Duke Engineering Celebrates Class of 2018

Duke Engineering recognized more than 680 undergraduate and graduate engineering students at a series of ceremonies and celebrations during the 2018 commencement weekend, May 11-13.

On Sunday, Dean Ravi V. Bellamkonda and senior class president Jason Ng spoke at the undergraduate engineering school ceremony, and outstanding graduates were recognized, including those graduating with departmental distinction and as Pratt Research Fellows and NAE Grand Challenge Scholars. Diplomas were given to 272 students. There were 285 undergraduates total for the Class of 2018, which includes students who earned degrees during the fall semester.

Watch Duke Engineering Class of 2018 videos »

Master's students were recognized at ceremonies on Friday and Saturday. The Class of 2018 includes 66 PhD graduates and 125 Master of Science graduates. Also, 163 Master of Engineering Management (MEM) and 47 Master of Engineering (MEng) degrees were awarded during the 2017-2018 academic year.

All told, the Duke Engineering Class of 2018 has 686 graduates.

Duke Engineering student Lisa Ishigame He, who received her bachelor of science in engineering degree on Sunday, sang the National Anthem and the Alma Mater before a massive crowd of her fellow graduates and their loved ones during the university commencement ceremony in Wallace Wade Stadium. The commencement speaker was Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.

More about the Class of 2018

• PhD Awards
• Master's Awards
• Undergraduate Awards
• Video
• Photos

PhD Awards

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Doctoral Dissertation Award

• Zachary Abzug
• Ericka Moore
  

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Doctoral Dissertation Award

• Yajuan Duan
• Ross Taggart

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Outstanding Dissertation Award

• Andrew Stevens
  

Outstanding Service to the Department Award

• Felicia McGuire
• Ugonna Ohiri

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Doctoral Dissertation Award

• Ioannis Kantaros
• Ying Zhang

Leadership Awards

Outstanding Service to the Engineering Graduate Student Council

• Lauren Redfern
• Joseph Camilo
• Ugonna Uhiri

Outstanding Service to PhD Plus

• Oscar Carrasco-Zevallos
• Allison Lopatkin
• Hannah Meredith
• Lauren Czaplicki
• Ugonna Ohiri

Master's Awards

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Excellence in Master of Science Studies

• Kevin Chu
• Sachin Govil

Excellence in Master of Engineering Studies

• Sarah Dicker
• Kathleen Carroll

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Excellence in Master of Science Studies

• Bingyu Lan

Undergraduate Awards

Walter J. Seeley Scholastic Award

• Joseph Robert Lilien
• Adithya Raghunathan
• Harvey Yizhuang Shi
• Ryan Anthony St. Pierre
• Rachel S. Yang

Presented annually by the Engineering Student Government to the member of the graduating class who has achieved the highest scholastic average in all subjects, and who has shown diligence in pursuit of an engineering education. Initiated to honor the spirit of academic excellence and professional diligence demonstrated by the late Dean Walter J. Seeley.

Otto Meier, Jr. Tau Beta Pi Award

• Brian Kwong-Kai Chan
• Henry Pak-Hang Yuen

Presented in recognition of Dr. Meier’s leadership in establishing the North Carolina Gamma Chapter on January 10, 1948 and his continuous service until April 19, 1975 as chapter advisor. Given annually to the graduating member of Tau Beta Pi who best symbolizes the distinguished scholarship and exemplary character required for membership.

Pratt School of Engineering Student Service Award

• Edwin Taylor Bodge
• Jason Mick Ng

Established in 1978 and given to graduating seniors who, by contributions of time, effort and spirit, have significantly benefitted the community of the Pratt School of Engineering.

da Vinci Award

• Harvey Yizhuang Shi
• Rachel S. Yang

Presented to the Biomedical Engineering student with the most outstanding academic record, as determined by a faculty committee. Commemorates the contributions of Leonardo da Vinci in laying the foundation of the mechanistic study of human life.

Helmholtz Award

• Sydney Elisabeth Jeffs
• Vincent Nevan Miao

Given to graduating seniors who present the best research projects, as judged by department faculty. Commemorates the work of Hermann von Helmholtz in laying the foundation of biomedical engineering.

Edward D. "Ned" Light Memorial Award

• Harvey Yizhuang Shi

Given to a Pratt Research Fellow in biomedical engineering with the best engineering design project, as judged by a faculty committee. Established in 2012 in memory of Ned Light, who worked for at Duke 22 years–pioneering research in real-time 3D ultrasound imaging and mentoring a host of undergraduate students both in the lab and in life skills.

Theo C. Pilkington Memorial Award

• Anthony Nicola Schneider

Established in 1993 by the Whitaker Foundation as an endowment award in memory of Dr. Pilkington, founding chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering. The recipient is selected at the end of the junior year and the award is given in recognition of outstanding perseverance and accomplishment in the study of biomedical engineering.

American Society of Civil Engineering Outstanding Senior Prize

• Christopher Joseph Northrup

Presented annually to a graduating civil engineering senior in recognition of an exceptional, positive impact on the Duke student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineering.

William Brewster Snow Environmental Engineering Award

• Karyn Elizabeth Saunders

Established in 1979 and presented annually to seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence, interest, and enthusiasm in the study of environmental engineering.

Aubrey E. Palmer Award

• Michelle Anne Moffa
• Karyn Elizabeth Saunders

Established in 1980 and presented annually to a civil engineering or environmental engineering senior in recognition of outstanding academic achievement. Selection is made by the faculty of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Eric I. Pas Award

• Michelle Anne Moffa
• Delaney Colleen Thompson

Established in 1998 in memory of Dr. Pas, former director of undergraduate studies in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and presented to the graduating civil or environmental engineering senior judged by the faculty to have conducted the most outstanding independent study project.

David Randall Fuller Prize for Achievement in Electrical and Computer Engineering

• David Kevin Bi

Presented annually to the graduating senior who has shown the most improvement in academic performance over the first three years.

George Sherrerd III Memorial Award in Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Jihane Bettahi
• Edwin Taylor Bodge

Awarded annually to the senior in electrical and computer engineering who, in the opinion of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty, who has attained the highest level of scholastic achievement in all subjects and has simultaneously has rendered significant service to the Pratt School of Engineering and the university at large. Established in 1958 by the parents of Class of 1955 graduate George Sherrerd III, to recognize outstanding undergraduate scholarship.

Charles Ernest Seager Memorial Award

• James Louis Doherty

• Aditya Srinivasan

Recognizes the most outstanding undergraduate research project and presentation, as judged by the faculty in Electrical and Computer Engineering as part of the Graduation with Distinction presentation session. Established in 1958 by the widow and friends of Charles Ernest Seager, a graduate of the Class of 1955.

Charles Rowe Vail Memorial Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award

• Michael Yurievich Kuryshev

Established in 1997 by former students and colleagues of Charles Vail, a graduate of the class of 1937, professor from 1939-1967, and chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering from 1956-1964, recognizes the most outstanding undergraduate teaching assistant in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Pi Tau Sigma Scholarship Award

• Noah Ben Youkilis

Established in memory of T.C. Heyward, Sr., and presented annually by Pi Tau Sigma to an outstanding senior in Mechanical Engineering at Duke. Selection by a committee of the engineering faculty is based on academic excellence, engineering ability, and leadership.

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Faculty Award

• Ryan Spencer Cox
• Tara Yeo Davis

Presented annually in recognition of academic excellence to the graduating Mechanical Engineering seniors who have attained the highest level of scholastic achievement, as determined by the faculty.

Graduating with Departmental Distinction

Biomedical Engineering

* Howard G. Clark Award recipient

Civil and Environmental Engineering

• Michelle Anne Moffa
• Karyn Elizabeth Saunders
• Delaney Colleen Thompson

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Jihane Bettahi
• James Louis Doherty
• Aditya Srinivasan
• Henry Pak-Hang Yuen
• Lucy Zhang

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Video

• All Class of 2018 videos »
• Undergraduate (BSE) ceremony »
• Master of Engineering Management (MEM) ceremony »
• Master of Science (MS) ceremony »
• Master of Engineering (MEng) ceremony »
• Distributed Master of Engineering Management (d-MEM) ceremony »

Photos