Honoring the people who power engineering: Celebrating faculty and staff excellence

Each year, our College of Engineering recognizes faculty and staff whose work exemplifies excellence, innovation and service. This year’s college award recipients represent the very best of who we are as a college—educators who inspire and mentor, researchers who push the boundaries of discovery, and staff members whose expertise and dedication create an exceptional environment for students and colleagues alike.

From outstanding teaching and impactful research to student advocacy, operational leadership and a culture of belonging, our award recipients demonstrate how excellence at an individual level propels our collective success. Each of these individuals shares a commitment to advancing our mission and supporting our goals.

We are proud to celebrate their achievements and grateful for the many ways their work strengthens our College of Engineering and the people it serves. We’ll be recognizing the following award recipients on April 29, 2026.

Byron Bird Award for Excellence in a Research Publication
Dane Morgan, Harvey D. Spangler Professor, materials science and engineering

Bollinger Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award for Research Excellence
Jeremy Kirch, scientist, electrical and computer engineering

Harvey Spangler Award for Innovative Teaching and Learning Practices
Scott Sanders, professor, mechanical engineering

Benjamin Smith Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching
Carla Michini, assistant professor, industrial and systems engineering

James G. Woodburn Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Nathan Jung, teaching faculty I, Technical Communication Program

Outstanding Student Support Award
Janna Pollock, graduate advisor, academic affairs

University and Academic Staff Distinguished Achievement Award
Daniel Gaona, accountant III, electrical and computer engineering

Staff of the Year
Delight Hensler (early-career), assistant department administrator, electrical and computer engineering
Sara Hagen (mid-career), director of academic planning and analytics, dean’s office
Beth Johnson (esteemed), student experience manager, academic affairs

Culture Champion Award
Lizeth Ortiz (staff), academic advisor, academic affairs
Victor Zavala (faculty), Baldovin-DaPra Professor, chemical and biological engineering

Ragnar E. Onstad Service to Society Award
Dan Negrut, Bernard A. and Frances M. Weideman Professor, mechanical engineering