The College of Engineering conferred 402 academic degrees on May 17 and celebrates a host of awards received by faculty and students this spring.
Engineering Acting Dean Indira Chatterjee handed out 338 bachelor’s degrees, 44 master’s degrees and 20 doctoral degrees at the commencement ceremony on the University of Nevada, Reno campus.
The college also honors its many outstanding students and faculty.
Anna Urias, a double major in biomedical and electrical engineering with a minor in math, has received the Herz Gold Medal, the University’s most prestigious academic honor. The Herz medal is awarded to graduating seniors with the highest University grade-point average with the most letter-graded credits (beyond 120) that have been earned at the University.
Lloyd Gonzales is the College Scholar Awardee and Haley Marquez is the College Service Awardee. Gonzales also is recognized by the University and the Nevada Alumni Association as the College’s Senior Scholar.
Sara Moon is the Senior Scholar Awardee for Chemical & Materials Science Engineering (CME) and Jade Beland is the CME Senior Service Awardee.
Nathan Hart is the Senior Scholar Awardee for Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Karlie Del Santo is the CEE Senior Service Awardee.
Kirin Hardinger is the Senior Scholar Awardee for Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) and Amber Hankins is the CSE Senior Service Awardee. Hardinger also is the Senior Scholar Awardee for the Honors College.
Urias — the Herz medal recipient — also is the Senior Scholar Awardee for Electrical & Biomedical Engineering (EBME) and Andy Tan is the EBME Senior Service Awardee.
Robert Anderson Gillespy is the Senior Scholar Awardee for Mechanical Engineering (ME) and Kaitlin Sachiko Leong is the ME Senior Service Awardee.
Additionally, ME doctoral graduate Alessandro Ralls received the Sam Leiberman Regents’ Award for Student Scholarship (Graduate) granted by the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE).
Outstanding faculty
Several Engineering faculty were recognized this spring for outstanding teaching and research.
Ann-Marie Vollstedt received NSHE’s Nevada Regents’ Teaching Award (Non-Tenured).
Professor Keri Ryan earned the Nevada Regents’ Academic Advisor Award (Graduate) as well as the University Academic Advisor Award (Graduate).
Assistant Professor Hamed Ebrahimian won the Nevada Regents’ Rising Researcher Award (one of three at the University.)
Professor and CEE Chair Krishna Pagilla has received the University Foundation’s Outstanding Researcher, STEM Award.
Associate Professor Alireza Tavakkoli earned the University Foundation’s Early Career Innovator Award.
Kelly Keselica won the F. Donald Tibbetts Distinguished Teacher Award granted by the University’s Office of the Provost.
Devrin Lee received the Exceptional Letter of Appointment Instructional Faculty Award granted by the Provost’s Office.
Engineering’s newest emeriti faculty are Chemical & Materials Engineering Associate Professor Jeffrey LaCombe; Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) Foundation Professor Ian Buckle; and CEE Professor Raj Siddharthan.
