Pratt School of Engineering Awards

Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising

Mark is a Duke Engineer through and through. After earning both his undergraduate and doctoral degrees here, Mark returned as an assistant research professor for nearly a decade before founding and leading our BME Design Fellows program. Multiple nominators referred to his mentorship in this role as “The Palmeri Experience,” an inspirational and transformative influence for cohort after cohort. “His humility, curiosity, dedication, and empathy make Dr. Palmeri more than just a professor. He’s a role model. And it’s with pride that I say I hope my future looks like his: a rockstar teacher, a caring mentor, and a passionate lifelong learner.”

Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Teaching and Research

Michael earned both an undergraduate and doctoral degree in physics from Duke before spending six years as a faculty member at the University of Arizona. He returned to Duke in 2013, where his prowess as both an educator and a researcher has been an enormous resource for the school. With research focused on maximizing the information captured by sensing, imaging and spectroscopy, and a successful startup company, his portfolio of work is remarkably broad. “His exemplary teaching, innovative research and dedicated leadership have profoundly advanced the mission of the ECE Department and the Pratt School of Engineering, while also inspiring and supporting generations of students.”

Dean’s Award for Community-Based Innovation

Perhaps best known for his annual ritual of laying on a bed of nails and having a cinderblock smashed apart on his chest, David joined Duke Engineering in 2012 and has become a fixture in our undergraduate curriculum. He has also long served as the leader of multiple international programs, embodying the integration of community into research, teaching and service to advance Duke Engineering goals for community engagement. “There is no other faculty member who shares Dr. Schaad’s vision for community-based engineering and innovation, nor the impact he has had motivating students to believe in that same vision.”

Dean’s Award for Leadership in Program and Operational Excellence

Bridget joined Duke Engineering in 2019 and quickly had a large impact on our graduate student programs and services (GSPS) program, first as an assistant director, and then in an expanded director’s role. For the past six years, her ability to step into this role and provide steady, thoughtful leadership has been an enormous asset to the entire GSPS team. “Bridget’s commitment, professionalism, creativity and compassion for students and their success make her work and role essential to Pratt graduate students. She embodies the values of responsiveness, innovation and excellence that this award was designed to celebrate.”

Dean’s Staff Early Impact Award

A longtime teacher at Durham Public Schools, Adam joined Duke Engineering as a senior laboratory administrator in 2022. From the outset, it was clear that he had both a vision and a gift for inspiring students, launching several impactful outreach programs while reimagining the ECE labs to improve student experiences. “When Pratt opened up a similar lab manager position to his, I was asked to draft a description of the role. I began with a single sentence: ‘I need an Adam.’ That phrasing captures what so many of us feel—Adam has not only exceeded expectations in his role but redefined what it means to support and lead a lab community.”

Dean’s Staff Lifetime Achievement Award

An integral member of the Duke Engineering community for nearly two decades, Lupita began her time here as a student services coordinator before moving into her current role of assistant dean in 2011. Over this span, she has been an integral part of improving the student experience by overhauling our advising program, which has become a signature feature of our school. “Lupita is the clear leader of the entire Pratt undergraduate education staff. Every team member acknowledges her expertise and looks to her for guidance.”

Klein Family Distinguished Teaching Award

Steve earned his PhD in Duke’s BME program in 2008 and never left. Beginning as a postdoctoral scholar and assistant research professor, he moved into a teaching role in 2012, where he has remained a fixture for generations of students. Numerous students supported his nomination with words of having been supported and challenged to grow through his dedication to teaching and helping students actively apply their knowledge. “None of the other professors I’ve had have demonstrated such a unilateral commitment to engineering excellence. Steve has somehow managed to capture the ‘magic’ you feel when watching movies featuring college classes. His impact radiates beyond his own classroom, elevating expectations program-wide.”

Lois and John L. Imhoff Distinguished Teaching Award

After stints as a research fellow and consultant, Sonia joined Duke Engineering’s faculty in 2023 with a focus on curriculum connectivity, cultivating technical skill development and incorporating team-based learning. Her various courses spanning biomechanics and biomaterials—and her efforts co-directing The Biomedical Engineering Education Teaching Laboratory—have made Duke BME’s undergraduate programs thrive. “Her guidance has had a genuine impact on my academic and professional journey. Dr. Bansal exemplifies not only what it means to be an excellent teacher but also what it means to be a mentor who changes lives.”

Maclin Culture and Belonging Award

Karis joined Duke Engineering in 2021 as our inaugural director of diversity, equity and inclusion, and had an immediate impact on our school that continues to this day. Having established our comprehensive DEI infrastructure from the ground up, she transitioned into a role researching the complex interactions between people, technology and social structures. No matter her title, Karis continually fosters inclusive excellence and creates environments where all Pratt community members feel valued, respected and empowered to contribute. “She has not simply implemented inclusive excellence initiatives—she has fundamentally transformed how Pratt approaches inclusive excellence. Her work has created lasting infrastructure, meaningful partnerships and empowered countless community members to contribute their unique perspectives and talents.”

Stansell Family Distinguished Research Award

Junjie joined Duke Engineering’s faculty in 2016 after having spent nearly a decade at Washington University in St. Louis. With a long track record of using innovative imaging methods—namely photoacoustic tomography—to create new diagnostic and therapeutic applications, he is constantly reaching out to colleagues in other departments and other schools to seek novel collaborations. “Equally impressive is Dr. Yao’s role as a mentor and community builder. He has trained and supported a diverse cadre of students and postdoctoral fellows, many of whom have already emerged as leaders in their own right.”