Awards & Honors

Honors and Awards

Ritesh Agarwal

Ritesh Agarwal, Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has been elected a fellow of the Optical Society. The Optical Society cited Agarwal for “pioneering contributions to advancing complex light-matter interactions in low-dimensional semiconductors, phase-change and topological materials for applications in integrated photonics.”

Firooz Aflatouni

Firooz Aflatouni, Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, in collaboration with Farshid Ashtiani, a postdoctoral scholar in Aflatouni’s research group was awarded the 2020 Bell Labs Prize by the Nokia Bell Labs for their proposal “Integrated Photonic-mmWave Deep Networks.” The Nokia Bell Labs Prize is a competition for innovators that seeks to recognize innovations that solve the key challenges facing humanity, and provides selected innovators the unique opportunity to collaborate with Nokia Bell Labs researchers to help realize their vision..

Robert Carpick

Robert Carpick, John Henry Towne Professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, has received the Nanotechnology Recognition Award from the Nanoscale Science and Technology Division (NSTD) of AVS, an interdisciplinary professional society centered on the fields of materials, interfaces, and processing. The Nanotechnology Recognition Award “recognizes members of NSTD for outstanding scientific and technical contributions in the science of fabrication, characterization, and fundamental research employing nanometer-scale structures, scanning probe microscopy, technology transfer involving nanometer-scale structures, and/ or the promotion and dissemination of knowledge and development in these areas.”

Eric Detsi

Eric Detsi, Stephenson Term Assistant Professor in Materials Science, has been awarded the S. Reid Warren, Jr., Award, which is presented annually by the undergraduate student body the and Engineering Alumni Society in recognition of outstanding service in stimulating and guiding the intellectual and professional development of undergraduate students.

Nader Engheta

Nader Engheta, H. Nedwill Ramsey Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering, Bioengineering and Materials Science and Engineering, has been awarded the 2020 Isaac Newton Medal and Prize by tAe Institute of Physics (IOP). The award was given in recognition of Engheta’s groundbreaking innovation and transformative contributions to electromagnetic complex materials and nanoscale optics, and for pioneering development of the fields of near-zeroindex metamaterials, and material-inspired analogue computation and optical nanocircuitry.

Zahra Fakhraai

Zahra Fakhraai, Associate Professor of Chemistry, in the School of Arts and Sciences, is awarded the Dean’s Award for mentorship of undergraduate research for 2021. This award recognizes faculty excellence in the extensive process of mentoring graduate students to prepare them for productive careers.

Deep Jariwala

Deep Jariwala, Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, has been named a winner of their Frontiers of Materials Award by The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS). The TMS Frontiers of Materials Award is given to a top-performing early career professional capable of organizing a Frontiers of Materials Event comprising a hot or emergent technical topic at the TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition.

Vijay Kumar

Vijay Kumar has been reappointed as the Nemirovsky Family Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Pennsylvania. His term will run through June 30, 2027.

Under Kumar’s leadership during the previous six years, the School’s strategic plan, Penn Engineering 2020, has catalyzed growth across all of the School’s dimensions, especially in engineering health, data science and computation, and energy science and technology.

David F. Meaney

David F. Meaney, the Solomon R. Pollack Professor in Bioengineering and Senior Associate Dean of Penn Engineering is a recipient of the 2021 Lindback Award. The award is the most prestigious teaching awards that full-time faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania can receive. His research areas span from traumatic brain injury to brain network theory.

Marc Miskin

Marc Miskin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, has been awarded a 2021 Sloan Research Fellowship. The fellowship recognizes early-career scholars in the United States and Canada. Miskin’s research involves the design and control of microscopic robots. Adapting techniques used in the manufacture of computer chips, he and his colleagues are able to make tens of thousands of these robots at a time on a standard silicon wafer.

James Pikul

James Pikul, Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, has been awarded a 2020 Moore Inventor Fellowship. This fellowship supports scientist-inventors who create new tools and technologies with a high potential to accelerate progress in the foundation’s areas of interest: scientific discovery, environmental conservation and patient care.

Kathleen Stebe

Kathleen Stebe, Richer & Elizabeth Goodwin Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering for her contributions to understanding of nonequilibrium processes at soft matter interfaces and its impact on new technologies. The Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to “engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature” and to “the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”

Kevin Turner

Kevin Turner, the Department Chair of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, and a Professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department, is a recipient of the 2021 Lindback Award. The award is the most prestigious teaching awards that full-time faculty members at the University of Pennsylvania can receive. His research group’s interests include small-scale systems and interfaces, with most of their work centering around surface and interface mechanics in micro- and nano-scale systems.

Karen I. Winey

Karen I. Winey, TowerBrook Foundation Faculty Fellow, and Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has received the 2020 Herman F. Mark Senior Scholar Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) to recognize excellence in basic or applied research and leadership in polymer science by scientists of all ages.

Karen I. Winey has received the 2020 Braskem Award for Excellence in Materials Science & Engineering from The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). This award was given in recognition of her contributions to the understanding of and advancement of polymer nanocomposites and ion-containing polymers.

In the News

Vijay Kumar reappointed Dean of Penn’s School of Engineering And Applied Science https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/vijaykumar-reappointed-dean-penns-schoolengineering-and-applied-science

With a ‘liquid assembly line,’ Penn researchers produce mrna-delivering nanoparticles a hundred times faster than standard microfluidic technologies https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/ with-a-liquid-assembly-line-pennresearchers-produce-mrna-deliveringnanoparticles-a-hundred-times-fasterthan-standard-microfluidic-technologies/

Penn Engineering’s latest ‘organ-on-a-chip’ is a new way to study cancer-related muscle wasting https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/penn-engineerings-latest-organ-ona-chip-is-a-new-way-to-study-cancerrelated-muscle-wasting/

Growing ‘metallic wood’ to new heights https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ growing-metallic-wood-new-heights

Paving the way for ‘next-generation’ lithium-ion batteries https://penntoday. upenn.edu/news/paving-way-nextgeneration-lithium-ion-batteries

Vijay Kumar among six Penn Faculty elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/vijay-kumaramong-six-penn-faculty-elected-toamerican-academy-of-arts-sciences/ Engineers pave way for chip components that could serve as both ram and rom https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ engineers-pave-way-chip-componentscould-serve-both-ram-and-rom

A blueprint for designing and synthesizing new, multifunctional materials https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ blueprint-designing-and-synthesizing-newmultifunctional-materials

Penn Engineers’ supersymmetry-inspired microlaser arrays pave way for powering chip-sized optical systems https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/pennengineers-supersymmetry-inspiredmicrolaser-arrays-pave-way-for-poweringchip-sized-optical-systems/

Bioengineering’s organ-on-a-chip spin-off is growing https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/ bioengineerings-organ-on-a-chip-spin-offis-growing/

Two Penn Engineers receive 2021 Lindback Awards https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/twopenn-engineers-receive-2021-lindbackawards/

Paving the way for new light-powered devices https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ paving-way-new-light-powered-devices

Six from Penn elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences https://penntoday.upenn. edu/news/six-penn-elected-americanacademy-arts-sciences

Even without a brain, metal-eating robots can search for food https://penntoday. upenn.edu/news/even-without-brain-metaleating-robots-can-search-food

Developing a new platform for DNA sequencing https://penntoday.upenn. edu/news/developing-new-platform-dnasequencing

Researchers reach new heights with lightbased levitation https://penntoday.upenn. edu/news/researchers-reach-new-heightslight-based-levitation

New bioprinting technique allows for complex microtissues https://penntoday. upenn.edu/news/new-bioprintingtechnique-allows-complex-microtissues

Five Penn faculty named 2021 Sloan Research Fellows https://penntoday.upenn. edu/news/five-penn-faculty-named-2021sloan-research-fellows

Cherie Kagan, Director of new NSF Center on Agricultural Internet of Things, takes a ‘scientist selfie https://medium.com/ penn-engineering/cherie-kagan-director-ofnew-nsf-center-on-agriculture-internet-ofthings-takes-a-scientist-ac2b495e190f

Penn Engineers’ new filtration membranes have unprecedented performance thanks to uniform, one-nanometer-wide pores https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/pennengineers-new-filtration-membranes-haveunprecedented-performance-thanks-touniform-one-nanometer-wide-pores/

An ‘electronic nose’ to sniff out COVID-19 https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ electronic-nose-sniff-out-covid-19

Penn, Purdue, UC Merced and UF Partner on $26M NSF Engineering Research Center for the Internet of Things for Precision Agriculture https://medium.com/pennengineering/penn-purdue-uc-merced-anduf-partner-on-new-26m-nsf-engineeringresearch-center-for-the-29a788a5e762

Penn Dental, Penn Engineering unite to form Center for Innovation & Precision Dentistry https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/penndental-penn-engineering-unite-formcenter-innovation-precision-dentistry

Penn joins ‘cryo revolution’ by adding Nobel-winning microscope https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ penn-joins-cryo-revolution-adding-nobelwinning-microscope Karen Winey earns pair of scholarly awards for her work on polymer science https://medium.com/penn-engineering/ karen-winey-earns-pair-of-scholarlyawards-for-her-work-on-polymer-science6d8a98e980fc

Using lung-on-a-chip technology to find treatments for chlorine gas exposure https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/usinglung-chip-technology-find-treatmentschlorine-gas-exposure

Watch: National Science Foundation video on nanocardboard flyers https://medium.com/penn-engineering/ watch-national-science-foundation-videoon-nanocardboard-flyers-e6c83053ee6b

Engineers develop laser-controlled, cell-sized robots https://penntoday. upenn.edu/news/engineers-develop-lasercontrolled-cell-sized-robots

Engineers manipulate color on the nanoscale, making it disappear https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/ engineers-manipulate-color-nanoscalemaking-it-disappear

Penn Engineering and Cornell researchers develop laser-controlled, cell-sized robots https://medium.com/penn-engineering/ penn-engineering-and-cornell-researchersdevelop-laser-controlled-cell-sized-robotsa2b7663ec1d4

Tsourkas Lab and Penn start-up AlphaThera awarded NIH grant to improve covid-19 detection assays https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/tsourkas-lab-and-penn-start-upalphathera-awarded-nih-grant-to-improvecovid-19-detection-assays/

James Pikul awarded 2020 Moore Inventor Fellowship to develop ‘synthetic metabolism’ https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/james-pikul-awarded-2020-mooreinventor-fellowship-to-develop-syntheticmetabolism/

In the News

Danielle Bassett and Jason Burdick are among world’s most highly cited researchers https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/danielle-bassett-and-jason-burdickare-among-worlds-most-highly-citedresearchers/

Two Penn research teams win NSF awards to pursue ‘the future of manufacturing’ https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/two-pennresearch-teams-win-nsf-awards-to-pursuethe-future-of-manufacturing/

Christopher B. Murray named 2020 citation laureate, a mark of ‘nobel class’ research https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/christopher-bmurray-named-2020-citation-laureate-amark-of-nobel-class-research/

From an old toy to a new mechanism of flight https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/from-anold-toy-to-a-new-mechanism-of-flight/

Deep Jariwala on the future of two-dimensional materials https://blog. seas.upenn.edu/deep-jariwala-on-thefuture-of-two-dimensional-materials/

Firooz Aflatouni wins 2020 Bell Labs prize https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/firoozaflatouni-wins-nokia-bell-labs-prize/

Marc Miskin wins two young investigator awards for microrobotic research https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/marc-miskinwins-two-young-investigator-awards-formicrorobotic-research/

Penn joins ‘Cryo Revolution’ by adding nobel-winning microscope https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/penn-joinscryo-revolution-by-adding-nobel-winningmicroscope/ Blending up new materials https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/blending-upnew-materials/

Uniting against an invisible foe, https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/unitingagainst-an-invisible-foe/

Marc Miskin named 2021 Sloan Research Fellow https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/marc-miskin-named-2021-sloanresearch-fellow/

No battery? No problem https://blog.seas. upenn.edu/no-battery-no-problem/

Using lung-on-a-chip technology to find treatments for chlorine gas exposure https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/using-lung-ona-chip-technology-to-find-treatments-forchlorine-gas-exposure/

Carpick Group collaborates with Pixelligent Technologies and Argonne National Laboratory on department of energy project https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/carpick-groupcollaborates-with-pixelligent-technologiesand-argonne-national-laboratory-ondepartment-of-energy-project/

Nader Engheta Awarded Isaac Newton Medal and Prize https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/nader-engheta-awarded-isaac-newtonmedal-and-prize/

Robert Carpick earns AVS nanotechnology recognition award https://blog.seas. upenn.edu/robert-carpick-earns-avsnanotechnology-recognition-award/

Even without a brain, Penn Engineering’s metal-eating robots can search for food https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/even-withouta-brain-penn-engineerings-metal-eatingrobots-can-search-for-food/

Plenty of beauty at the bottom https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/plenty-ofbeauty-at-the-bottom/

Karen Winey: Leadership in Action https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/karen-wineyleadership-in-action/

A blueprint for designing and synthesizing new, multifunctional materials https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/a-blueprintfor-designing-and-synthesizing-newmultifunctional-materials/

Deep Jariwala wins Frontiers of Materials Award https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/deepjariwala-wins-frontiers-of-materials-award/

Ritesh Agarwal elected Fellow of the Optical Society https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/riteshagarwal-elected-fellow-of-the-opticalsociety/

Penn Engineers create helical topological exciton-polaritons, a new type of quasiparticles with applications in quantum computing https://blog.seas. upenn.edu/penn-engineers-create-helicaltopological-exciton-polaritons-a-new- type-of-quasiparticles-with-applications- in-quantum-computing/

Two Penn Engineering faculty members appointed to Department of Energy https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/two-pennengineering-faculty-members-appointedto-department-of-energy/

Penn and UC merced research reveals an unexpected mechanism behind friction for 2D materials https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/ penn-and-uc-merced-research-reveals-anunexpected-mechanism-behind-frictionfor-2d-materials/ Penn Engineers’ nanoscale studies pave way for ‘next-generation’ li-ion batteries https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/pennengineers-nanoscale-studies-pave-way- for-next-generation-li-ion-batteries/

Research at Penn showcases University breakthroughs and innovations https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/research-atpenn-showcases-university-breakthroughsand-innovations/

Penn Dental, Penn Engineering unite to form center for innovation & precision dentistry https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/penn-dentalpenn-engineering-unite-to-form-center-forinnovation-precision-dentistry/

Y-Prize 2021 – 2022: Nanostructured Membranes and Semantic SLAM https://blog.seas.upenn.edu/y-prize-20212022-nanostructured-membranes-andsemantic-slam/

Kathleen Stebe elected to National Academy of Engineering https://blog.seas.upenn. edu/kathleen-stebe-elected-to-nationalacademy-of-engineering/