Dean Noah Manring.
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Junior: Phillip Brucks
Senior: Melanie Brekrus
Senior: Kendall Feist
Master’s Award: Mark Owoola
PhD: Qian Wu
Alumni Awards
Four distinguished alumni were also honored at the awards banquet.
Alumni award winners, from left, Doug DeMaire, Michael Melton, Bob Thumser and Lorraine Stipek with Dean Noah Manring.
Read more about:
Doug DeMaire, Missouri Honor Award
Michael Melton, Missouri Honor Award
Lorraine Stipek, Citation of Merit Award
Bob Thumser, James E. “Bud” Moulder Distinguished Alumni Award