Teaching
The College of Engineering recognizes outstanding teaching activities of faculty and graduate students by awarding Teacher of the Year awards.
Early Career Teaching Excellence Award
Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
Nomination requirements for each award can be viewed by clicking the links. Each Department can nominate one individual for each award. Nominations should be submitted to ndsu.coe@ndsu.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2026.
Research
The College of Engineering recognizes the achievements of faculty and graduate students by awarding Researcher of the Year awards.
Kessler Excellence in Research Award
Early Career Research Excellence Award
Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
Nomination requirements for each award can be viewed by clicking the links. Each Department can nominate one individual for each award. Nominations should be submitted to ndsu.coe@ndsu.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2026.
Service
The College of Engineering honors two staff members annually for exemplary dedication and outstanding contributions. Eligible positions include professional staff, office and paraprofessionals, academic advisors, research and grant-funded staff members, business coordinators, and others.
Any NDSU staff member, faculty member, or student may submit a nomination. The nomination consists of just a letter of two pages or less describing the nominee’s contributions to the success of the College of Engineering.
Nominations for outstanding staff awards should be submitted to ndsu.coe@ndsu.edu by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 27, 2026.
Award Winners
Teaching
2025
Yechun Wang - Excellence in Teaching Award
Jessica Vold - Early Career Teaching Award
Xiaoou (Shawn) Hu - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2024
Pratap Kotala - Excellence in Teaching
Syeed Iskander - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Tofatun Jannat - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2023
Ying Huang - Excellence in Teaching
Ewumbua Monono - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Ismat Ara - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2022
Mijia Yang - Excellence in Teaching
Abdul-Aziz Banawi - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Zhaofan Li - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2021
Joseph Latimer - Excellence in Teaching
Danling Wang - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Lauren Singelmann - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2020
Kalpana Katti - Excellence in Teaching
Ali Amiri - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Hizb Ullah Sajid - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2019
Long Jiang - Excellence in Teaching
Ravi Yellavajjala - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Dayakar Lavadiya - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2018
Dean Steele - Excellence in Teaching
Keerthi Nawarathna - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Ashkan Eslaminejad - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2017
Achintya Bezbaruah - Excellence in Teaching
Zhibin Lin - Early Career Excellence in Teaching
Jonathan Armstrong - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2016
Mohana Asha Latha Dubasi - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2015
Jacob Glower - Excellence in Teaching
Anthony Waldenmaier - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2014
Tom Bon - Excellence in Teaching
Navaratnam Leelaruban - Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year
2013
Sivapalan Gajan - Excellence in Teaching
2012
Wei Lin - Excellence in Teaching
Research
2025
Mijia Yang - Excellence in Research Award
Umamaheswara Rao Tida - Early Career Research Award
Biraj Saha - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2024
Dinesh Katti - Excellence in Research
Trung Le - Early Career Research Award
Sharad Jaswandkar - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2023
Jordi Estevadeordal - Excellence in Research
Rex Sun - Early Career Research Award
Yangchao Liao - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2022
Zhibin Lin - Excellence in Research
Wenjie Xia - Early Career Research Excellence
Amirhadi Alesadi - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2021
Ying Huang - Excellence in Research
Ravi Yellavajjala - Early Career Research Excellence
Dayakar Lavadiya - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2020
Xiangfa Wu - Excellence in Research
Dharmakeerthi Nawarathna - Early Career Research Excellence
Xingyu Wang - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2019
Chad Ulven - Excellence in Research
Di Wu - Early Career Research Excellence
Yanchao Li - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2018
Kalpana Katti - Excellence in Research
Zhibin Lin - Early Career Research Excellence
Longeeshan Velmanickam - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2017
Fardad Azarmi - Excellence in Research
Ying Huang - Early Career Research Excellence
Sajid Asif - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2016
Xinhua Jia - Excellence in Research
Xiaofeng Lyu - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2015
Xuefeng Chu - Excellence in Research
Yidong Peng - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2014
Achintya Bezbaruah - Excellence in Research
Kashif Bilal - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2013
Jing Shi - Excellence in Research
Zhengping Zhou - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
2012
Scott Pryor - Excellence in Research
Gong Li - Graduate Research Assistant of the Year
Staff
2025
David Shaw
Samantha Thompson
2024
Francisco Valenzuela
Guy Hokanson
2023
Jacalyn Benson
Kyle Bosch
2022
Ruth Wirtz
Rob Sailer
2021
Tanya Erickson
Alissa Kuntz
2020
Kayla Dewey
Joel Hanson
2019
Tiffany Neuharth
Nancy Rossland