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MSE annual awards recognize achievement, service, mentorship


May 30, 2019

award winners

awardees

MSE award winners were honored at the annual spring banquet.

The MSE annual awards celebrate academic achievement, community service, and outstanding teaching among both students and faculty.

We're pleased to announce the 2019 winners. For more info on each award, visit MSE Annual Awards.

Student awards

"I was determined to pursue my bachelor’s degree in Material Science and Engineering when I applied to college. At University of Washington MSE department, the supportive learning environment motivated me to push my limit and achieve greater goals in this interdisciplinary major. Apart from learning through lecture and laboratory experimentation, I participated in a variety of research projects including non-metal material selection in collaboration with Boeing, copper-catalyzed thermal oxidation of polypropylene in collaboration with Jensen Hughes and developing 3-dimensional models of enamel decussation pattern. When I look backed at my experience as an MSE undergraduate, I truly appreciated the rewarding experience that contributed to my personal development. With the career goal of production manager in mind, I have started to pursue my second bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at Foster School of Business. In the future, I will continue to pursue Master of Science in MSE to enhance my understanding in material science and explore more cutting-edge technologies."

"Hailing from Berkeley California and Portland Oregon, I entered the University of Washington unsure of my major, but knowing I had a general interest in chemistry and engineering as a whole. As a part of the Materials Science and Engineering department here at UW I had the privilege to explore my interests and grow as a student and person through a variety of challenging coursework, invaluable research experiences in the Mackenzie and Hinds labs, and a short stint as a Junior Lab TA. Most importantly though, this experience connected me to the profoundly impactful people sitting around me today all of whom have helped progress and evolve into the enthusiastic and curious person I am today."

"Since before I could walk, my parents took me traveling and hiking with them, which planted in me a deep appreciation for and connection with the natural world. As a result, I’ve cultivated a passion for clean energy. In the past few years at UW, I have had the opportunity to pursue this passion both through my coursework in MSE and chemistry, and through participating in research at the Washington Clean Energy Testbeds. I am excited to continue working on developing roll-to-roll techniques for printing flexible, affordable solar cells in senior year and beyond."

I’ve found this degree to be so rewarding and I sometimes can’t believe how far I’ve come since freshman year. I’ll be the first one in my family to graduate college this spring and after that I’ll start my career as an engineer at Honeywell Aerospace. – Tayler Hoftell

"Before I started college, I knew I wanted to be an engineer. I found the MSE department my freshman year at UW and knew that was the path I wanted to go down. Although there have been plenty of ups and downs throughout my time here, I’ve found this degree to be so rewarding and I sometimes can’t believe how far I’ve come since freshman year. I’ll be the first one in my family to graduate college this spring and after that I’ll start my career as an engineer at Honeywell Aerospace!"

 

Esther Law
Esther is currently a junior in the Materials Science department at the University of Washington. Her current research project is working on performance and mechanical properties of 3D printing composite filaments. She also works on projects focusing on the microbiological corrosion effects of Titanium dental implants. Esther is a student assistant in Restorative Dentistry department helping organize the 10th International Conference in Ethics in Biology, Engineering, and Medicine. Her favorite sport is Japanese sword martial art -- Kendo.

Tiffany Tang
"I am a graduating UW MSE Master's student and spent the last year conducting composite research. I also completed my Bachelor's degree at UW in MSE, but focused my undergraduate research on renewable energies. I've had the amazing opportunity to serve in multiple leadership roles at UW which showed me how much outreach can make a difference. I've enjoyed and appreciated the opportunities I've had to show young students the thrills of engineering and MSE through fun hands-on activities like liquid-nitrogen-frozen marshmallows and hopefully, we've inspired some future engineers. After graduation, I'll be heading to Honeywell Aerospace."


Richard Lee
Richard received his Bachelor's degree in Physiology & Neurobiology, and Molecular & Cell Biology, from the University of Connecticut. He started graduate school after seven years in academic research studying neuroinflammation and stroke disease at UW. Richard's passion for science education and outreach has led to his involvement with the MSE department's high school and middle school Materials Camp, from volunteer to lead instructor. He also served as camp coordinator for his lab's own outreach program, GEMSEC Abalone Camp, that focuses on computational biomimetics. Richard looks forward to leading and organizing again the 2019 Materials Science: Discover & Design middle school camp offered by the UW Summer Youth Program.

Teaching and Mentoring

"This award is meaningful to me because I put in a great effort to teach, provide advice, and share all my knowledge with the students, and I feel that the students have selected me to receive the award in recognition of my teaching and mentoring efforts. I feel grateful for the students with whom I have worked. I firmly believe a teacher is only as good as his/her students, and I am blessed to have such excellent, hard-working students. I want to thank the MSE department for their financial support and generally for advice I've received from faculty and staff members over the years. I also want to specifically thank Tuesday Kuykendall. She has been an amazing leader for the undergraduate labs in the MSE department and she was a beyond-excellent teacher supervisor."


Wesley Tatum
"Teaching thermodynamics was really exciting for me, because that was one of the first classes that I really loved in undergraduate. So, getting the chance to try to share the impact that thermo had on me, with students who were equally inquisitive and engaged, was truly a treat. I genuinely looked forward to the great questions that were asked and the willingness to work through problems towards solutions that the students demonstrated each lecture."
I'm very honored by the recognition and I hope that the students feel prepared to apply the new tools they have learned and become leaders in this field.
– Professor Dwayne Arola


Tuesday Kuykendall
"These are student awards, so it's direct feedback that they believe the labs are a positive learning experience for them. To me, students are our primary customers and our product, so when they learn we succeed!"

Dwayne Arola
"I'm very honored by the recognition and I hope that the students feel prepared to apply the new tools they have learned and become leaders in this field."