CEE Awards - cee.mit.edu

The CEE Awards are given to distinguished members of the CEE community – students, postdocs, faculty, and staff – who have contributed significantly to our mission and vision, as we build a department that fosters excellence, cutting edge research and education, and where diversity and new ideas are embraced. As we work together to build an environment committed to excellence, and cultivate our strengths while seeking new, innovative opportunities, the recognition of dedicated leaders in our community is a critical element to our success.

Undergraduate Student Awards

CEE Leadership and Community Award

This award recognizes an undergraduate student who has made exemplary contributions to improve the CEE community, fostered excellence, diversity, and contributed to our culture of inclusiveness. Please include the rationale in your nomination, including examples that demonstrate your nominee’s contributions, including and beyond examples of fostering a culture of inclusion, equity and diversity. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipient: Grace Harrington
2023 recipient: Vivian Cheng
2022 recipient: Anna Lander
2021 (no award given)
2020 recipient: Emily Condon
2019 recipient: Zoe Lallas
2018 recipient: Amber VanHemel and Meghan Reisenauer
2017 recipient: Jillian Dressler

CEE Best Undergraduate Research Award

This award honors excellence in research of a CEE undergraduate student, in any area of research. The research may have been carried out in the context of a UROP, internship, or coursework such as the Capstone or TREX. In your nomination package, provide a brief description of the nominee’s scholarly contributions, intellectual merit and impact, as well as potential for future contributions. Describe any other considerations you wish to include, and/or include additional letters of support. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipient: Lucila Carlos, Yujie Chen, Jade Personna, and Estefano Reyes Madriz
2023 recipient: Simone Lassar
2022 recipient: Rovi Porter
2021 recipient: Jarek Kwiecinski
2019 recipient: Chelsea Watanabe
2018 recipient: Rayna Higuchi
2017 recipients: Elaine Cunha and Tess Hegarty

Juan Hermosilla (1957) Prize

This prize will recognize a student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering who exemplifies exceptional talent and potential for future contributions at the intersection of mechanics, materials, structures, and design. Please include a rationale for the student you nominate, and other pertinent information such as a resume and letters of support (optional). The award consists of a certificate and cash prize. The preference for this award is to be given to an undergraduate student.

2024 recipient: Christine Tang
2023 recipient: Karissa Wenger
2022 recipient: Grace Harrington
2021 recipient: Luke Bastian
2020 recipient: Athikom Wanichkul
2019 recipient: Tim Roberts
2018 recipient: Stephanie Chin
2017 recipient: George Varnavides

The Leo (Class of 1924) and Mary Grossman Award

In honor of alumnus, Leo Grossman, who had a professional career in highway design and planning. The Grossman Award is given to an undergraduate student with a strong interest in transportation and a strong academic record. Please include the rationale in your nomination. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2023 recipient: Richard Chen
2023 recipient: Karen Li
2022 recipient: Natalie Northrup
2021 recipient: Aron Brenner
2020 recipient: Amy Vogel
2019 recipient: Christine Langston
2018 recipient: David Wu
2017 recipient: Mark Mockett

The Paul L. Busch (1958) Prize

Awarded to an undergraduate student in Environmental Science and Engineering for academic achievement and contributions to the CEE community. The award consists of certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipient: Runako Gentles
2023 recipient: Catherine (Cat) Lu
2022 recipient: Dylan Brooks
2021 recipient: Selma Sharaf
2020 recipient: Jarek Kwiecinski
2019 recipient: Amber Van Hemel
2018 recipient: Mikayla Murphy
2017 recipient: Rebecca Sugrue

Undergraduate or Graduate Student Award

The Tucker-Voss Award

The Tucker-Voss Award

This award was established in memory of Professor Ross F. Tucker and Professor Walter C. Voss, who were the first two heads of the Department of Building Construction, Course 17. In the 1950’s, Course 17 merged with the Department of Civil Engineering, and the first Tucker-Voss Award was presented. This award is given annually to a student who shows particular promise in the field of building construction. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 (no award given)
2023 recipient: Maggie Smith
2022 recipient: Alexandra Steelman
2021 (no award given)
2020 recipient: Alexandra Kawar
2019 recipient: Andrew Novillo
2018 recipient: Jackson-Lee Jewett
2017 recipient: Bryan Lilley

Graduate Student Awards

CEE Best Doctoral Thesis

The Best Doctoral Thesis award honors scholarly and academic excellence and a high level of distinction of a CEE graduate student, in any area of research. The nominee should have graduated or is anticipated to graduate with a doctoral degree within the current academic year (2015-16).

In your nomination package, provide a brief description of the nominee’s scholarly contributions, intellectual merit and impact, as well as potential for future contributions. Include the title and abstract of the student’s thesis, the date of defense, and the name of the faculty advisor(s). Describe any other considerations you wish to include, and/or include additional letters of support. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipient: Xiaoyu Shan
2023 recipient: Yunteng Cao
2022 recipient: Bauyrzhan Primkulov
2021 recipient: Isabelle Su
2020 recipient: Sam Slilva
2019 recipient: Simone Cenci
2018 recipient: Alison Hoyt
2017 recipient: Anna Tarakanova

The Trond Kaalstad (Class of 1957) Fellowship

This award recognizes an outstanding graduate student who has displayed leadership in education, research, diversity/inclusion and/or contributed significantly to the well-being of the CEE community. Include a brief rationale for the student you nominate, and other pertinent information such as a resume. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipient: Omar Tantawi
2023 recipients: Autumn Deitrick & James Brice
2022 recipients: Nicolette Bugher & Kristen Reidinger
2021 recipient: Annika Gomez
2020 recipient: Linda Seymour
2019 recipient: Hayley Gadol
2018 recipient: Sidhant Pai
2017 recipient: Qingjun (Judy) Yang

Maseeh Annual Award for Excellence as a Teaching Assistant

This award recognizes the most outstanding graduate teaching assistant in the past academic year. In your nomination package, include the subject taught, semester taught, and provide a brief description of the qualities of your nominee that led you to your choice. Include your name and year (if applicable). The award includes a certificate and cash prize. The Maseeh teaching awards are made possible by Fariborz Maseeh.

2024 recipient: Jackson Jewett
2023 recipient: Tian Zhao
2022 recipient: Arron Brenner
2021 recipient: Linda Seymour
2020 recipient: Yifei Xie and Youssef Medhat
2019 recipient: Hejian (Patrick) Zhu
2018 recipient: Adam Bockelie
2017 recipient: Xiaojing (Ruby) Fu

Postdoctoral Scholar Awards

CEE Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring, Teaching and Excellence Award

This award recognizes mentoring, teaching, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and other exceptional contributions by a Postdoctoral Associate or Postdoctoral Fellow, emphasizing high potential for future contributions. In your nomination package, include a cover letter that outlines the case, a curriculum vitae, and any supporting materials such as additional testimonials (optional). The nomination package should include a letter to explain the nature of the case for the nominee, highlight his/her contributions, and argue for his/her merit and significance. This award is intended primarily for exceptional contributions to mentoring and teaching, broadly defined, but there is flexibility to recognize other aspects. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipient: Dr. Hannah Kenagy
2023 recipient: Meghan Blumstein
2022 recipient: Qing Ye
2021 recipient: Matti Gralka
2020 recipient: Boya Xiong
2019 recipient: Ehsan Haghighat
2018 recipient: Katie Travis
2017 recipient: Stefan Thiele

Faculty Awards

Maseeh Excellence in Teaching Award

This award recognizes the most outstanding faculty instructor in the past academic year. In your nomination package, include the subject taught, semester taught, and provide a brief description of the qualities of your nominee that led you to your choice. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize. The Maseeh teaching awards are made possible by Fariborz Maseeh.

2024 recipient: Prof. Michael Howland
2023 recipient: Prof. Tal Cohen
2022 recipient: Prof. Dave Des Marais
2021 recipient: Prof. Josephine Carstensen
2019 recipient: Prof. Admir Masic
2018 recipient: Professor Heidi Nepf
2017 recipient: Professor Pedro Reis

Distinguished Service and Leadership Award

This award recognizes outstanding departmental service and leadership contributions of a member of the CEE faculty, to acknowledge colleagues who foster a culture of diversity, inclusiveness, and innovation, to further the department mission and vision and MIT as a whole. In your nomination package, include a brief description of the qualities of your nominee that led you to your choice. The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 (no award given)
2023 recipient: Prof. Saurabh Amin
2022 recipient: Prof. Colette. Heald
2021 recipient: Prof. Markus Buehler
2020 recipient: Prof. Jesse Kroll
2018 recipient: Professor Oral Buyukozturk
2017 recipient: Professor Joseph Sussman
2016 recipient: Professor Elfatih Eltahir

Samuel M. Seegal Prize (SoE)

This prize alternates between CEE and the Sloan School of Management for inspiring students to pursue and achieve excellence.

2024 (no award given)
2023 recipient: Prof. Heidi Nepf
2022 recipient: Prof. Saurabh Amin
2019 recipient: Professor Harry Hemond
2017 recipient: Professor John Ochsendorf
2015 recipient: Professor Jerome Connor

Ole Madsen Mentoring Award (New for 2016-2017)

This award honors faculty members in recognition of conspicuous contributions to mentoring and educating CEE students outside the classroom, and to inspire them to pursue a career in the field of civil and environmental engineering. The nomination package should include a letter to explain the nature of the case for the nominee, highlight his/her contributions, and argue for merit and significance. The award consists of a certificate and a cash prize. The award is made possible with gifts from alumni/ae and friends, in honor of Professor Ole Madsen.

2024 recipient: Prof. Josephine Carstensen
2023 recipient: Prof. Dave Des Marais
2022 recipient: Prof. Benedetto Marelli
2021 (no award given)
2020 recipient: Prof. Saurabh Amin
2019 recipient: Professor Lydia Bourouiba
2018 recipient: Professor Herbert Einstein
2017 recipient: Professor Jesse Kroll

Staff Awards

CEE Excellence Award

This award recognizes a member of the CEE staff for excellent contributions to our community, commitment to professionalism, dedication and best practices, as well as fostering a culture of diversity, inclusiveness, and innovation. This award is anticipated to acknowledge the work of support, administrative and service staff (not intended to recognize research or teaching). The award consists of a certificate and cash prize.

2024 recipients: Jennifer Amaya & Sydney Herzig-Deribin
2023 recipients: Jay Matthews & Daria Levear
2022 recipients: Alison Coe & Lili Zhu
2021 recipients: Kathleen Briana & Bori Stoyanova
2020 recipients: Marygrace Aboudou and Eileen Covey
2019 recipients: Sarah Smith and John MacFarlane
2018 recipients: Donna Hudson and Roberta Pizzinato
2017 recipients: Allison Dougherty and Jackie Foster