Eleven Ph.D. students at Missouri S&T received dean’s honors from the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) during a campus ceremony held in late April.

Seven students received the Dean’s Ph.D. Scholar Award, which recognizes scholarly contributions among the most productive Ph.D. students. Three students received the Dean’s Graduate Educator Award, which recognizes excellence in teaching by graduate students.  

“Missouri S&T is home to some of the nation’s best Ph.D. students, and the students receiving these awards are among the best of the best,” says Dr. Francisca Oboh-Ikuenobe, CEC’s associate dean for academic affairs. “These students have demonstrated excellence in their fields, either through their scholarship or skills in the classroom, and they should be commended, as well as their advisors.” 
 
Award winners were selected after a two-tier process. First, each of the nine CEC departments selected up to three nominees. Then, a committee selected the winners.  
 
This year’s award winners, departments and nominators are as follows: 
 
Dean’s Ph.D. Scholar Award 

• Rachel Bauer, mining and explosives engineering, nominated by Dr. Catherine Johnson, a Robert H. Quenon Associate Professor of mining and explosives engineering.  
• Tamima Elbashbishy, civil, architectural, and environmental engineering, nominated by Dr. Islam El-adaway, Hurst-McCarthy Professor of Construction Engineering and Management and CEC’s associate dean for academic partnerships. 
• Mohamed Elmahallawy, computer science, nominated by Dr. Tony (Tie) Luo, associate professor of computer science. 
• Ahmed Jasim, chemical and biochemical engineering, nominated by Dr. Muthanna Al-Dahhan, Curators’ Distinguished Professor of chemical and biochemical engineering and the Wayne and Gayle Laufer Endowed Chair in Energy. 
• Tao Liu, mechanical and aerospace engineering, nominated by Dr. Ming Leu, Keith and Pat Bailey Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering. 
• Pengfei Ma, civil, architectural and environmental engineering, nominated by Dr. Genda Chen, Robert W. Abbett Distinguished Chair in Civil Engineering. 
• Oluwafemi Salami, mining and explosives engineering, nominated by Dr. Guang Xu, associate professor of mining and explosives engineering. 

Dean’s Graduate Educator Award 

• Maxwell Geiger, electrical and computer engineering, nominated by Dr. Theresa Swift, teaching professor of electrical and computer engineering. 
• Ogbole Collins Inalegwu, electrical and computer engineering, nominated by Dr. Jie Huang, Roy A. Wilkens Endowed Associate Professor of electrical engineering. 
• Jeremiah Rittenhouse, mechanical and aerospace engineering, nominated by Dr. Daniel Stutts, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. 
• Xiangkai Zeng, mechanical and aerospace engineering, nominated by Dr. Phillip Mulligan, assistant teaching professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Selection committee members included Drs. Doug Bristow, professor of mechanical engineering; Kelly Liu, professor of geophysics; Hongyan Ma, Benavides Scholar and associate professor of civil engineering; and R. Joe Stanley, professor of electrical and computer engineering. 

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.