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Chemical engineering recognizes 21

The Chemical Engineering Department's annual Awards Ceremony was held on Monday, May 13, in Gilliland Auditorium with Professor Charles L. Cooney, acting department head, presiding. The following awards were presented:

In conjunction with the Student Financial Aid Office, Amoco Foundation Undergraduate Scholarships were acknowledged for Brian J. Banaszak, a junior from New Carlisle, OH, Robert J. Meagher, a junior from Sterling Heights, MI, and Brian J. McDonald, a junior from Fort Myers, FL. Also acknowledged were NSF Scholars Gerardo Corona, a junior from Summit, IL, Shelly-Ann N. Davidson, a junior from North Miami Beach, FL, and Kimberly L. Miller, a junior from Guaynabo, PR.

The Dow Chemical Company Outstanding Junior Award recipient was Ritesh A. Shah, a junior from Burr Ridge, IL, for his balanced record of achievement in academics and campus professional and social organizations, as well as work experience.

The American Institute of Chemists Foundation honored Jessica R. Oleson, a senior from Auburn, MA, for her potential advancement in the chemical professions, based on her demonstrated record of leadership ability, character and scholastic achievement.

The Robert T. Haslam Cup was awarded to Katherine M. Notter, a senior from Wenatchee, WA, for outstanding professional promise in chemical engineering.

The Roger de Friez Hunneman Prize, the oldest prize in the department (begun in 1927), was awarded to Ashish R. Patel, a senior from Burlington, MA, in recognition of outstanding scholarship and research.

The Edward W. Merrill Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award was presented to Radha Nayak, a graduate student from Bangalore, India, for excellence in teaching in an undergraduate subject. A second place award went to Patrick M. Piccione, a graduate student from Sweden.

Chemical Engineering Department Special Service Awards were given to Rajesh Venkataramani, a graduate student from Upper St. Clair, PA; Chase E. Orsello, a graduate student from North Saint Paul, MN, and Bryan J. Sanderson, a senior from Charlton, NY, for unselfish contributions to the success of departmental activities.

The Chemical Engineering "ROCK" Award for outstanding athletics, as voted by the graduate students of the department, went to Glen R. Bolton, a graduate student from Twentynine Palms, CA.

The Outstanding Employee Award was presented to Maria Nargi, a senior office assistant in the Chemical Engineering Fiscal Office, for exceptional service to the department and its students.

The Outstanding Faculty Award from the graduate students, was presented to Professor William M. Deen. Undergraduate students in the department presented an Outstanding Faculty Award to Professor C. Michael Mohr.

Individual Accomplishment Citations were presented to Chemical Engineering facilities manager Stephen K. Wetzel, and graduate student Lloyd P.M. Johnston, for outstanding contributions to departmental life. They were the first-ever recipients of this special award, and each received a personalized citation signed by the department head.

A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 5, 1996.

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