Voiland College names 2019 outstanding students, faculty and staff

Outstanding Sophomore:

Dylan Sterling

Sterling is a construction management major from Independence, Kentucky who transferred from University of Louisville. This year, Sterling and his Virtual Design and Construction teammates earned first place at the national Associated Schools of Construction competition. He will also be a returning intern this summer at Mortensen Construction, working as a part of the company’s Virtual Design and Construction team that is developing the new Raider’s football stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Outstanding Junior:

Patrick Robichaud

Robichaud, from Moscow, Idaho, is majoring in civil engineering and double minoring in Spanish and sustainable development. He is a member of WSU’s Engineers Without Borders club, where he traveled to Panama to assess how to best provide clean water to a rural village. Robichaud is also an Honors College Ambassador, an Undergraduate Research Peer Mentor, and works as a research assistant in WSU’s Hydrology Lab, where he is helping quantify erosion in the Columbia River Basin.

Outstanding Senior:

Hannah Zmuda

Zmuda is a bioengineering major and Chinese (mandarin) minor from Bellevue, Washington. Zmuda held a 3.96 GPA while being involved with many programs at Voiland College, including the Harold Frank Engineering Entrepreneurship Institute and the Boeing Mentorship Program. As an Auvil Fellow, Zmuda is an active researcher and has assisted in research for Biofilm Engineering Research Group, Professor Yuehe Lin’s laboratory, as well as the Infectious Disease Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. Zmuda’s contributions to the college included starting the Biomedical Engineering Society mentorship program, publishing a research paper, and improving the design of a medical device.

Outstanding Teaching Assistant:

Ashley Vu

Vu teaches Engineering 120, where she helps develop the curriculum and conducts lab instruction for more than 400 students. From overseeing peer mentors, coordinating guest speakers, or developing labs using Tinker Toys, Vu plays an invaluable role in introducing and supporting future engineers. Her nominators said, “Ashley did an exceptional job as an instructor, was always prepared, had reasonable expectations, was passionate and excited to be teaching, and truly cared about the success of her students.”

Junior Faculty Research Award:

Arda Gozen

Assistant Professor
School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

Gozen, who joined WSU in 2014, conducts research in biomaterials, advanced manufacturing and 3D printing. He has recently developed a 3D‑printed glucose biosensor for use in wearable monitors, which could lead to improved glucose monitors for people who suffer from diabetes. Gozen was also recently named George and Joan Berry Professor in Engineering and received an Early Career Award from the National Science Foundation.

Reid Miller Excellence in Teaching Award for tenure‑track faculty:

Anita Vasavada

Associate Professor
Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering

Vasavada’s nominator’s expressed their appreciation towards her passion and knowledge of bioengineering that helped them become better engineers. “Dr. Vasavada is one of the best professors I have had at WSU. She genuinely cares about and invests in her students. She takes the course and tailors it to her students,” wrote one student.

Reid Miller Teaching Excellence Award winner for non‑tenure‑track faculty:

Sakire Arslan Ay

Clinical Associate Professor
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Ay’s nominator’s conveyed their support for her, noting that her enthusiasm and dedication made them better engineers. “As a student in Ay’s class, I have seen her true commitment to excellence in teaching. Not only does she focus on ensuring that all students learn during lecture, but she is also extremely dedicated outside of class and during her office hours,” wrote one student. “Whenever I have had difficulty with a topic, I always felt that I could go to her and she would dedicate as much time as she could to helping me. I have always left her office hours feeling like I understand the topic more thoroughly and better than ever before.”

Anjan Bose Outstanding Researcher Award:

Ananth Kalyanaraman

Associate Director and Professor
School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

Kalyanaraman, the Boeing Centennial Chair in Computer Science, holds an excellent body of research accomplishments on parallel computational biology, as well as high‑performance computing and its applications to graphs and other irregular applications.

During his time at WSU, Professor Kalyanaraman has procured over $3 million in funding and published more than 100 papers in prestigious venues. His work demonstrates his ability to conduct work and graduate successful Ph.D. students. He is well known in the international bioinformatics and high‑performance computing research communities.

Voiland College Safety Award:

Natalia Kaiser

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Kaiser is chair of the Civil and Environmental Safety Committee, building coordinator, and teaches safety seminars to civil engineering graduate students.

Employee of the Year

Suzanne Hamada

Principal Assistant
Composite Materials & Engineering Center

Staff Excellence awards

Megan Brewer

Office Assistant
Engineering and Technology Management

Maria Greaney Curry

Undergraduate Academic Coordinator
Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering