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  1. Home
  2. 2025 MatSE Spring Awards Celebration

2025 MatSE Spring Awards Celebration

Welcome

This year marked the twenty-third annual MatSE Awards Celebration which recognized the achievements of MatSE students, staff, faculty, and alumni whose contributions continue to make MatSE a top-ranked materials science and engineering program. 

The event was also an occasion for MatSE to express appreciation for the generous support received throughout the year from alumni, friends, and partners. It is their generosity that is critical in furthering the MatSE mission.

View photos from the 2025 MatSE Spring Awards Banquet
 

Undergraduate Awards

Graduate Awards

Department Awards

Jon-Paul Maria receiving the MatSE Alumnus of the Year Award

MatSE Alumnus of the Year

This award is given to an outstanding alumnus or alumna for exceptional contributions. This year’s recipient was Jon-Paul Maria, professor, MatSE, Penn State.

Headshot Stephanie Law

MatSE Faculty Member of the Year

This award honors a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, research, advising, or outreach. Recipients are selected by the student advisory committee based on student nominations. This year’s award recipient was Stephanie Law, associate professor. 

Sue Hyde, Meg Abplanalp, and Hayley Barnes receive the MatSE Staff Excellence Award

MatSE Staff Excellence Award

This award recognizes staff members who exhibit at least one of the following: excellent job skills, knowledge of departmental goals, ability to motivate others, creative problem-solving skills, takes a leadership role, dependable and efficient, professional demeanor, positive attitude, enthusiastic and dedicated in carrying out duties, cooperative and courteous interaction with others, good supervisory skills. This year’s recipients were Meg Abplanalp, academic adviser and recruiter, Hayley Barnes, academic program coordinator, and Sue Hyde, graduate program coordinator. 

Agatha O’Connell received the Outstanding Safety Award

Outstanding Safety Award

MatSE is a leader in safety at Penn State due to everyone doing their part. This award recognizes an undergraduate or graduate student who has gone above-and-beyond the high standards set by the department. This year’s recipient was Agatha O’Connell, graduate student.

Rose Hernandez received the David Ford McFarland Award for Achievement in Materials

David Ford McFarland Award for Achievement in Materials

The David Ford McFarland Award for Achievement in Materials was established in 1948 by the Penn State Chapter of the American Society for Metals (now ASM International) to honor graduates of Penn State  who have honorably distinguished themselves in some field of materials. The award was named in honor of Dr. David Ford McFarland—former professor and department head.

Awarded to: Rose Hernandez, Ph.D. Science Program Director, International Space Station National Laboratory

Nathan Smith received the Dr. David Green Materials Faculty Service Award

Dr. David Green Materials Faculty Service Award

Established to enrich MatSE by recognizing a faculty member who has performed outstanding service work and provide support to faculty to further their contributions in teaching, research, and public service in MatSE. This year’s award recipient was Nathan Smith, research assistant professor. 

New Awards

  • Petra Maya Gill Graduate Research Fund in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
  • David J. Green Post Doctorate Fund
  • David J. Green Undergraduate Research Fund
  • David J. Green Materials Faculty Service Award Fund

Undergraduate Awards

Recognizing outstanding undergraduate students' accomplishments from the academic year.

We have more than 50 active scholarship opportunities available to our undergraduate students and awarded more than $250,000 to our students each year.

This would not be possible without the generous support from our alumni, friends and partners. Their generosity is critical in furthering the mission of our department, and we thank each of our benefactors and scholarship donors for their continued support. ​

See all  2025 Undergraduate Awards.

Graduate Awards

Recognizing outstanding graduate students' accomplishments from the academic year.

Our 2025 Awards Presentation recognizes outstanding graduate students accomplishments from the academic year.

We thank our generous alumni, friends and partners for making these awards possible for our graduate students. Their generosity is critical in furthering the mission of our department, and we thank each of our benefactors and scholarship donors for their continued support. ​

See all 2025 Graduate Awards.

Faculty/Program Support

  • James D. and Joanne Partridge Beckman Fund for Program Support in Materials Science and Engineering ​
  • Corning Faculty Fellowship in Materials Science and Engineering​
  • H. M. Davis Metallurgy Equipment Fund​
  • Dorothy Pate Enright Professorship in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
  • Steward S. Flaschen Professorship in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering​
  • David J. Green Materials Faculty Service Award Fund​
  • David J. Green International Faculty Development Fund​
  • Hamer Professorship of Materials Science and Engineering​
  • John R. and Kathleen L. Hellmann Professional Development Fund​
  • Floyd A. Hummel Travel Fund in Ceramic Science​
  • Harvey P. Kocher Memorial Fund​
  • Fred and Peggy Langenberg Innovation Fund in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering ​
  • Norris B. McFarlane Faculty Career Development Professorship in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
  • Metals Science and Engineering (Metallurgy) Centennial Fellows Fund
  • Messing Family Fund for Academic Enrichment in Materials Science and Engineering
  • Guy Rindone Graduate Research Fund
  • B. Thomas and Mary Alice Shirk Endowment for Graduate Studies in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
  • Sobota Family Student Engagement Fund in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering
  • Richard M. and Patricia B. Spriggs Award for Achievement in Ceramics
  • Nelson W. Taylor Lecture Series
  • Thrower Endowed Program Fund in Materials Science and Engineering

MVC17 - Materials Visualization Competition Winners

MVC is a scientific, visual, and artistic competition sponsored by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MatSE) and the Materials Research Institute (MRI). Through the creativity and visualization of our researchers, MVC celebrates the quality of research in materials at Penn State and promotes awareness of materials science. Entry is open to all Penn State undergraduates, graduates, post-docs, and faculty working on materials-related topics.

For more information on the MVC, visit https://sites.psu.edu/mvcs

MVC17 Best of Show Winning image

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