Each year, the U-M Department of Mechanical Engineering recognizes undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in research, academics, leadership, and/or in the embodiment of the character and leadership critical to a successful career in mechanical engineering through a series of awards, scholarships, and fellowships.
The 2025 U-M Mechanical Engineering Spring Awards Banquet was held last Monday, April 14th in the G.G. Brown Laboratory Building on U-M’s North Campus. Continue below for more information and to read an acceptance quote from each award winner.
View the full photo album from the event here.
Undergraduate students
Nathaniel Giessner
J.A. Bursley Mechanical Engineering Award, awarded to a mechanical engineering student with senior standing who demonstrates, by scholastic record and leadership abilities in extracurricular activities, an unusual promise of developing into a leader in this profession.
“I am honored to receive the J.A. Bursley Mechanical Engineering Award. I am so grateful to all my professors, graduate student instructors, and peers who helped me pursue my passion for engineering. I plan to use all I learned to contribute to the fields of renewable energy and sustainable technologies.”
Owen Sayer
J.A. Bursley Mechanical Engineering Award, awarded to a mechanical engineering student with senior standing who demonstrates, by scholastic record and leadership abilities in extracurricular activities, an unusual promise of developing into a leader in this profession.
“I’m honored to be receiving the J.A. Bursley Mechanical Engineering Award. I’m thankful for the amazing faculty and staff in our department for their tireless work and support that put me in a position to succeed. I also want to thank my peers for all their hard work in pushing me to do my best work, and particularly, my fellow members of Pi Tau Sigma, the ME honor society, for giving me the chance to grow and learn from such a great organization.”
Ethan Rose
Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students with junior or senior standing who have performed outstanding research on materials and/or manufacturing.
“I am incredibly honored to receive the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship. I’m deeply grateful for all of the support and learning experiences the ME department has provided me. I’d especially like to thank Professor Neil Dasgupta for giving me the opportunity to conduct research in his lab, and Dr. Aaron Melemed for being an incredible mentor.”
Junah Whitelocke
Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students with junior or senior standing who have performed outstanding research on materials and/or manufacturing.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship. This award will help fund my master’s degree through the SUGS program next year and reinforces my passion for engineering and drive to keep growing professionally. I’m thankful for everyone who has supported me throughout my academic journey and look forward to making the most of the remainder of my education.”
Kayla Mazure
Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students with junior or senior standing who have performed outstanding research on materials and/or manufacturing.
“I am very grateful to receive the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship. I appreciate the support and opportunities the Mechanical Engineering Department and my extracurriculars have provided me over the course of my undergraduate education. I look forward to furthering my skills and leadership growth due to this award.”
Dinesh Ravikumar
Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students with junior or senior standing who have performed outstanding research on materials and/or manufacturing.
“I am honored to receive the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Scholarship. As a mechanical engineering student passionate about materials and manufacturing, I’ve gained hands-on experience through my work at the Duderstadt Fabrication Underground and my involvement with RISE. This scholarship supports my ongoing efforts to learn more about material science specifically with regards to the semiconductor industry as well as additive manufacturing.”
Spencer Legresley
Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship Fund, awarded to a mechanical engineering student who has demonstrated excellence in mechanics.
“I am elated to receive the Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship. This recognition is a wonderful affirmation of my dedication and hard work, and it motivates me even further in my pursuit of my professional goals. The University, and its wealth of resources, has been an amazing outlet for my love of mechanics.”
Yuandi Huang
Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship Fund, awarded to a mechanical engineering student who has demonstrated excellence in mechanics.
“I am honored and grateful to be receiving the Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship. I cherish being a member of the mechanical engineering community, and this award will allow me to continue pursuing my personal and professional goals. I want to extend thanks to my professors and peers for their mentorship, friendship, and support.”
Benjamin Andelman
Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship Fund, awarded to a mechanical engineering student who has demonstrated excellence in mechanics.
“I am honored to receive the Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship. I view mechanics as the gateway to understanding and predicting how the world around me works, which is why I consider it so important. I am so grateful to Talia Moore for providing me the opportunity to participate in controls research as part of the EMBiR lab. This generous fund will help my plans to pursue a master’s degree in the future.”
Chuhan Cai
Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship Fund, awarded to a mechanical engineering student who has demonstrated excellence in mechanics.
“Receiving the Lloyd H. Donnell Scholarship is a profound honor that gives validation to my efforts toward pursuing the field of mechanical engineering. Not only does this honor reflect my academic and project efforts, but it also inspires my passion for furthering mechanical engineering study. I sincerely thank the Mechanical Engineering Department for this support, and it encourages me to work harder and contribute more to the engineering community.”
Benjamin Andelman
R & B Machine Tool Company Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students who are residents of the State of Michigan with Junior or Senior standing in Mechanical Engineering with a strong GPA and a study focus on Materials and/or Manufacturing.
“I am overjoyed to receive the R&B Machine Tool Company award. Manufacturing is an integral part of my experience at U-M, both in class and on my project team. I have come to enjoy it so much that it has now become a passion that will last me a lifetime. I look forward to how this award will help me to continue my study of mechanical engineering and manufacturing as I approach my senior year.”
Dinesh Ravikumar
R & B Machine Tool Company Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students who are residents of the State of Michigan with Junior or Senior standing in Mechanical Engineering with a strong GPA and a study focus on Materials and/or Manufacturing.
“I am honored to receive the R & B Machine Tool Company Scholarship. This scholarship will be able to help me further my learning in the manufacturing field. I hope to apply everything I have learned at Michigan in order to make an impact on new innovative manufacturing.”
Junah Whitelock
R & B Machine Tool Company Scholarship, awarded to mechanical engineering students who are residents of the State of Michigan with Junior or Senior standing in Mechanical Engineering with a strong GPA and a study focus on Materials and/or Manufacturing.
“I’m truly honored to receive the R&B Machine Tool Company Scholarship. This generous award will help fund my Master’s degree through the SUGS program next year. It has strengthened my passion for engineering and motivates me to continue pushing myself both academically and professionally. I’m grateful for the guidance of my professors and the opportunity to learn alongside such talented classmates, and I look forward to making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead in the remainder of my education.”
Madeline Jeffery
Mechanical Engineering Spirit Award, awarded to a deserving mechanical engineering senior or seniors who best embody the character and leadership critical to a successful career in mechanical engineering.
“I’m deeply honored to receive the Mechanical Engineering Spirit Award! The department has equipped me with invaluable technical, problem-solving, and leadership skills, and I’m excited to carry these forward as a role model and leader in the engineering community.”
Marianne Lee
RISE FA 24 Best Paper Award
“I am honored to receive the RISE FA 24 Best Paper Award. This award reflects the development I have gained in technical communication and research skills during my time in the Smart Materials and Structures Design Lab. I would like to thank Diann Brei and Jonathan Luntz for their mentorship and the lessons I will carry forward into my career as an engineer.”
Graduate students
Haotian Xie
Alexander Azarkhin Scholarship
“It’s a real honor to receive the Alexander Azarkhin Scholarship. My work in fluid mechanics and ultrasound for medical applications has been a meaningful part of my PhD journey, and I’m grateful to Dr. Azarkhin for supporting this effort. I also thank my advisors, Prof. Schultz and Prof. Fowlkes, and my lab mates for their constant support. It truly takes a village, and I’m thankful to be part of such a supportive community.”
Soham Shirish Phanse
William and Shirley Mirsky Memorial Fellowship
“I am super grateful and honored to be a recipient of the William Mirsky Memorial Fellowship. The commitment of mechanical engineers striving to make the world a better place is truly inspiring—be it transportation, energy, robotics, or space technology, Mechanical engineers excel everywhere and leave their legacy behind. The fellowship means a lot to me, and inspires me daily to work harder and stay true to the spirit Michigan embodies—giving back to the community, and making the world a better place!”
Prathamesh Nakhate
William and Shirley Mirsky Memorial Fellowship
“I am grateful to be a recipient of the William Mirsky Memorial Fellowship. This award has given me a boost of confidence, showing me that my research and academic efforts are being recognized. It has also inspired me to keep using my mechanical engineering background to make a positive difference and to live out the university’s values by giving back to the community.”
Nathaly Villacis Nunez & Ellen Arruda, department chair of Mechanical Engineering
Robert M. Caddell Memorial Award for Research
“Winning the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Award is an honor for both Nathaly and me, as it acknowledges the impactful nature of our collaborative materials research, particularly in the areas of tissue-engineered constructs, tear growth mechanisms, and soliton propagation in non-linear visco-elastic solids. This recognition not only celebrates our dedication and hard work but also inspires us to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation, scientific knowledge, and practical applications with cutting-edge solutions.”
Anan Ghrayeb & Evgueni Filipov, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering
Robert M. Caddell Memorial Award for Research
“We are deeply honored to receive the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Award for Research. Our work explores the intersection of microrobotics, materials, and biology, where origami-inspired robots are engineered to manipulate and study living systems. This recognition reflects the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration, and we are especially grateful to Professors Allen Liu (ME), Kenn Oldham (ME), and Carlos Aguilar (BME) for their invaluable guidance and partnership. We are grateful for this recognition and for the opportunity to contribute to a rapidly evolving field.”
