Duke Engineering Celebrates Class of 2019

Duke Engineering recognized more than 700 undergraduate and graduate engineering students during the 2019 commencement ceremonies and celebrations held May 10-12.

On Sunday, Dean Ravi V. Bellamkonda and senior class president Jack Myhre spoke to 284 May 2019 engineering undergraduates, their loved ones and faculty gathered for the Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) Diploma Ceremony in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

"You are Duke Engineers—you are born to invent, innovate and create a better world for us all," Bellamkonda said.

While families and friends watched from the stands, 2019 graduates gathered on historic Coach K Court to be recognized—including those receiving school and departmental awards, graduating with departmental distinction, and as Pratt Research Fellows and NAE Grand Challenge Scholars.

"You are Duke Engineers—you are born to invent, innovate and create a better world for us all."

Dean Ravi V. Bellamkonda, in remarks to the Class of 2019

There are 299 undergraduates in the Duke Engineering Class of 2019, including students who earned their degrees last September and December. Meanwhile, graduating doctoral and master's students were recognized at ceremonies at Duke on Friday and Saturday.

For the 2018-2019 academic year, Pratt School of Engineering graduate students were awarded:

• 73 PhDs
• 188 Master of Science (MS) degrees
• 159 Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degrees, in both on-campus and distance programs
• 51 Master of Engineering (MEng) degrees

Altogether, the Duke Engineering Class of 2019 includes 770 graduates.

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PhD Awards

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Doctoral Dissertation Award

• Christopher T. Lam
• Stefan Daniel Roberts
• Nicholas Chen Tang

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Doctoral Scholar Award

• Yingjie Liu
• Lauren Lowman

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Outstanding Dissertation Award

• Mohamed Saber Rizk Ibrahim
  
• James Thostenson

Outstanding Service to the Department Award

• Tamara Silbergleit Lehman

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Doctoral Dissertation Award

• Reza Khoday-Mehr
• Wiley Dunlap-Shohl

Leadership Awards

Outstanding Service to the Engineering Graduate Student Council

• Clinton Cahall
• Korine Duval Ohiri
• Weston Ross

Outstanding Service to PhD Plus

• Mandana Taghizadeh Manzari

Master's Awards

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Excellence in Master of Science Studies

• Zhao (Kevin) Ma
• Xiao Peng

Excellence in Master of Engineering Studies

• Erin Emmons
• Enoch Chang

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Outstanding Master of Engineering Student Award

• Karyn Saunders

Outstanding Master of Science Student Award

• Lauren Frei

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Outstanding Master's Student Award

• Arda Icmez
• Yiwei Li

Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

Best Poster Award for Master's Research

• Jingjing Song

Undergraduate Awards

Pratt School Awards

Walter J. Seeley Scholastic Award

• Daniel Kai Sheng Boey
• Madeline Fitch Briere
• Courtney AnnaLee Adams Montgomery
• Neel Krishna Prabhu

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

• Nathan William Watson

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 the 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

• Benjamin Quimby Jackson
• Tracy Lu

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.

Biomedical Engineering

da Vinci Award

• Neel Krishna Prabhu

Presented to the Biomedical Engineering senior 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

• Neel Krishna Prabhu

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

• Stephen Zhifan Xu

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

• Olivia Rose Gwynn

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.

Civil and Environmental Engineering

American Society of Civil Engineering Outstanding Senior Prize

• Courtney AnnaLee Adams Montgomery

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

• Charles Benjamin Pearlman

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

• Daniel Kai Sheng Boey
• Courtney AnnaLee Adams Montgomery
• Marina Carolyn Smalling

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

• Elizabeth Rose Griffin
• Emma Joy Jin Palmer

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.

Electrical and Computer Engineering

David Randall Fuller Prize for Achievement in Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Michael Todd Scruggs

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

• Nathaniel Emerson Brooke

Awarded annually to the senior in electrical and computer engineering who, in the opinion of the Electrical & 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

• Madeline Fitch Briere
• Madhavi Rajiv

Recognizes the most outstanding undergraduate research project and presentation, as judged by the faculty in Electrical & 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

• Chance Robert Taylor Fleeting

Established in 1997 by former students and colleagues of Charles Vail, a graduate of the class of 1937, a 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 & Computer Engineering.

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Pi Tau Sigma Scholarship Award

• William Allen Willis III

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

• Shomik Verma

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

* The Howard G. Clark Award

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Undergraduate Fellowships

Pratt Research Fellows

Katsouleas NAE Grand Challenge Scholars