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The Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Tech held its annual MMAE Student Research Poster Competition and departmental awards ceremony on March 28, 2025.  

The MMAE Student Research Poster Competition is a longstanding tradition of the department, drawing keen interest and wide participation among students, faculty, and the Illinois Tech community. 

This year 29 MMAE students presented posters displaying a wide variety of new and fascinating research projects.  

The recipient of the 2025 MMAE Distinguished Alumni Award was Robert Drubka (MAE ’75, M.S. MAE ’77, Ph.D. MAE ’81), research program manager at Arizona State University. He served as a judge for this year’s competition and presented a lecture, titled “Advancing the Revival of American Microelectronics,” about his work with the $100 million Substrate-based Heterogeneous Integration Enabling Leadership Demonstration for the U.S.A. initiative at Arizona State. The SHIELD U.S.A. initiative is an effort to help rebuild America’s global microelectronics leadership to strengthen national security, fuel economic growth, and ensure the United States remains globally competitive. 

MMAE Department Awards: 

2025 MMAE Distinguished Alumni Award—Robert Drubka (MAE ’75, M.S. MAE ’77, Ph.D. MAE ’81) 

2025 MMAE Excellence in Teaching Award—Associate Teaching Professor in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Sayed Saghaian 

2025 MMAE Excellence in Research Award—Assistant Professor Amir Mostafaei 

2025 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award—Atulya Ashokan (M.Eng. MAE ’15, M.Eng. Manufacturing Engineering ’23, Ph.D. MAE Student) 

2025 Outstanding Research Assistant Award—Adwoa Adunyah (Ph.D. MAE Candidate) 

2025 MMAE Outstanding Service Award—Administrative Associate Lee Samsami Stein 

Poster Competition Awards: 

First Place (Bachelor’s and Master’s Category)—Yago Lopez Rivera (M.Eng. MAE 2nd Year), advised by Associate Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Michael Gosz 

Second Place (Bachelor’s and Master’s Category)—Naftali Bojdak-Yates (CPE, ASAR 5th Year), advised by Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Nelson Rosa 

Third Place (Bachelor’s and Master’s Category)—Hannah Markiewicz (AE, M.Eng. MAE 4th Year), advised by Research Assistant Professor Yang Zhang 

First Place (Doctoral Category)—King Longdon Ankobea-Ansah (M.S. MAE ’22, Ph.D. MAE Candidate), advised by Professor Carrie Hall 

Second Place (Doctoral Category)—David Cañones Bonham (Ph.D. MAE Candidate), advised by Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Matthew Spenko 

Third Place (Doctoral Category)—Prashanth Tamilselvam (M.S. MAE ’20, Ph.D. MAE Candidate), advised by Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Francisco Ruiz

Photo: Group photo of students and faculty from the 2025 MMAE poster competition.