Awards & Distinctions

Faculty Awards

Browse our awards & distinctions by faculty member:

Sibani Lisa Biswal, Ph.D.

• 2019, ELATES @ Drexel Fellow
• 2018, Southwest Texas Section AIChE Best Applied Paper Award
• 2017, Rice University Chemical Engineering Alumni Professional Progress Award
• 2015, Rice University George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching
• 2015, Energy R&D Summit Abu Dhabi International Research and Development Conference (ARDAC) Innovation Award
• 2014, Best Fundamental Paper - South Texas Section American Institute of Chemical Engineers (STS-AIChE)
• 2013, Best Applied Pater, South Texas Section American Institute of Chemical Engineers (STS-AIChE)
• 2012, Rice University Graduate Student Association (GSA), Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award
• 2010, Donald J. Nash Award AAA-SWARM Annual Meeting
• 2010, Institute of Bioscience and Bioengineering Medical Innovation Award

Walter G. Chapman, Ph.D.

• 2021, Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Adviser Award, Rice University, George R. Brown School of Engineering
• 2021, Honored for Development of SAFT at the ESAT/SAFT Conference, Paris, France
• 2021, Special Issue of J. Chemical & Eng. Data in celebration of 30 years of SAFT
• 2020, Best Fundamental Paper Award, South Texas Section, AIChE
• 2019, Named Permanent Guest Professor at Technical University of Hamburg
• 2019, Humboldt Prize
• 2016, Best Applied Paper Award, South Texas Section AIChE
• 2016, Best Fundamental Paper Award, South Texas Section, AIChE
• 2016, Invited Chapter in Advances in Chemical Physics, Vol. 160
• 2015, Recognition of Top 15 Most Cited Papers in the 100 Year History of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research

Ken Cox, Ph.D.

• 2016, Best Applied Paper Award, South Texas Section AIChE
• 2014, Distinguished Service Award

Xue (Sherry) Gao, Ph.D.

• 2022, The Outstanding Young Faculty Award at Rice University School of Engineering
• 2022, NSF CAREER Award
• 2020, NIH Maximizing Investigators' Research Award
• 2018, Welch Foundation Research Award
• 2018, IBB's Hamill Innovation Award
• 2017, InterDisciplinary Excellence Award

Amanda Marciel, Ph.D.

• 2021, South Texas Section - AIChE, Best Fundamental Paper
• 2020, Brasil@Rice Collaborative Travel Grant, Graduate Student Recruiting, $4593.
• 2019, Creative Ventures Conference Award, Texas Soft Matter, $5,000.
• 2016, National Institute of Health Institutional National Research Service Award
• 2015, American Physical Society1st Place Poster Prize
• 2014, Materials Research Society Best Poster Nominee

Aditya D. Mohite, Ph.D.

• 2022, DOE Hydrogen Program Research & Development Award
• 2022, Outstanding Faculty Research Award in the School of Engineering at Rice University
• 2019, Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher
• 2017, Resonate Resnick Award for Sustainability Research
• 2016, Distinguished Performance Award at LANL
• 2015, Performance Award for Outstanding Work on Perovskite-Based Materials

Matteo Pasquali, Ph.D.

• 2020, Rice Presidential Award for Mentoring
• 2019, DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) through its OPEN + Initiative Award
• Elected AAAS Fellow
• 2016, Hershel M. Rich Invention Award
• 2015, NASA Tech Brief Award
• 2014, Goradia Innovation Grand Prize
• 2014, Paul Schlack Honorary Price for Man-Made Fibers
• 2014, Rice University Undergraduate Convocation Speaker
• 2013, Best Applied Paper Award, AIChE South Texas Section
• 2011, NASA Tech Brief Award

Thomas Senftle, Ph.D.

• 2022, NSF CAREER Award
• 2022, Younger Chemist Award, American Chemical Society
• 2020, InterDisciplinary Excellence Award (IDEA)
• 2015, Kokes Award, 24th North American Meeting of the Catalysis Society
• 2015, AIChE Best Presentation

Rafael Verduzco, Ph.D.

• 2022, Elected Chair of MESD for AIChE
• 2019, Teaching + Research Excellence Award
• 2017, Hamill Innovation Award
• 2017, Best Fundamental Paper STS AIChE
• 2016, NSF CAREER Award
• 2015, Young Investigator Prize, ILCEC
• 2015, HENAAC Great Minds in STEM Award

Haotian Wang, Ph.D.

• 2022, 2022 Hershel M. Rich Invention Award
• 2021, 2021 Highly Cited Researchers
• 2021 Young Investigator Excellence Award, Canadian Light Source
• 2021, 2021 AIChE NSEF Young Investigator Award
• 2021, 2021 Sloan Research Fellow
• 2020, 2020 Highly Cited Researchers
• 2020, Materials Today Rising Star Award
• 2020, Packard Fellow
• 2020, Editorial Board, Communications Materials, Nature Publishing Group
• 2020, Advisory Board of Chem Catalysis, Cell Press
• 2020, Early Career Board Members of Transactions of Tianjin University, Springer
• 2020, Roy E. Campbel Faculty Award
• 2020, Rice School of Engineering Young Faculty Research Award
• 2020, STS AIChE Best Applied Paper
• 2019, STS AIChE Best Applied Paper (group)
• 2019, Roy E. Campbell Faculty Award
• 2019, Young Faculty Research Award
• 2019 Web of Science Highly Cited Researcher
• 2019, Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science
• 2016, Early Career Advisory Board of Nano Letters
• 2015, Fall 2015 MRS Graduate Student Award
• 2015, Rowland Fellow, Rowland Institute at Harvard University
• 2014, Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowship, Stanford

Michael Wong, Ph.D.

• 2021, Presidential Award for Mentoring,
• 2021, D & I Faculty/Staff Recognition Award, NEWT Center
• 2021, Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, Department of the Army
• 2020, American Chemical Society Greater Houston Section (ACS GHS) Partners for Progress and Prosperity (P3) Salute to Excellence
• 2020, Tina and Sunit Patel Professor in Molecular Nanotechnology Endowed Chair
• 2020, GHS ACS Salute to Excellence Award (Partners for Progress and Prosperity) with Shell Oil
• 2020, STS AIChE Best Fundamental Paper in 2019
• 2019, STS AIChE Best Fundamental Paper (group)
• 2019, Southwest Region ACS Award (the highest honor given by the regional affiliate)
• 2018, Joe W. Hightower Award, ACS - Greater Houston Section
• 2018, Fellow of the American Chemical Society
• 2018, Award for International Collaboration, Rice University
• 2016-18, TAMEST Conference Protege
• 2015, North American Catalysis Society / Southwest Catalysis Society Excellence in Applied Catalysis Award
• 2014, Brasil@Rice Faculty Travel Grant
• 2013-17, Guest Professorship, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Dalian, China
• 2013, AIChE South Texas Section Best Applied Paper in 2012 Award
• 2012, Guest Professorship, University of Houston, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• 2012, AIChE South Texas Section Best Fundamental Paper in 2011 Award
• 2011, AIChE South Texas Section Best Applied Paper in 2010 Award
• 2011, Graduate Student Association Faculty Teaching/Mentoring Award, Rice University
• 2011, Simmons Family Foundation Collaborative Research Grant Award

Undergraduate Student Awards

AIChE Freshman Recognition Award

This distinguished and well-deserved award is presented to one AIChE student member in each student chapter who has been the most active in their student chapter during his/her freshman year.

• 2020-2021, Savannah Tiemann
• 2018-2019, William Carsten
• 2017-2018, Samantha Breaux

AIChE Donald F. Othmer Sophomore Academic Excellence Award

This distinguished and well deserved award is presented to one AIChE student member in each student chapter who has attained the highest scholastic grade-point average during his/her freshman and sophomore years, on recommendation of the Student Chapter Advisor.

• 2021-2022, Bryant Ruff
• 2020-2021, Esha Ghai
• 2019-2020, Minjung Kim
• 2018-2019, Alexander Curylo
• 2017-2018, Brandon Johnson
• 2016-2017, Michael P. King
• 2014-2015, Kelly M. Kidder
• 2013-2014, Alexis M. Fenton

AIChE Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Award

• 2018-2019, Cecilia Villanueva Boone
• 2017-2018, Devanshi Wadhwa
• 2016-2017, Kevin Zhang
• 2011-2012, Alona Ivanivna Bozhchenko

William W. Akers Senior Design Award

This award was established to encourage students to reach for the high standards defined by Professor Akers and awarded to the winning team in the annual Akers competition.

• 2023, Nana Kwesi Konadu, Matan Alon Lieber Kotz, Kwame K. Ntim, Sophia Reilly, and Jermya Alise Wilson
• 2022, Davis R. Elder, Elizabeth F. Groenewold, Allen J. Lin, and Andres Mazas
• 2021, Morgan J. Alana, Christopher R. Botello, Lauren Chiang, and Patrick J. Eifert
• 2020, Jonathan Chapman, Devon DeBalsi, Janice Jean, Abby Lawrence, Francesca Shuffer, and Jackson Taylor
• 2019, James F. Batho, Hannah A. Campo, Tae Yoon Kim, John R. Komoll, Ashish Kulkarni, and Gilliam R. Mellor
• 2018, Jacob A. Behling, Jocelin Chen, Luis M. Gozalo, Monique E. Hartemink, Ernest L. Pelton, Ashkan T. Rohani, and He Zhao
• 2017, Natalya Johnson, Kelly Kidder, Michael Nelms, Alexander Metcalk, Daniel Plants, and Yue Shao
• 2016, Gabriella A. Buba, Amanda M. Cortinas, Kyle Giubbini, James P. Griffith, Robert F. Johnson, Radina Khalid, and Jared B. Shull
• 2015, Taylor Nicole Boelkes, Carolyn Marie Cooper, Ryan Louis DuBois, Paige Marie Horton, and Xinran Liu
• 2014, Pavel Chaguine, Wyatt A. Doop, Devon L. Rule, Eric M. Talbert, Taryn T. Willett, and Mengqi Yu

Distinction in Research and Creative Work

• 2020, Zhuoyuan Xu
• 2019, Kevin S. Zhang
• 2018, Jacob A. Behling and Joshiah D. Yarbrough

Engineering Design Showcase

The School of Engineering annual competition for the senior design projects to showcase and represent students' success.

• 2023, Best Energy Related Engineering Design, Esha Ghai, Alia Nathani, Zainab Niaz, Stephanie Pecaut, and Lauryn Walker
• 2023, Best Conceptual or Computational Modeling Engineering Design, Tona Akerele, Kristina Montez, Zoe Qian, Jeffrey Vanegas, and Benjamin Walls
• 2019, People's Choice Award, Nigel S. Edward, Tarun Garg, Richard A. Goldman, Hugh D. Grier, Sarvajina Harohalli, Brianna M. Hernandez, and Xi Rui Wang
• 2019, Best Energy Related Engineering Design Award, Yu T. Chen, Horatia S. Fang, Richard B. Garza, Ian M. McCarthy, Thomas A. Ristevski, and Kevin S. Zhang
• 2019, Excellence in Capstone Engineering Design, Yu T. Chen, Horatia S. Fang, Richard B. Garza, Ian M. McCarthy, Thomas A. Ristevski, and Kevin S. Zhang
• 2018, Best Energy-Related Engineering Design, Jacob A. Behling, Jocelin Chen, Luis M. Gozalo, Monique E. Hartemink, Ernest L. Pelton, Ashkan T. Rohani, and He Zhao

Michael and Donna Kidwell Gibson Award for Leadership

Awarded to a graduating senior in honor of their academic and leadership achievements

• 2023, Zoe Qian
• 2022, William T. Carston
• 2021, Katelyn D. Givan
• 2020, Joshua S. Bochner
• 2019, Devanshi Wadhwa
• 2018, Monique E. Hartemink
• 2017, Alex Metcalf

Ann and Joe Hightower Superior Award

• 2023, Savannah J. Tiemann
• 2022, Minjung Kim
• 2021, Alex Curylo and Jonathan Bloom
• 2020, Brandon M. Johnson
• 2019, Horatia S. Fang
• 2018, Jacob A. Behling
• 2017, Chen "Emily" Song
• 2016, Shaoyu Zhu
• 2015, Ryan C. Roberts
• 2014, Madeline M. Kelterborn

National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship

• 2023, Benjamin Walls, Matan Leiberkotz, and Zoe Qian
• 2022, Leslie Arrazolo and Minjung Kim
• 2019, Jacob C. Saldinger

Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL) Robert H. Parks Prize for Excellence in Engineering Leadership

• 2023, Joseph Urso
• 2022, Juan De La Garza
• 2021, Katelyn Givan
• 2019, Kevin S. Zhang
• 2018, Jacob Behling
• 2017, Kelly Kidder
• 2016, Teju Kishore

Rice Engineering Alumni Association Distinguished Research Excellence Award

• 2023, Savannah Tiemann
• 2019, Kevin S. Zhang

Rice Engineering Alumni Association Leadership Excellence Award

• 2019, Gabriella M. Lencioni
• 2018, Margaret H. Roddy

Rice Engineering Alumni Association Senior Merit Award

• 2020, Brandon M. Johnson
• 2019, Horatia Fang
• 2018, Jacob A. Behling
• 2017, Peter Szemraj
• 2016, Seth P. Padmabandu

Texas Society of Professional Engineers Outstanding Senior Engineering Students

• 2023, Savannah Tiemann
• 2022, Minjung Kim
• 2021, Jonathan Bloom
• 2020, Brandon Johnson
• 2019, Brianna Nicolette Garcia
• 2018, Gregory S. Campo
• 2016, Tejaswini Kishore

Graduate Student Awards

ACS Langmuir Grad Student Poster Presentation Award

• 2016, Steve Kuei

AIChE South Texas Section (STS) Best Applied Paper

• 2020, Jordan Shivers
• 2015, Wael A. Fouad, Matt Yarrison, Kyoo Y. Song

AIChE STS Best Fundamental Paper

• 2020, Arjun Valiya Parambathu
• 2015, Wael A. Fouad, Le Wang, Amin Haghmoradi

Ralph Budd PhD Thesis Award

• 2022, Jordan L. Shivers
• 2021, Chelsea Clark
• 2016, Francesca Mirri

Ken Kennedy Institute Graduate Fellowship

• 2021-2022, Thiago Jose Pinheiro dos Santos / Sponsor Energy HPC
• 2020-2021, Ivan Rosa de Siqueira / Sponsor SLB
• 2018-2019, Manan Bhati and Jordan Shivers / Sponsor Energy HPC
• 2017-2018, Narmadha Rajun Babu / Sponsor Exxon Mobile

Riki Kobayashi Award

This fellowship honors Riki Kobayashi, a longtime faculty member and former chair, who has been internationally recognized for his research on developing novel techniques for measuring thermodynamic and transport properties.

• 2023-2024, Edgar Ruiz
• 2022-2023, Thiago Jose Pinheiro dos Santos
• 2021-2022, Feng-Yang Chen
• 2020-2021, Peng Zhu and Lucas Hildebrand Pires da Punha
• 2019-2020, Manav Bhati
• 2018-2019, Jordan Shivers
• 2017-2018, Oliver Scott Dewey and Chelsea Alexis Clark
• 2016-2017, Santiago Martinez Legaspi
• 2015-2016, Steve Kuei
• 2014-2015, Abhinav Achreja
• 2013-2014, Li Chen
• 2012-2013, Lifeng Yang
• 2012-2013, Wenting Zhao
• 2011-2012, Xianyu Li
• 2010-2011, Jinghui Wang
• 2009-2010, Fan Wang
• 2008-2009, Dichuan Li
• 2007-2008, Shyam Kadali
• 2006-2007, Michail Stamatakis
• 2006-2007, Amir Amini
• 2005-2006, Guarav Bhatnagar

Lodieska Stockbridge Vaughn Fellowship

• 2020-21, Jordan Shivers

National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship

• 2022, Jessica Persaud and Devon Kulhanek
• 2020, Wenbin Li (MSNE)
• 2018, Weitong Chen and Quan Nguyen
• 2014, Elaa Hilou
• 2012, Stacy L. Prukop

Sunit Patel '85 Endowed Fellowship Award

• 2024, Dongjoo Lee
• 2022, Aldo Spatafora and Qichen Yuan
• 2021, Chris Conrad
• 2020, Jordan Shivers
• 2019, Jin Song

Smalley-Curl Institute's Annual Transdisciplinary Symposium Award

• 2019, Roy (Hao) Mei
• 2018, Priscilla Dias da Silva, Yiyuan Yin
• 2016, Shaghayegh Agah, Vida Jamali

Staff Awards

Rice University Shell Center for Sustainability Fellowship Award Winner

• 2016, Yi Chen, Postdoctoral Research Associate, "Dynamic Modeling of the Nitrogen Cycle of Biochar-amended Soils and Economic Assessment of Biochar Benefits"