Skip to content ↓

Awards convocation

The Goodwin Medal went to graduate students Helena de Bres and Stephen Hon. <a onclick="MM_openBrWindow('awards-con-goodwin-enlarged.html','','width=509, height=583')">
<span onmouseover="this.className='cursorChange';">Open image gallery</span>
</a>
<noscript> <a href="awards-con-goodwin-enlarged.html">
<em>(no JavaScript)</em>
</a>
</noscript>
Caption:
The Goodwin Medal went to graduate students Helena de Bres and Stephen Hon. <a onclick="MM_openBrWindow('awards-con-goodwin-enlarged.html','','width=509, height=583')">
<span onmouseover="this.className='cursorChange';">Open image gallery</span>
</a>
<noscript> <a href="awards-con-goodwin-enlarged.html">
<em>(no JavaScript)</em>
</a>
</noscript>
Credits:
Photo / Laura Wulf
Graduate student Vineet Thuvara, one of this year's Patrick J. McGovern '59 Entrepreneurship Award winners, with his daughter.
Caption:
Graduate student Vineet Thuvara, one of this year's Patrick J. McGovern '59 Entrepreneurship Award winners, with his daughter.
Credits:
Photo / Laura Wulf
The James N. Murphy Award went to Kaya Miller, Assistant Director, FSILGs, Student Life Programs.
Caption:
The James N. Murphy Award went to Kaya Miller, Assistant Director, FSILGs, Student Life Programs.
Credits:
Photo / Laura Wulf
Senior Nikki Pfarr is one of four winners of the William L. Stewart, Jr. Award.
Caption:
Senior Nikki Pfarr is one of four winners of the William L. Stewart, Jr. Award.
Credits:
Photo / Laura Wulf
Gordon Y. Billard Award winner, Marilee Jones, dean of admissions, at the Awards Convocation.
Caption:
Gordon Y. Billard Award winner, Marilee Jones, dean of admissions, at the Awards Convocation.
Credits:
Photo / Laura Wulf
Professor Paul J. Joskow in the Depatment of Economics was one of two winners of the Gordon Y. Billard Award
Caption:
Professor Paul J. Joskow in the Depatment of Economics was one of two winners of the Gordon Y. Billard Award
Credits:
Photo / Laura Wulf

The following awards were presented at the Institute Awards Convocation on May 9. See also arts-related awards announced at the convocation.

Service

William L. Stewart Jr. Awards--for contributions by an individual student or student organization to extracurricular activities and events during the preceding year
- Sylvain Bruni G, aeronautics and astronautics, Largeasse, France
- Barun Singh G, EECS, Montgomery, AL
- Nici Ames G, mechanical engineering, Kirkland, WA
- Nikki Pfarr 2006, literature, Issaquah, WA

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
- Raja H. R. Bobbili 2007, EECS, Lusaka, Zambia

Priscilla King Gray Award for Public Service--for an undergraduate exceptionally committed to public service at MIT and its surrounding communities
- Christina Gomez 2007, mechanical engineering, San Antonio, TX
- Marta Luczynska 2006, EECS
- Michael Shaw 2007, physics, Hollis Hills, NY
- Alia Whitney-Johnson 2008, civil and environmental engineering, Asheville, NC

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

Gordon Y Billard Award--for special service of outstanding merit performed for the Institute
- Paul L. Joskow, professor of economics
- Marilee Jones, dean of admissions

Karl Taylor Compton Prizes--for achievements in citizenship and devotion to the welfare of MIT
- Yao-Chung King 2006, materials science and engineering, Cherry Hill, NJ
- Peter T. Rye G, chemistry, Merrimack, NH

John S.W. Kellett '47 Award--for a 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
- Anne Pollock G, science, technology and society, Somerville, MA
- Christina Chestnut 2006, mechanical engineering, Schenectady, NY

Education

Arthur C. Smith Award--to a faculty member for meaningful contributions and devotion to undergraduate student life and learning at MIT
- Merritt Roe Smith, professor of science, technology and society

Graduate Student Council Graduate Teaching Awards--for excellence in teaching a graduate-level course, given each year to one professor or teaching assistant from each school
- Kristin J. Mattern G, chemical engineering, Schnecksville, PA
- Mark Zachary Taylor G, political science
- Diogo Santos G, materials science and engineering, Lisbon, Portugal
- Jinhua Zhao G, urban studies and planning, Qingdao, Shandong Province
- Jennifer Davis G, chemical engineering, Selinsgrove, PA
- Professor Patrick H. Winston, School of Engineering
- Professor Haynes Miller, School of Science

Goodwin Medal--for a graduate student whose performance of teaching duties is "conspicuously effective over and above ordinary excellence"
- Helena de Bres G, linguistics and philosophy, Wellington, New Zealand
- Stephen Hou G, EECS, West Windsor, NJ

Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
- David R. Wallace, professor of mechanical engineering
- Kimberly Berkowski, professor of chemistry

Bose Award for Excellence in Teaching
- David R. Wallace, professor of mechanical engineering

Patrick J. McGovern '59 Entrepreneurship Award--to an individual student or student team that has made a significant impact on the quality, visibility and overall spirit of entrepreneurship education and support across the Institute
- Ore A. Adeyemi G, Sloan School of Management, Greensboro, NC
- Jeff Coker G, Sloan School of Management, Atlanta, GA
- Anil Dharni G, Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA
- Bernard Lupien G, Sloan School of Management, Toronto, ON
- Yulia Poltorak G, Sloan School of Management, Moscow, Russia
- Mark Roberge G, Sloan School of Management, Cambridge, MA
- Vineet Thuvara G, System Design and Management, Haryana, India

Women and Minorities

Albert G. Hill Prize--for minority juniors or seniors with high academic standards and continued contributions to improving the quality of life for minorities at MIT
- Andrew Clare 2007, aeronautics and astronautics, Huntington Station, NY
- Tabitha Bonilla 2007, political science, Great Falls, MT

Laya W. Wiesner Award--for an undergraduate woman who has most enhanced MIT community life
- Nupur Garg 2007, chemical engineering, Pace, FL

Ronald E. McNair Scholarship Award--for black undergraduates with strong academic performance and considerable contributions to the minority community
- Nii Armar 2006, aeronautics and astronautics, Fairfax, VA
- Yamicia Connor 2007, chemical engineering, Jacksonville, FL
- Etienne Toussaint 2007, mechanical engineering

Association of MIT Alumnae (AMITA) Senior Academic Award--for senior women who have demonstrated academic excellence through coursework and related activities at MIT
- Leila Agha 2006, economics, Champaign, IL
- Sarah Mahlstedt 2006, chemistry, Boulder, CO
- Archana Venkatraman 2006, EECS, Rochester, NY

Fraternity, Sorority and Independent Living Groups

D. Reid Weedon Jr. '41 Alumni/ae Relations Award--to the FSILG that has promoted the greatest interaction between members and alumni
- Sigma Kappa
- Delta Psi, No. 6 Club

Frederick Gardiner Fassett Jr. Award--to the FSILG community undergraduate man and woman of the year
- Nikki Pfarr 2006, literature, Issaquah, WA
- Tim Pennington 2006, ocean engineering, Walworth, NY

Athletics

Harold J. Pettegrove Award--for outstanding service to intramurals
- Benjamin Kendall 2006, aeronautics and astronautics, Irving, TX

MIT Woman Athlete of the Year Award
- Deanna Lentz 2006, mechanical engineering, Gaithersburg, MD

Howard W. Johnson Award--for the male senior athlete of the year
- Michael D'Auria 2006, materials science and engineering, Newton, MA

Malcolm G. Kispert Award--for the male and female senior scholar-athletes of the year
- Uzoma Orji 2006, EECS, Matawan, NJ
- Karen Kinnaman 2006, biology, Woodstock, NY

A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 7, 2006 (download PDF).

Related Links

Related Topics

More MIT News

Kunal Singh stands before a silver missile in a room with a flat screen behind him

Stopping the bomb

Political science PhD student Kunal Singh identifies a suite of strategies states use to prevent other nations from developing nuclear weapons.

Read full story