Below is a list of recent accolades awarded to the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department's undergraduate and graduate students. Congratulations!
Undergraduate Student Awards
Alumni Experiential Learning Award
The award was established in 2021 by Mayuresh Kothare, former Department Chair. Students are selected annually by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Lehigh University. As part of the award, students will have the opportunity to participate in several research-focused opportunities over the summer. They also participate in the annual Departmental Research Symposium held in the fall. Learn about the awardee research projects!
- Chiwon Yu & Sam Miller & Maria Rizio (2024)
- Lauryn Holgado & Meghan O'Brien & Teja Patrice & Chiwon Yu & Sebastian Zelaya & Matt Zhang (2023)
- Shengping Huang & David Kramer & Megan Stratton (2022)
- Samuel Agro & Rani Baidoun & Nicole Rawiszer & Jacob Thompson (2021)
American Chemical Society Award
The ACS scholastic achievement award is to recognize top-achieving seniors majoring in chemistry or chemical engineering in each of the colleges and universities in the Philadelphia Local Section which has an ACS approved department or an ACS Student Affiliate Chapter since 2010. The awardees are chosen by the chemical or chemical engineering departments of their schools.
- Katie Atherton (2025)
- Russell Kim (2024)
- Wesley Patel (2023)
- Eva Wolfe (2022)
- Sophia Mayone (2021)
- Kenny Honer (2020)
- Lindsay Slavit (2019)
- Joanne Huang (2018)
- George Yan (2017)
- Kaylynn Johnson (2016)
- Robert Dunleavy (2015)
- Michael Meloni (2014)
- Bradley Richard (2013)
- Liam Smith (2012)
- Ke Xue (2011)
- Andrew Bartinski (2010)
American Institute of Chemists Student Honor Award
The AIC Student Award Program honors outstanding seniors, post-baccalaureate, and post-doctoral students majoring in chemistry, chemical engineering or biochemistry since 2010. The awards are given in recognition of a demonstrated ability, leadership, and professional promise. Candidates are chosen and nominated by their faculty members in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
- Barbara Perevalov (2025)
- Max Beutner (2024)
- Jacob Thompson (2023)
- Wesley Patel (2022)
- John Klikushin (2021)
- Jacob DeWitt (2020)
- Theodore Riotto (2019)
- Tanya Chakif (2018)
- Emily Speakman (2017)
- Judson Smull (2016)
- Molly O'Neill (2015)
- Sean Hoenig (2014)
- Adam Kleintop (2013)
- Rebecca Masel (2012)
- Allison Graf (2011)
- Thanh Ta (2010)
Chair's Recognition Award
The Chair's Recognition Award was established in 2023 by Chair Steven McIntosh to recognize undergraduate chemical and biomolecular engineering students for exemplary performance and service in chemical engineering.
- Chiwon Yu & Bella Richards & Natalia Castillo (2025)
- Doug Hardy & Mia Simon, Katie Atherton & Cece Wekstein, Bella Richards & Shane Haycock (2024)
- Ari Ehrenfeucht & Grace Ingabire Kwazu & Jerry Lo & Brian Nasielski & Sofia Ruiz (2023)
William H. Chandler Prize
The William H. Chandler Prize in Chemistry was established in 2010 as the gift of Mrs. Mary E. Chandler in memory of her husband, Dr. William H. Chandler, Professor of Chemistry at Lehigh from 1871 until his death in 1906. He was also the second person to head the chemistry department, a librarian, and acting president of Lehigh in his time. The model for chemical laboratories in the United States was built by Chandler at Lehigh University in 1885, thus considering the Chandler Chemistry Laboratory as the first modern chemistry lab and revolutionized how chemistry was taught in the academic setting. The prize is awarded to the highest ranking student in each class (sophomore, junior, senior) majoring in chemistry or chemical engineering.
- Sydney Volheim & Sam Miller & Lillian Wu (2025)
- Nolan Cremi & Sydney Volheim & Allison Courtenay (2024)
- Samuel Miller & Nolan Cremi & Joelle Chehade (2023)
- Nolan Cremi & Jacob Thompson & Kiera Croland (2022)
- Joelle Chehade & Rani Baidoun & Stephen Crane (2021)
- Carly Roche & Daniel Lindenmuth & Tanya Chakif (2020)
- Stephan Crane & Rebecca Hong & Nastara Greenberg (2019)
- Lindsay Slavit & Han Zhang & Emily Speakman (2018)
- Holly Callahan & Thomas Macri & Justin Gottlieb (2017)
- Hannah Plaza & Yiyuan Zhang & Lena Barrett (2016)
- Brian Scheidle & Kaylynn Johnson & Nicolette Drescher (2015)
- Paige Elliot & Wesley Michaels & Deidre Baker (2014)
- Cayla Miller & Devin Bostick & John Barton (2013)
- Matthew Boyer & John Barton & Vanessa Kern (2012)
- Lauren Uffelman & William Napier & Alexander Bourque (2011)
- Nathan Bowser & Gregory Barnett & Michael DiRosato (2010)
John C. Chen Prize
The John C. Chen Prize was established in 2013 to recognize students in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for their professional leadership amongst the chemical engineering field.
- Gavin Seymour & Cecelia Wekstein (2025)
- James Keaney & Juliana Forero (2024)
- Jessica Barry & Gabi Layne (2023)
- John Klikushin & Megan Walker (2022)
- Margaretmary Doan & Brenden Huegel (2021)
- Atmiya Patel & Shailagne Yutuc (2020)
- Rachel Lambert & Gray Schick (2019)
- Daniel Gibbs & Donald Posch-Tafuri (2018)
- Benjamin Pingrey & Mark Schumm (2017)
- Wesley Michaels & Leah Tranovich (2016)
- Jennifer Brown & Cayla Miller (2015)
- Matthew Boyer & Kaitlin Keller (2014)
- Kristen Becht (2013)
Robert C. Hicks Prize
The prize is presented since 1987 by Robert C. Hicks (Class of 1949) in honor of Robert C. Hicks, Jr. (Class of 1921). The Robert C. Hicks Prize is awarded to an outstanding student who ranks academically among the top four in chemical engineering at the end of their sophomore or junior year. Hicks attended Lehigh University where he was enrolled in the Chemical Engineering Department and graduated in 1949. Upon graduation, he became involved in many supportive and scholarship programs for incoming students in the field of chemical engineering.
- Shane Haycock & Sabine Dalais (2025)
- Sydney Volheim & Zach Ostrand (2024)
- Lauryn Holgado & Sydney Volheim (2023)
- Joelle Chehade & Lauryn Holgado (2022)
- Kelby Anderson & Carly Roche (2021)
- Stephan Crane & Theodore Riotto (2020)
- Tanya Chakif (2019)
- Holly Callahan & Kexin Chen (2018)
- Hannah Plaza & Evan Pretti (2017)
- Michelle Mazzeo & Brian Scheidle (2016)
- Paige Elliot & Wesley Michaels (2015)
- Jennifer Brown & Cayla Miller (2014)
- Matthew Boyer (2013)
- William Napier (2012)
- John Barton (2011)
- Allison Graf (2010)
- more ... (2009-1987)
Harry M. Ullmann Prize
Harry Maas Ullmann was a professor of chemistry at Lehigh University from 1894-1938 and was chairman of the combined Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Departments from 1912-1938. A wing of the Chandler-Ullmann Chemistry Laboratory is named for him. His leadership shaped both basic and industrial chemistry at Lehigh for half a century. The prize was established in 2010 and is awarded to the highest ranking seniors majoring in chemistry and chemical engineering.
- Emily Michnowski (2025)
- Devin Dabigian (2024)
- Eva Wolfe (2023)
- Kelby Anderson (2022)
- Theodore Riotto (2021)
- Nick Fox (2020)
- Holly Callahan (2019)
- Evan Pretti (2018)
- Brian Scheidle (2017)
- Paige Elliot (2016)
- Justin Carter (2015)
- Devin Bostick (2014)
- Liam Smith (2013)
- Carly Hankins (2012)
- Vanessa Kern (2011)
- Alyssa Fritz (2010)
Graduate Student Awards
John C. Chen Endowed Fellowship
The John C. Chen endowed fellowship for Ph.D. candidates in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering was established in 2017 through the generosity of Dr. Katherine L. Chen ’80G to honor her late husband’s memory as a beloved faculty member and ground-breaking researcher and as the one-time department chair of chemical engineering and dean of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. The award recognizes and supports PhD students in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for their high academic achievement and leadership qualities. Meet the Fellows!
- Bohyeon Kim & Shannon Fernandes (Fall 2024)
- Myeongyeon Lee (Spring 2024)
- Meishan Wu & Shivani Desai (Spring 2023)
- Monicka Kullappan (Fall 2022)
- John Sakizadeh (2022)
- Christopher Rzepa (2021)
- John McGlynn (2021)
- Daniyal Kiani (2020)
- Huijie Tian (2019)
- Gregory Dignon (2018)
- Leah Spangler & William Tiafan (2017)
Kenneth A. Earhart Award
The award was established in 1988 by the Earhart family in memory of Kenneth A. Earhart, a chemist and research consultant of the Emulsion Polymers Insitute and 1930 graduate of Lehigh. The recipients are selected on basis of scholarly achievements in research, cooperation with other graduate students, helping other graduate students within the institute, and contribution to the overall activities of the institute.
- Chin-Fei Chang (2024)
- Hao Guo (2023)
- Adhika Setiawan (2022)
- Tiancheng Pu (2021)
- Nan Wu (2020)
- John McGlynn (2019)
- Samira Anbari Meybodi (2018)
- Kedar Joshi (2017)
- Midhun Jog (2016)
- Minseok Song (2015)
- more ... (2014-1988)
Mohamed El-Aasser Travel Award
This fellowship is made possible through an endowment established by Emeritus Professor Mohamed El-Aasser in 2019 to recognize students in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for their research and classroom accomplishments. The monetary prize offers financial support for conference travel, awarded in Spring.
- Dang Nguyen & Yiman Xu (2024)
- Zeyuan Sun & Eli Ream (2023)
- Meishan Wu (Fall 2022)
- Christoher Rzepa (2021)
- Roshan Mammen Regy (2020)
- Shannon Collins (2019)
Leonard A. Wenzel Prize
Leonard A. Wenzel gave 52 years of service to Lehigh, including 21 as chairman of the department of chemical engineering. He was respected by his peers as a caring administrator who led a period of dramatic growth in the chemical engineering department and gave invaluable encouragement to young professors launching their research careers. The Leonard A. Wenzel Prize in Chemical Engineering is awarded to a graduate student in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for recognition of excellence in the PhD qualifying exam since 1986.
- Courtney David & Johari Dramiga (2023)
- Bohyeon Kim & Yue Wu (2022)
- Jasreen Kaur & Myeongyeon Lee (2021)
- Shivani Desai & Adhika Setiawan (2020)
- Christopher Rzepa & Roshan Mammen Regy (2019)
- Daniyal Kiani (2018)
- Huijie Tian (2017)
- Gregory Dignon (2016)
- Matthew Urich (2015)
- more ... (2014-1986)
