Community members receive awards for service, education, sports, arts and more at annual May Awards Convocation

June 5, 2002

At MIT's annual Awards Convocation on May 13, numerous individuals and groups around the Institute were recognized for achievements during the academic year. The awards and the recipients are as follows. (Sports awards presented at the convocation are included in the story on page 15, while arts awards are on page 18.)

NEW AWARDS

The Kristen E. Finnegan Prize, recognizing the contribution of a graduate student in any discipline in helping undergraduates improve their writing skills, was awarded to Loren A. King (Ph.D. 2001). The prize was established in memory of Kristen E. Finnegan, a graduate student in architecture and an outstanding teacher of writing. The instruction in writing can occur in any of a variety of contexts, including classroom presentations as a teaching assistant, individual meetings as a teaching assistant or tutor, or as a graduate student in a laboratory working with UROP students.

The John S. W. Kellett '47 Award recognizes any MIT individual or group for an exceptional and/or sustained commitment to creating a more welcoming environment at MIT, including but not limited to, improving the experience of lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgendered (LBGT) and questioning individuals. The award honors Kellett, whose spirited support has enabled significant improvements in the lives of members of MIT's LBGT community and the Institute as a whole. The award went to Nils O. Fonstad of Arlington, a graduate student at the Sloan School.

The Patrick J. McGovern, Jr. '60 Entrepreneurship Award was presented to the MIT $50K Entrepreneurship Competition for significant impact on the quality, visibility and overall spirit of entrepreneurship education and support across the Institute. Any MIT student or student team is eligible for this new award, established by McGovern working through the MIT Entrepreneurship Center. McGovern is an accomplished entrepreneur, life member of the MIT Corporation and major contributor to the Institute community.

SERVICE

William L. Stewart Jr. Awards--for contributions by an individual student or student organization to extracurricular activities and events during the preceding year.

Jovonne J. Bickerstaff '02, urban studies and planning, Akron, Ohio

Mendel Chuang '02, management, Los Angeles

Jaime E. Devereaux '02, aeronautics and astronautics, Barrington Hills, Ill.

Michael R. Folkert G, nuclear engineering, St. Paul, Minn.

Alvar Saenz Otero G, aeronautics and astronautics, San Jeronimo, Mexico

Annie K. Wang '02, management, Silver Springs, Md.

Laya Wiesner Community Award--for a member or friend of the MIT community for conspicuously effective service that reflects Mrs. Wiesner's concerns for enhancing life at the Institute and the world at large

Effrat Shavit '02, linguistics and philosophy, Concord

Priscilla King Gray Award for Public Service--for an undergraduate exceptionally committed to public service at MIT and its surrounding communities.

Selam Daniel '02, chemical engineering, Arlington, Texas

James N. Murphy Award--for an employee whose spirit and loyalty exemplify inspired and dedicated service, especially with regard to students

Teresa O'Connor, house manager of Eastgate

Gordon Y Billard Award--for a faculty member, nonfaculty employee or one not necessarily affiliated with the Institute for special service of outstanding merit performed for the Institute

Charlene M. Placido, assistant dean for research

Albert J. Guarino, dormitory housekeeper for Next House

Steven M. Dimond, manager of the Copy Technology Centers

Karl Taylor Compton Prizes--for achievements in citizenship and devotion to the welfare of MIT

Sudeb C. Dalai '02, brain and cognitive sciences, St. Louis

Shunmugavelu D. Sokka G, health sciences and technology, Centerville, Ohio

EDUCATION

Edward L. Horton Award--for fostering fellowship in the graduate student body

MIT Muslim Students' Association

Irwin Sizer Award--for the Most Significant Improvement in MIT Education

Professor David Litster of physics, former vice president and dean for research

Frank E. Perkins Award--for excellent advising for graduate students

Professor Rudiger Dornbusch, Sloan School of Management

Graduate Student Council Graduate Teaching Award--for excellence in teaching a graduate-level course, given each year to one professor or teaching assistant from each school

Professor Keith Hampton, School of Architecture and Planning

Professors Kent F. Hansen and Manish Bhardwau, School of Engineering

Daniel B. Landau G, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Professor Georgia Perakis, Sloan School

Goodwin Medal--for a graduate student whose performance of teaching duties is "conspicuously effective over and above ordinary excellence"

Elizabeth A. Kensinger G, brain and cognitive sciences, Kansas City, Mo.

Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Professor John G. Brisson II and Professor Ernest G. Cravalho, mechanical engineering

Professor Barton Zwiebach, physics

Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching--for outstanding contributions to undergraduate education by members of the School of Engineering faculty

Professor Jesus A. del Alamo, EECS

Arthur C. Smith Award--for a faculty member for meaningful contributions and devotion to undergraduate student life at MIT

Professor Linn W. Hobbs of materials science and engineering

WOMEN AND MINORITIES

Albert G. Hill Prize--for juniors or seniors who have maintained high academic standards and made continued contributions to the improvement of the quality of life for minorities at MIT

Leonard J. Grant '02, materials science and engineering, Philadelphia

Kateri A. Garcia '03, mechanical engineering, Albuquerque, N.M.

Laya W. Wiesner Award--for the undergraduate woman who has most enhanced MIT community life

Radha K. Iyengar '02, economics, Mohegan Lake, N.Y.

Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Award--for black undergraduates who have demonstrated strong academic performance and who have made considerable contributions to the minority community--seniors

Melissa A. Edoh '02, political science, North Bethesda, Md.

Nathan A. Fitzgerald '02, aeronautics and astronautics, Hyannis

Ebraheem I. Fontaine '02, mechanical engineering, Forestville, Md.

Irfan S. Pirmohamed '02, aeronautics and astronautics, Rego Park, N.Y.

Jeannette D. Stephenson '02, electrical engineering and computer science, Little Rock, Ark.

Huanne T. Thomas '02, chemical engineering, Miami, Fla.

Association of MIT Alumnae (AMITA) Senior Academic Award--for senior women who have demonstrated the highest level of academic excellence through coursework and related professional activities at MIT

Alexandra G. Ianculescu '02, chemistry, Simi Valley, Calif.

Tiffany S. Santos '02, materials science and engineering, Valdosta, Ga. (honorable mention)

Emily M. Craparo '02, aeronautics and astronautics, Destin, Fla. (honorable mention)

FSILGs

D. Reid Weedon Jr. '41 Alumni/ae Relations Award--for the independent living group that has promoted the greatest interactions between its members and alumni/ae

Sigma Chi

Frederick Gardiner Fassett Jr. Awards--for the male and female members of the InterFraternity Council who have unselfishly demonstrated the qualities of spirit, dedication and service in furthering the ideals of MIT fraternity brotherhood and sisterhood

Rory P. Pheiffer '02, Zeta Psi, mechanical engineering, Novi, Mich.

Yolanda Fan '02, Alpha Chi Omega, biology, Honolulu

A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 5, 2002.

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