Spring 2022

Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Graduating Senior Award

The Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Graduating Senior Award is given to one student each fall and spring that has displayed excellent academic ability, involvement in extracurricular activities, and/or a strong commitment to community service.

Brian Simpson

Brian arrived on the Mines campus in the Fall of 2018 as a freshman and quickly began to distinguish himself as an outstanding student, maintaining a very high GPA while working on a NASA project where he designed 3D printed prototypes of ergonomic handles for equipment on the International Space Station.

Brian continued to excel in his studies during his sophomore and junior years while also joining the Blue Key Honor Society, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and the Tau Beta Pi Engineering honors society.

Brian stepped up to serve as a TA for Mechanical Engineering project-based courses in his senior year. In this position, Brian assisted and advised students as they worked through the difficulties of designing and building engineering hardware. Brian patiently and expertly explained complex topics to students and helped them to understand the course material. In addition to serving as a TA in class, Brian volunteered to move his office hours to host a departmental study night every Tuesday night. This study night was a huge success attracting students from all the ME core classes and creating a space for students to organically develop community within the department.

For his high academic achievement and outstanding commitment to his fellow students, the Mechanical Engineering Department is pleased to name Brian Simpson as the May 2022 Outstanding Graduating Senior.

The John Steele Commemorative Service Award

The John Steele Commemorative Service Award is given to one graduating senior each fall and spring that has displayed outstanding service to the Department of Mechanical Engineering during their time at Mines.

Elior Bilow Makler

Elior was nominated by the Mechanical Engineering faculty for his outstanding service to a huge variety of Mechanical Engineering courses. Elior served as a TA in Heat Transfer, Fluids II, Intro to Programming and Hardware Interface, and the Machine Shop. As one department staff member put it “Elior is the most in-demand TA in the department. Every semester I have to notify several disappointed faculty members that he is already hired for another class and not available.” Elior consistently goes above and beyond to help his fellow Orediggers learn and master their course material. In heat transfer, Elior took it upon himself to develop and solve a unique, relevant example problem for students that demonstrated the week’s lecture topics. Elior then used his example problems to lead discussions on the lecture material. Elior’s contributions to courses at Mines are far beyond what any faculty members expected from an undergraduate teaching assistant. Students consistently seek out Elior for help even if he is not the TA for their class because he can teach such a broad array of material so effectively.

In recognition for his many contributions to student learning, the Mechanical Engineering Department is pleased to present Elior Billow Makler with The John Steele Commemorative Service Award.

Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Student Athlete Award

The Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Student Athlete Award honors one student each fall and spring that has excelled in both academics and athletics. The winner of this award is a varsity athlete who competes at a high level, displays strong academic performance, and serves others in their community.

Lindsey Jin

Lindsey is graduating with a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a valuable member of the Mines Volleyball team. In her final year of eligibility, Lindsey appeared in all 30 matches and started in 18 of those matched. Lindsay ended the season with 1,278 career kills which places her #8 on the Mines all-time list and 3,364 career attacks which ranks #7 on the all-time list. This year vs. Black Hills State Lindsey scored 13 kills of 15 attempts with no errors which was the best performance nationally for the season.

Lindsey also brought her expertise in volleyball into the lab, completing a Human Centered Design Studio project to create a prosthetic dancer’s foot and a climbing rig for paraplegic rock climbers. This year, Lindsey designed and conducted her own study of how ankle joint mobility affects the jump height of female volleyball players, which she plans to publish as a peer-reviewed journal article.

For her many accomplishments on the volleyball court and in her studies, the Mechanical Engineering Department is pleased to name Lindsey Jin as the ME Outstanding Student Athlete.  

Mechanical Engineering Emeritus Faculty Undergraduate Award

The Mechanical Engineering Emeritus Faculty Undergraduate Award is given to one graduating senior who is a well-rounded outstanding student, who displays significant engagement with the Mechanical Engineering Department, the broader campus of Mines and the community.

Arianna Castro

Arianna not only excelled in her studies at Mines, but also has been a tireless advocate for increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. As the Mines Chapter President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Ariana led numerous outreach efforts for K-12 students, including the Day of Science, a bilingual outreach event for K-12 students and their parents which was attended by 150 guests. Arianna is also the co-creator of the Mines Near-Peer Mentorship Program, which pairs Mines students with high school students to help high school students prepare for college. Arianna worked with the Golden United Way to obtain $15,000 in funding for the program which was used to provide scholarships to mentors in the program. On top of her other achievements, Arianna provides tutoring support to Denver Public Schools students and volunteered as an online Zoom tutor for 5th graders at Maple Grove Elementary during COVID lockdown in 2020.

Arianna has also demonstrated consistent professional growth during her time at Mines. She was a two-time intern at Proctor and Gamble’s Family Care division and conducted research under the ReNUWit program where she studied the removal of methane from wastewater. She presented her research in a poster session at ReNUWit’s annual conference at Stanford University. 

For Arianna’s outstanding professional accomplishments and exemplary service to her community, the Mechanical Engineering Department is pleased to Award her the ME Emeritus Faculty Exemplary Undergraduate Student Award.

Mechanical Engineering Emeritus Faculty Graduate Award

The Mechanical Engineering Emeritus Faculty Graduate Award is given to one graduate who is a well-rounded outstanding student, who displays significant engagement with the Mechanical Engineering Department, the broader campus of Mines and the community.

Rathana “Rath” Preap

Rath is the first member of his family to attend college and is graduating with a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering. Throughout his time at Mines, Rath has consistently demonstrated academic excellence and dedication to his fellow Orediggers. Rath served throughout his career at Mines in the Society of Asian Scientist and Engineers, including a term as president from 2020-2021. Rath organized conferences and cultural events for SASE including the popular Asian Cultural Festival. Rath also served in the Multicultural Engineering program and consulted with university leadership on Diversity, Inclusion, and Access initiatives at Mines. 

Rath has also demonstrated huge career growth during his time at Mines, completing  internships with Sierra Nevada Corporation, DARPA, and Vantage Data Centers. After graduation, Rath will be joining Raytheon Technologies. 

In addition to his outstanding accomplishments, Rath is known across campus as a kind and thoughtful member of the Mines community who is always striving to make Mines a better place. Finally, he is an accomplished DJ and a key factor to the success of the Mechanical Engineering departments Trucks and Tunes Community event which he has emceed for the past two semesters.

For his outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the Mines community, the Mechanical Engineering Department is pleased to award Rathana Preap the ME Emeritus Faculty Exemplary Graduate Student Award.

Mechanical Engineering E-Days Engineer Award

The Mechanical Engineering E-Days Engineer Award honors a student that embodies the characteristics of a true Oredigger. E-Days Engineers display strong academics, are well-rounded outside of the classroom, which may include involvement in student organizations and clubs, athletics, and/or community service. The ideal nominee is someone who has made a large impact on the Oredigger community.

Amanda Camarata

One faculty member summed up Amada’s accomplishments as follows: “Amanda is a determined young woman, carving her path in engineering and seeking opportunities to lead and learn while at Mines. Her level of engagement in the few years she has been at Mines speaks to her dedication to her education and her community. Amanda is a quiet force helping to lead women in engineering and guide DI&A initiatives on campus.”

During her time at Mines, Amanda has been a consistent leader in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Society of Women Engineers, and Women of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Amanda encourages women to pursue careers in aerospace by developing videos and webinars to infuse essential technical skills and organizing and moderating industry panels. Amanda has also served on the Mechanical Engineering Departmental Diversity, Inclusion, and Access committee as a student liaison to help guide DI&A efforts within the department.

Amanda has also participated in several research projects, studying Arecibo telescope observations of asteroids and data from the Parker Solar Probe and WIND spacecraft. 

For her many contributions to the Mines community, the Mechanical Engineering Department is pleased to name Amanda Camarata as the ME E-Days Engineer.

Past Award Winners