Duke Engineering Celebrates the Class of 2020

5/14/20 Pratt School of Engineering

We proudly recognize more than 800 undergraduate and graduate engineering students who were awarded academic degrees from Duke this month.

aerial view of the Class of 2020 with text: Duke Class of 20
Duke Engineering Celebrates the Class of 2020

The Pratt School of Engineering proudly recognized more than 800 undergraduate and graduate engineering students who were awarded academic degrees from Duke University this month. Despite a delayed commencement due to the coronavirus pandemic, school faculty, staff, alumni and fellow students celebrated the graduates’ achievements during the May 10 launch of Duke University’s global multimedia experience, “Marking the Moment: Duke 2020.

20 Memories + 20 Wishes for Our 2020 Graduates

There are 283 members of the undergraduate Duke Engineering Class of 2020—including those who earned degrees last September and December. Those earning school and departmental awards, graduating with departmental distinction, and as Pratt Research Fellows, BME Design Fellows and NAE Grand Challenge Scholars were honored through special announcements from faculty to their students. Browse Class of 2020 awards and honors

For the 2019-2020 academic year, Pratt School of Engineering graduate students were awarded:

  • 83 PhDs
  • 222 Master of Science (MS) degrees
  • 168 Master of Engineering Management (MEM) degrees, in both on-campus and distance programs
  • 71 Master of Engineering (MEng) degrees

Altogether, the Duke Engineering Class of 2020 includes 827 graduates.

Congratulations from Dean Bellamkonda

“As you look ahead, maybe in the short term you see some turbulent waters. But please know, you are Duke Engineers. You are precisely the kind of people that the world needs today—well-informed, creative, analytical, thoughtful, skillful and most of all, able to put knowledge in service of society. I have no doubt you will be productive, happy and successful, no matter what you choose to do or where you choose to do it. And you will always be part of the Duke family.”

—Dean Ravi Bellamkonda

Awards and Honors

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PhD Awards

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Doctoral Dissertation Award

  • Bridget M. Crawford
  • Joshua Black
  • Michael Dzuricky

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Outstanding Scholar Award

  • Amalia Turner

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Outstanding Dissertation Award

  • Joseph Andrews
  • Junfei Li

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Doctoral Dissertation Award

  • Rudy Geelen
  • Luis Navarro

Student Leadership Award

  • Amy King

Mentoring & Teaching Award

  • Betul Teymur

Model Researcher Award

  • Kevin McHugh
  • Peiran Zhang

Leadership Awards

Outstanding Service to the Engineering Graduate Student Council

  • Samagya Banskota
  • Mao Mao
  • Trisha Lee Dupnock
  • Aarthi Sridhar
  • Savannah Volkoff
  • Yaying Feng
  • Amy King
  • Michael Lee
  • Weston Allan Ross
  • Matthew Tedesco

Outstanding Service to PhD Plus

  • Michael James Dzuricky
  • Mao Mao

Master’s Awards

Department of Biomedical Engineering

Excellence in Master of Science Studies

  • Xingrui Mou

Excellence in Master of Engineering Studies

  • Tong Shen

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

Outstanding Master of Engineering Student Award

  • Linzhan Tang

Outstanding Master of Science Student Award

  • Ying Zu

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Outstanding Master’s Student Award

  • Xinyi Gong
  • Simiao (Ben) Ren

Undergraduate Awards

Pratt School Awards

Walter J. Seeley Scholastic Award

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.

  • Samantha Rebecca Archer
  • Sarah Catherine Bland
  • Claire Jie Dong
  • Ian Keith Eldridge-Allegra
  • Angus Li
  • William Ming Tian
  • Chris Jiayang Zhou

Otto Meier, Jr. Tau Beta Pi Award

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.

  • Feroze Kamal Mohideen
  • August Tianyin Ning

Pratt School of Engineering Student Service Award

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.

  • Iris Yuting Chang
  • Samuel Robert Lester

Biomedical Engineering

da Vinci Award

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.

  • Claire Jie Dong
  • Angus Li
  • William Ming Tian
  • Chris Jiayang Zhou

Helmholtz Award

Given to a graduating senior who presents the best research project, as judged by department faculty. Commemorates the work of Hermann von Helmholtz in laying the foundation of biomedical engineering.

  • Chris Jiayang Zhou

Edward D. “Ned” Light Memorial Award

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.

  • Aditi Madan Pilani

Theo C. Pilkington Memorial Award

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.

  • Bradley Robert Foster

Civil and Environmental Engineering

American Society of Civil Engineering Outstanding Senior Prize

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.

  • Rachael Ellen Lau

William Brewster Snow Environmental Engineering Award

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

  • Alexander William Weck

Aubrey E. Palmer Award

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.

  • Kathryn Anne White

Eric I. Pas Award

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.

  • Tiffany Michelle Wei

Electrical and Computer Engineering

David Randall Fuller Prize for Achievement in Electrical and Computer Engineering

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

  • Joshua Robert France
  • Aditya Prasad Mathur

George Sherrerd III Memorial Award in Electrical and Computer Engineering

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.

  • Feroze Kamal Mohideen
  • Junyu Liang

Charles Ernest Seager Memorial Award

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.

  • Samantha Rebecca Archer
  • Siyuan Chen

Charles Rowe Vail Memorial Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award

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.

  • Kerry Marguerite Castor
  • Grant Ethan Mak

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Pi Tau Sigma Scholarship Award

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.

  • Kaijie Chen
  • Benjamin Zachary Edelstein
  • Katherine Carey Tighe

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Faculty Award

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.

  • Zachary Bernstein
  • Ian Keith Eldridge-Allegra
  • Kathleen VanderKam

Raymond C. Gaugler Award in Materials Science and Engineering

  • Jiwoo Song

Graduated with Departmental Distinction

Biomedical Engineering

  • Beepul Bharti
  • Kendyl Claire Bree
  • Jason Jeh-Sen Chou
  • Jackson Mitchell Dozier
  • Bradley Robert Foster*
  • Jay Gupta
  • Anthony-Fayez Haddad
  • Adrienne Alice Hawkes*
  • Aimee Joanmarie McVey
  • Aditi Madan Pilani
  • Sabrina Wei Qi*
  • Matthew James Salvino
  • Maya Uday Sheth*
  • Maria terWeele
  • Eric Robert Wahlstedt*
  • Benjamin Robert Wesorick
  • Alexander William Wilson*
  • Andrew Ho-Fai Yeung*
  • Stephanie Renée Zelenetz
  • Chris Jiayang Zhou

* The Howard G. Clark Award


Civil and Environmental Engineering

  • Camden McLaughlin Ford
  • Winston Frederik Lindqwister
  • Tiffany Michelle Wei

Electrical and Computer Engineering

  • Samantha Rebecca Archer
  • Siyuan Chen
  • Katelyn Hefter
  • Jeremy Star Morgan
  • August Tianyin Ning
  • Virginia Grace Pan

Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

  • Rohan Agarwal
  • Mihai Cimpuieru
  • Thandolwethu Zwelakhe Dlamini
  • Spencer Heath Perkins
  • Alejandro R. Sevilla
  • Jiwoo Song
  • Kathleen VanderKam

Undergraduate Fellowships and Honors

Pratt Research Fellows

  • Zachary Bernstein
  • Beepul Bharti
  • Kendyl Claire Bree
  • Jason Jeh-Sen Chou
  • Mihai Cimpuieru
  • Thandolwethu Zwelakhe Dlamini
  • Bradley Robert Foster
  • Zongyu Li
  • Soomin Myoung
  • Aditi Madan Pilani
  • Jose Carlos Rivera
  • Matthew James Salvino
  • Jiwoo Song
  • Maria ter Weele
  • Kathleen VanderKam
  • Ajay Kaushik Varadhan
  • Eric Robert Wahlstedt
  • John Chalres Wahlstedt
  • Tiffany Michelle Wei
  • Andrew Ho-Fai Yeung
  • Stephanie Renée Zelenetz

Katsouleas NAE Grand Challenge Scholars

  • Neel Bakshi
  • Jason Jeh-Sen Chou
  • Emilia Anna Grzesiak
  • Jay Gupta
  • Katelyn Hefter
  • Rachael Ellen Lau
  • Samuel Barry Osheroff
  • Ryan Richard Piersma
  • Rachel Leigh Sit
  • Gaurav Uppal
  • Kathryn Anne White
  • Tenzin Yangkey
  • Stephanie Renee Zelenetz
  • Chris Jiayang Zhou

BME Design Fellows

  • Mariana Alvarez Machado
  • Kerry Marguerite Castor
  • Lauren Collier
  • Jackson Mitchell Dozier
  • Emilia Anna Grzesiak
  • Jay Gupta
  • Anthony-Fayez Haddad
  • Adrienne Alice Hawkes
  • Cassandra Jade Ingram
  • Aliza Marry Kajani
  • Cooper Larkin Lair
  • Venezia Rose Leone
  • Grant Ethan Mak
  • Aimee Joanmarie McVey
  • Sarah Elizabeth Putney
  • Sabrina Qi
  • Ben Wesorick
  • Zohair Zia

Tau Beta Pi

Tau Beta Pi is the oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students in American universities who have shown a history of academic achievement as well as a commitment to personal and professional integrity.

  • Samantha Rebecca Archer
  • Andrew Scott Arnold
  • Zachary Bernstein
  • Beepul Bharti
  • Sarah Catherine Bland
  • Emily Chang
  • Iris Yuting Chang
  • Jason Jeh-Sen Chou
  • Tanios Wadih Dagher
  • Alice Dai
  • Neil Dhar
  • Claire Jie Dong
  • Ian Keith Eldridge-Allegra
  • Joshua Steven Engel
  • Yodit Getnet Gebretsadik
  • Khian Wei Goh
  • Aryaman Gupta
  • Jay Gupta
  • Katelyn Hefter
  • Aliza Marry Kajani
  • Cooper Larkin Lair
  • Angus Li
  • Lucas Tiger Liu
  • Aimee Joanmarie McVey
  • Feroze Kamla Mohideen
  • Soomin Myoung
  • Trishul Patel Nagenalli
  • August Tianyin Ning
  • Samuel Barry Osheroff
  • Virginia Grace Pan
  • Ryan Richard Piersma
  • Caroline Rose Potts
  • Sarah Elizabeth Putney
  • Wei (Vivian) Qi
  • Shicheng Rao
  • Matthew James Salvino
  • Julia May Saveliff
  • Jiwoo Song
  • Madelyn Louise Stoddard
  • Maria ter Weele
  • William Ming Tian
  • Katherine Carey Tighe
  • Carl Christpoh Dietrich Tribull
  • Kathleen VanderKam
  • Kathryn Anne White
  • Madeline Rose Wilkinson
  • Chris Jiayang Zhou
  • Sabrina Wei Qi
  • Benjamin Robert Wesorick
  • Zohair Nadeem Zia

Commissioned Officers in the Armed Forces

  • 2nd Lt. Ethan Eichelman, United States Army
  • Ensign Alyssa Rucker, United States Navy

Marking the Moment - Duke 2020

Join the celebration


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