Held in April in conjunction with the American Nuclear Society at Illinois Student Chapter organization, the NPRE event recognizes students for earning awards from the Department, College of Engineering, campus, national organizations and corporate partners. The event is sponsored in part by the Edward E. Mineman Memorial Endowment Fund. NPRE alumnus Edward F. Mineman, BS 84, and his brother Blaine A. Mineman, AB 85, Political Science, MBA 87, established the fund to honor their father.
The NPRE Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards to a Graduating Senior are presented to graduating seniors with the highest cumulative grade point averages
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
The NPRE Outstanding Undergraduate Research Awards are presented to undergraduate students who have performed exemplary research in the Department.
- Jin Whan Bae of Champaign, IL
- Grant M. Schumock of Geneva, IL
- John B. Smith III of Saint Charles, IL
- Kaitlyn A. Butler of Champaign, IL
- Alyssa L. Hayes of Gurnee, IL
The Roy A. Axford Undergraduate Scholarship, honoring NPRE Professor Roy A. Axford, is presented to a continuing student of high academic ability and achievement.
Grant M. Schumock of Geneva, IL
The George H. Miley/Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) Undergraduate Scholarship, honoring NPRE Prof. George H. Miley, is presented to a highly motivated, continuing undergraduate student in the Department.
- Jeremy J.H. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD
The Bruce W. Spencer Graduate Scholarship was established in memory of alumnus Bruce W. Spencer, who earned a master’s degree in 1965 and a Ph.D. in 1970 in Nuclear Engineering. Spencer built his career in experimental reactor safety research until his death in 2001. The scholarship is awarded to a graduate student of high academic standing whose research promises to advance the state of nuclear engineering, specifically as it relates to reactor safety.
- Zhiee Jhia Ooi of Malaysia
- Nathan P. Walter of Evanston, IL
The Barclay G. Jones Graduate Fellowship supports graduate fellowships in NPRE. In a grassroots effort, several alumni and friends established this fund in honor of Professor Jones, an icon of the University of Illinois nuclear engineering program since its inception. Professor Jones earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of Illinois, and made his career here, helping to shape the present day department. The Barclay G. Jones Endowment Fund is the continued effort of NPRE graduates who also established the Catherine Pritchard Undergraduate Scholarship.
- Sundar Namala of Hyderabad, India
- The 2016 Hang Award was presented to Waleed Ahmed of Tracy, CA; Zhiee Jhia Ooi of Malaysia; Joseph Rajchwald of Glenview, IL; and Dan Strat of Lincolnwood, IL
American Nuclear Society Student Chapter Awards
- Jeremy J.H. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD
The Student Chapter of the American Nuclear Society selects the ANS Graduate Outstanding Service Award recipient. The graduate student who has most actively supported the ANS Student Chapter and its programs throughout the academic year is honored.
- Steven A. Stemmley of Bethalto, IL
2017 ANS National Student Conference Awards
- Commendation for Service and Leadership, Aristidis E. Loumis of Champaign, IL
- Second Place for Best Overall Paper: Matthew E. Kabelitz of Northbrook, IL, “Examination of Boundary Flux Anomalies in Scale Simulation Codes.”
- Best in Track, Reactor Physics: Matthew E. Kabelitz of Northbrook, IL; Xu Wu of Urbana, IL; and NPRE Assistant Prof. Tomasz Kozlowski, “Examination of Boundary Flux Anomalies in Scale Simulation Codes.”
Best in Track, Fuel Cycle & Waste Management: Jin Whan Bae of Champaign, IL; NPRE Assistant Prof. Kathryn D. Huff, and NPRE Adjunct Prof. William R. Roy, “Benefits of Siting a Borehole Repository on Non-Operating Nuclear Facility.”
- Best in Track, Isotopes & Radiation: Kelsey Luo of Woodridge, IL, “Distributed Mobile Sensor Network for the Detection of Radioisotopes.”
- Best in Track, Nuclear Nonproliferation Safety: Christian D. Zircher of Champaign, IL; NPRE Assistant Prof. Clair J. Sullivan, NPRE Prof. Rizwan Uddin, Aristidis E. Loumis of Champaign, IL; and Jonathan M. Helck of Champaign, IL, “A Continuation of Radiation Sensor Network within a Virtual Environment.”
2016 ANS Decommissioning & Environmental Sciences Division Undergraduate Scholarship
Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL
2016 ANS Raymond DiSalvo Memorial Scholarship
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
Nuclear Regulatory Commission - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Nuclear Engineering Scholarship and Fellowship Program
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission directs this program that includes support for education in nuclear science and engineering, to develop a workforce capable of supporting the design, construction, operation, and regulation of nuclear facilities and the safe handling of nuclear materials.
Scholarships:
Peter M. Conway of Lemont, IL
- Quincy R. Crawford of Mahomet, IL
- Nicholas J. Dadufalza of Seven Valleys, PA
- Matthew E. Kabelitz of Northbrook, IL
- Daniel C. Martin of Glencoe, MO
- Jeremy J.H. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD
- Emilio M. Mondragon of Chicago, IL
- Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL
- Dhruval K. Patel of Hanover Park, IL
- Eric J. Riewski of Champaign, IL
- Grant M. Schumock of Geneva, IL
- Andrew J. Shone of WHERE
- Steven A. Stemmley of Bethalto, IL
Fellowships:
Nathan E. Colgan of Champaign, IL
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
- Victoria Riso of Hamburg, NY
Continuing Fellowships:
- Peter A. Mouche of Naperville, IL
- Nathan P. Walter of Evanston, IL
Exelon Corporation - Energy for Education Scholarship
This scholarship program was established to encourage talented students interested in a career with Exelon Corporation. Exelon does business in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada, and is one of the largest competitive U.S. power generators.
- Adewale A. Adeyinka of Hoffman Estates, IL
- William R. Brockschmidt of Jacksonville, IL
- Maxx J. Villotti of Urbana, IL
Fulbright Scholarship
Graduate student Matthew Parsons of Princeton, NJ, has spent the past year working at ITER (the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor in France) on a Fulbright Scholarship. The ITER project aims to make the long-awaited transition from experimental studies of plasma physics to full-scale electricity-producing fusion power stations. When he does arrive in Urbana, Parsons will work on NPRE’s HIDRA facility with Prof. David N. Ruzic and Research Assistant Prof. Daniel Andruczyk.
IBM Ph.D. Fellowship
Gianluca A. Panici of New Lenox, IL, a graduate student working in the Center for Plasma-Material Interactions, has been awarded an IBM Ph.D. Fellowship. The program attracts applicants from all over the world from fields as diverse as computer science and engineering to physical sciences and processing engineering.
Lam Research Corporation Outstanding Graduate Student Award
Lam Research Corporation, the leading supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the global semiconductor industry, has recognized graduate student Brandon Holybee of Champaign, IL, with the 2017 Lam Research Corporation Scholarship. Working with NPRE Prof. J.P. Allain, Holybee conducts research on low energy ion-solid interactions, self-organized nanostructuring, and nanotechnology of multicomponent systems. Holybee is finalizing his Ph.D. studies and collaborating with the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) research institute in Dresden, Germany, on fundamental ion-solid interactions. The focus is on the mechanisms involved in the self-organization of ion-induced nanopatterns.
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship
Michael A. Lively of Waterford, MI, is a continuing recipient of a National Science Foundation graduate fellowshp. Under the direction of Associate Prof. J.P. Allain, Lively does computer modeling for directing ion beams to make patterns on materials such as silicon, used by the semi conductor industry primarily for computer chips.
U.S. Department of Energy, Nuclear Energy University Program Scholarship
The U.S. Department of Energy awards Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP) Scholarships and Fellowships to undergraduates pursuing nuclear energy-related engineering and science degrees.
Scholarships:
- Alyssa L. Hayes of Gurnee, IL
- Patrick L. Hering of Crystal Lake, IL
- Jeremy J.H. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD
- Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
- Grant M. Schumock of Geneva, IL
Continuing Fellowship:
- Joseph L. Bottini of Framingham, MA
- Katherine C. Hepler of Urbana, IL
- Nicholas O’Shea of Chicago, IL
Consortium for Nonproliferation Enabling Capabilities (CNEC)
Sponsored by the DOE National Nuclear Security Administration CNEC’s goal is to become the preeminent research and education hub dedicated to the development of enabling technologies and technical talent for meeting present and future grand challenges in nuclear nonproliferation. The education and training of graduate students who are actively involved in research relevant to nonproliferation is a key component of the CNEC mission.
Continuing Fellowship:
- Karl A. Roth of Martinton, IL
Graduate Research Fellowship
Sponsored by the DOE, Heather N. Sandefur of Urbana, IL, is working in the Center for Plasma-Material Interaction on a graduate research fellowship.
College of Engineering at Illinois Scholarships
Dario G. Panici of New Lenox, IL, has received the William L. and Elizabeth A. Ackerman Scholarship. William L. Ackerman was a 1934 graduate of the University of Illinois in Mechanical Engineering. The William L. and Elizabeth A. Ackerman Fund was established in 1989 to provide scholarships for undergraduate students in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL, has received the Crowe Horath LLP Scholarship, available for an engineering major sophomore, junior or senior who is in good standing and is a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident.
Kaitlyn R. Butler of Champaign, IL, has received the Edward E. and Elizabeth Joanne DeZwarte Engineering Scholarship. The Edward E. and Elizabeth Joanne DeZwarte scholarship fund was established in 1981 to provide scholarships for undergraduate students in the College of Engineering.
Eduardo Orozco Rodriguez of Chicago, IL, has received an Engineering Excellence Scholarship. The scholarship is given to freshmen admitted to the College of Engineering based on extremely high performance in ACT or SAT exams and high school work.
The Engineering Visionary Scholarship Endowment Fund allows the College of Engineering to provide larger scholarships to more undergraduate students. These scholarships go to incoming first-year students and are renewable. Following is a list of NPRE students who have received the scholarships.
- Adolfo Baca of Addison, IL
- Christopher Bitters of Hinsdale, IL
- Siobhan M. Fox of Oak Lawn, IL
- Jesse A. Gardner-Owens of Springfield, IL
- Alyssa L. Hayes of Gurnee, IL
- Zachary J. Jeckell of Silvis, IL
- Jazz D. Kroeger of Washington, IL
- Nayeli Lara of Chicago, IL
- Aristidis E. Loumis of Champaign, IL
- Brandon M. Lowry of Earlville, IL
- Paul E. McClanahan of Columbia, IL
- Dhruval K. Patel of Hanover Park, IL
- Eliza D. Wright of Naperville, IL
Zoe R. Richter of Manito, IL, has received the Wilmer Hellenthal Scholarship. Wilmer Hellenthal was a 1940 graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, having earned his bachelor’s of science degree in mechanical engineering. The Wilmer Hellenthal Scholarship Fund was established in 1993.
Jeremy J.H. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD, has received an Illinois Engineering Achievement Scholarship. The scholarship is given to freshmen admitted to the College of Engineering based on extremely high performance in ACT or SAT exams and high school work, and is renewable.
Emilio M. Mondragon of Chicago, IL, has received a PATHWAYS Engineering Scholarship awarded to transfer students.
Jazz D. Kroeger of Washington, IL, has received the Sargent and Lundy Engineering Scholarship. The Sargent and Lundy Fund was established in 2000 by a dedicated group of Engineering at Illinois alumni and friends employed at Sargent and Lundy. This fund provides scholarship support to high-achieving students from across the college.
Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL, has received a scholarship from the Dale W. and Wanda L. Weaver Endowment for Engineering Students Fund. Mr. Weaver is a 1964 graduate of the College of Engineering.
The Illinois Scholars Undergraduate Research (ISUR) Program offers selected students a two-semester experience with a research learning community. Through ISUR, students become familiar with research methodologies, develop research skills, gain exposure to what graduate school entails, and gain experience needed for graduate school acceptance. ISUR scholars present their research in an annual expo held in the spring. Jazz D. Kroeger of Washington, IL, and John B. Smith III of Saint Charles, IL, have been selected for the 2016-17 academic year.
Seniors Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL, and Aristidis E. Loumis of Champaign, IL, were chosen as a 2017 Knights of St. Patrick. This is the first year that two NPRE students have been named knights, among the highest honor Engineering at Illinois students can receive. Each year, the College honors 10-15 students who have demonstrated leadership, excellence in character, and exceptional contribution to the College and its students.
Andrew N. Groll of Hardwood Heights, IL, and Daniel T. Elg of Rantoul, IL, were accepted as Mavis Future Faculty Fellows for the 2016-17 academic year. The MF3 Program in the College of Engineering was developed to facilitate the training of the next generation of great engineering professors. The three main components to the MF3 Program are research, teaching and mentoring.
Alpha Nu Sigma Society
ANS established Alpha Nu Sigma as a national honor society with the objective to recognize high scholarship, integrity, and potential achievement in nuclear science and engineering.
Spring 2017 Initiates
- William R. Brockschmidt of Jacksonville, IL
- Vineet Kumar of Champaign, IL
- Cody D. Moynihan of Milstadt, IL
- Majdi Radaideh of Champaign, IL
- Zoe R. Richter of Manito, IL
- Erik P. Ziehm of Palatine, IL
Continuing Members:
- Jin Whan Bae of Champaign, IL
- Carlos Felipe Bedoya Arroyave of Valle del Cauca, Colombia
- Joseph L. Bottini of Framingham, MA
- Zhikun Cai of Jiaomei Town, China
- Michael M. Cheng of Chicago, IL
- Michael P. Christenson of Champaign, IL
- Quincy R. Crawford of Mahomet, IL
- Mikhail S. Finko of Clarendon Hills, IL
- Jonathan George of Bolingbrook, IL
- Andreas M. Giakas of Rockford, IL
- Steven J. Jensen of Mount Prospect, IL
- Matthew E. Kabelitz of Northbrook, IL
- Aveek S. Kapat of Oviedo, FL
- Brandon T. Lee of Hermosa Beach, CA
- Xiang Liu of Zhongxiang, Hubei, China
- Daniel C. Martin of Glencoe, MO
- Benjamin C. Masters of Urbana, IL
- Jeremy J. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD
- Peter A. Mouche of Naperville, IL
- Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
- Nicholas W. O'Shea of Chicago, IL
- Dhruval K. Patel of Hanover Park, IL
- Jason A. Peck of Fairview Heights, IL
- Pawel A. Piotrowicz of Chicago, IL
- Nathan C. Reid of Naperville, IL
- Eric J. Riewski of Champaign, IL
- Xia Sang of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Joseph A. Serio of West Chicago, IL
- Steven A. Stemmley of Bethalto, IL
- Matthew M. Szott of Orland Park, IL
- Jan P. Uhlig of Chicago, IL
- Xu Wu of Urbana, IL
- Jifu Zhao of Urbana, IL
- Yuhui Zhao of Chicago, IL
- Weicheng Zhong of Champaign, IL
- Christian D. Zircher of Burr Ridge, IL
University of Illinois Chancellor’s Scholars
Chancellor’s Scholars are strongly motivated, academically gifted students who excel in leadership. Students participate in honors seminars, attend Scholar Adventurers presentations, and participate in social, intellectual and cultural activities, plus maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25.
- Alp Aktuna of Edwardsville, IL
- William R. Brockschmidt of Jacksonville, IL
- Dario G. Panici of New Lenox, IL
- Zoe R. Richter of Manito, IL
- James M. Stearns of Elgin, IL
University of Illinois James Scholars
This honors program is named for the fourth president of the University, Edmund J. James who believed that scholarship and research are fundamental to human progress. During his presidency, from 1904-1920, he brought world-class scholars to campus, developed graduate programs, and fostered community among faculty and students. He helped build Illinois's international reputation.
- Johnathan A. Beal of Sherman, IL
- William R. Brockschmidt of Jacksonville, IL
- Siobhan M. Fox of Oak Lawn, IL
- Heyuan Huang of Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Nayeli Lara of Chicago, IL
- Andy Liu of Baton Rouge, LA
- Daniel C. Martin of Glencoe, MO
- Jeremy J. Mettler of Sioux Falls, SD
- Cody D. Moynihan of Millstadt, IL
- Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
- Eduardo Orozco Rodriguez of Chicago, IL
- Dario G. Panici of New Lenox, IL
- Adam B. Pichman of Mokena, IL
- Xia Sang of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Austin J. Schmidt of Sycamore, IL
- Grant M. Schumock of Geneva, IL
- Jack T. Stahl of Arlington Heights, IL
- Steven A. Stemmley of Bethalto, IL
- Dan G. Strat of Lincolnwood, IL
- James T. Wegner of Naperville, IL
- Eliza D. Wright of Naperville, IL
- Nanyu Zhao of Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
Engineering at Illinois Dean’s List
Eligible undergraduates must have achieved a GPA for a given semester that places them in the top 20 percent of their college. The following listing is for Spring and Fall 2015.
- Jin Whan Bae of Champaign, IL
- Johnathan A. Beal of Sherman, IL
- William R. Brockschmidt of Jacksonville, IL
- Christian D. Clark of Dixon, IL
- John M. Eastwood of Aurora, IL
- Andreas M. Giakas of Rockford, IL
- Heyuan Huang of Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Matthew E. Kabelitz of Northbrook, IL
- Tyler R. Kennelly of Oswego, IL
- Xinyao Liang of Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Caleb E. McEwen of Chicago, IL
- Jeremy J. Mettler of Sioux Falls, S
- Cody D. Moynihan of Milstadt, IL
- Kathryn A. Mummah of Wheaton, IL
- Raymundo Muro-Barrios of New Lenox, IL
- Giacomo J.J. Novelli of Evanston, IL
- Daniel J. O’Grady of Evergreen Park, IL
- Dario G. Panici of New Lenox, IL
- Gyu Tae Park of Pusan, South Korea
- Dhruval K. Patel of Hanover Park, IL
- Parth P. Patel of Huntley, IL
- Dren Qerimi of Joliet, IL
- Amanda P. Rychtanek of Elgin, IL
- Xia Sang of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Grant M. Schumock of Geneva, IL
- John B. Smith III of Saint Charles, IL
- Jack T. Stahl of Arlington Heights, IL
- Steven A. Stemmley of Bethalto, IL
- Stuti R. Surani of Vadodara, India
- Eliza D. Wright of Naperville, IL
- Nanyu Zhao of Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
To view more photos of NPRE's 2017 Honors Banquet, go to NPRE’s Facebook page.