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April 24, 2026

2025-2026 Professor & TA of the Year Awards

Written By: Kassi Akers

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Please join us in recognizing the following individuals for their outstanding teaching efforts in 2025-2026!

Each year Pi Tau Sigma, the Mechanical Engineering Honor Society at UW-Madison, conducts a poll for ME/EMA students to vote for the Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Professor and TAs of the year. This process is meant to acknowledge professors and TAs whose teaching and impact is of such great quality it merits recognition and an award. On Thursday, April 16th, the following individuals were recognized at the Pi Tau Sigma/ASME End of the Year Banquet. If you see them around, please congratulate and thank them for their outstanding teaching efforts this year!

Professors of the Year:

Professor Allison Mahvi
Course(s): ME 364: Heat Transfer
Professor Greg Nellis
Course(s): ME 364: Heat Transfer
Professor Mahvi receiving her award from Dept. Chair Darryl Thelen & one of her students, Madison La Crosse.
Professor Greg Nellis with Dept. Chair Darryl Thelen and previous student, Nathan Novak.

TAs of the Year:

Ahmed Ansari
Course(s):  ME 331: Computer-Aided Engineering
Tanner Diring
Course(s): ME 331: Computer-Aided Engineering
Ahmed received this award 2 years in a row! This award was presented by the dept. chair and student, Akesh Mallia.
Tanner posing with dept. chair and former student, Jonas Price.
Nick Edwards
Course(s): ME 364: Heat Transfer
Tony Grotjan
Course(s): ME 368: Engineering Measurements & Instrumentation
Nick was presented with his award by dept. chair and student, Riley Kallal.
Tony received this award 2 years in a row. Presented by dept. chair and student Nathan Novak.

Each awardee was recognized by one of their former students describing the impact they’ve had on their academic careers! Thank you to these amazing individuals contributing to ME/EMA undergrad students’ experiences.