University of Minnesota Department of Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce that undergraduate student Henry Kopp has been awarded a 2026-27 Astronaut Scholarship.

Astronaut Scholarship Foundation is an initiative of the Mercury 7 astronauts that provides up to $15,000 in tuition support, mentorship, and professional development opportunities to the best and brightest STEM students. Kopp is one of three University of Minnesota students to receive the scholarship this year.

Read more: z.umn.edu/bddm

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce that graduate student Tasnim Akbar Faruquee on receiving the President's Student Leadership & Service Award (PSLSA)!

The award recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of outstanding student leaders at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities for their exceptional leadership and service to the University and the surrounding community.

Tasnim embodied this through his simultaneous leadership as President of the ME Graduate Council, President of the Graduate Muslim Student Association, and Director of Internal Relations for the Council of Graduate Students.

Read more: z.umn.edu/bd6y

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce that graduate student Pin-Hao C. has received the Optica Foundation Student Paper Award at the Optica Biophotonics Congress.

His research, Robotic-2p, is a first-of-its-kind robotically actuated microscope that enables cellular-level brain imaging in freely locomoting mice — bridging robotics, optics, and neuroscience.

Read more: https://z.umn.edu/bcuv

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The Department of Mechanical Engineering is proud to announce that Professor Matt Anderson has been selected as this year’s Nugent Family Faculty Teaching Award recipient. The award recognizes faculty members who demonstrate an exceptional interest in and commitment to teaching undergraduate students.

Read more here: https://z.umn.edu/bch6

Congratulations to Lakshya Gangwar for receiving the 2026 Pui Best Dissertation Award! 🌟

Advised by Professor John Bischof, Lakshya’s dissertation tackled one of the hardest problems in cryobiology: scaling vitrification and nanowarming to human-organ volumes. His work demonstrated the largest organ vitrification reported to date — a porcine liver approximately the size of a human organ — along with the largest physical systems vitrified (3 liters) and nanowarmed (2 liters).

These breakthroughs help lay the foundation for future organ banking and transplantation, and reflect the University of Minnesota Mechanical Engineering department’s exemplary heat transfer legacy applied to complex biological systems. ❄️🔬

Read more here: z.umn.edu/bc6o

ongratulations to Mechanical Engineering PhD student Ryne Juidici, recipient of the John Bowers Excellence in Teaching Assistance Award! 🎓👏 Ryne is one of only two TAs selected this past year out of approximately 900 across the College of Science and Engineering.

In addition to core duties for ME 5113 - Aerosol/Particle Engineering, Ryne supported the course’s global implementation by coordinating with an international partner university. "Ryne consistently exceeds expectations in all assigned duties," noted course instructor and advisor Professor David Pui. "He is frequently praised by students for his detailed feedback and clear communication."

Read more about Ryne's journey and teaching philosophy: z.umn.edu/bbsz

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The ME Spring 2026 newsletter is now online.

It’s more than just updates; it’s a celebration of the incredible students and faculty who bring our halls to life every day. We’re so excited to share their hard work and dedication with you.

Read it here: z.umn.edu/MESpring2026

College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota

We are pleased to share that Professor Will Durfee is the recipient of the 2026 ASME Ruth and Joel Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award.

Presented by the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers), this award recognizes educators who have made a lasting impact on the field of engineering design education. Professor Durfee is being honored for his dedication to design pedagogy and his work with students here at the University of Minnesota.

Read more about the award and his contributions here: https://z.umn.edu/baub

Congratulations to Assistant Professor Marien Simeni on being selected as a 2026 National Academy of Sciences Frontiers of Science Fellow! ⚙️📷 Pushing the frontiers of engineering and innovation.

Read more: http://z.umn.edu/b926

Congratulations to Professor Jiarong Hong on his 2026 Distinguished McKnight University Professorship, an award given to outstanding professors who have made a significant impact on the University.

Learn more: https://z.umn.edu/b8gh