2022-23 Undergraduate Student Awards

Jacob Block
Electrical Engineering

Some of my most enjoyable moments during my time at the University of Michigan have been making lifelong friends as part of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, working Summer internships at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and MathWorks, and performing research as part of the Fessler Research Group. I plan to pursue a PhD in Electrical Engineering.

Zixuan Chen
Computer Science

I am majoring in computer science and mathematics. I’m specifically interested in designing and analyzing algorithms that can make a difference in real-world scenarios. Last semester, I did an honors thesis on data structure algorithms advised by Prof. Seth Pettie. I am very grateful to the professors and teaching assistants I encountered here who were so patient, enthusiastic, and dedicated to teaching. I also made many amazing friends here. My favorite part about UMich is the inclusive and supportive learning community. Whenever you get stuck in a course, there are plenty of resources to help you out, such as piazza, office hours, and labs. In the pursuit of knowledge and personal growth, you are never alone. This gave me a lot of courage and strength.

Justin Yu
Electrical Engineering

As an undergraduate student, I was dedicated to exploring my interests beyond the classroom. I served as the RF Wireless Communications Team Lead for the Michigan Mars Rover Student Design Team, where I collaborated with a diverse group of students to design and build a Mars rover for competition. I also had the opportunity to work as an Instructional Aide for ROB 101 Computational Linear Algebra. I completed internships at Medtronic in 2022 and Qualcomm in 2023, where I gained valuable experience in the tech industry. As an undergraduate researcher at UM’s Computational Autonomy and Robotics Laboratory, I had the opportunity to contribute to the scientific community, co-authoring a paper in deep-learning aided robotic state estimation. Looking back at my time at the University of Michigan, I feel incredibly proud of the impact I have made and the opportunities I have leveraged. I am grateful for the relationships I have built with fellow students, professors, and mentors.

Kan Zhu
Computer Engineering

Gaotang (Oliver) Li
Computer Science

I am majoring in honors computer science and honors mathematics. I spent this past summer in Professor Wei Hu’s lab as a research assistant working on methods to tackle the spurious correlation problem, and producing a paper submitted to the International Conference on Machine Learning. I have also been working at the Graph Exploration and Mining at Scale (GEMS) Lab and finished an honors thesis on brain graph sparsification under the supervision of Professor Danai Koutra and Yujun Yan. After my graduation, I am resolutely committed to pursuing a Ph.D. degree and delving into the realm of deep learning, with the intent of fully immersing myself in its intricacies and mysteries.

Wentao Xu
Computer Engineering

I have been an undergraduate researcher at MPEERS (U-M Power Electronics & Energy Research Studio) since January, 2022. I conducted research in battery energy storage systems and digital control of power converters, supervised by Professor Al-Thaddeus Avestruz, and collaborated with the PhD students at MPEERS on two conference papers. I also participated in SURE to design a USB ultrasonic microphone for medical research at ISC (Interactive Sensing and Computing) lab. My research experiences with EECS faculty and graduate students motivate me to pursue an engineering PhD.

Samuel Yang
Electrical Engineering

I am majoring in Electrical Engineering, with emphasis on semiconductor materials and devices. I do research with Professor Zetian Mi’s group, where I have contributed to projects on micro-LEDs for next-generation display technology, ferroelectric rare-earth doped III-nitrides, and high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) for novel computing and memory devices. I’m also passionate about mentoring and teaching, having served as an IA for EECS 215 and EECS 320. My favorite U-M experiences so far include learning how to grow materials via epitaxy and performing processing in the Lurie Nanofabrication Facility. Following graduation, I plan to pursue a PhD at the University of Michigan, after which I wish to join academia and pass my passion for semiconductors to the next generation of students.

Corbin Fleming-Dittenber
Computer Engineering

I am an active member of MRacing, Michigan Snowboard Club, and Club Ultimate Frisbee.  When I’m not snowboarding or playing frisbee I like to produce music and learn about theme parks and roller coasters.  My favorite class at U-M is either Pat 202 where I learned computer music production or EECS 373 where I am learning about embedded systems design. I have an internship with Harman International this summer where I will be working on software for Ferrari. The best part about my time at U-M has been getting to meet and work with so many brilliant people. I am excited to continue to work and meet more people at U-M during my senior year.

Jackson Leb
Computer Science

I’ve had an amazing time at U-M and am grateful for the extra-curricular opportunities the university has allowed me to pursue. I founded and served as Co-President of OpenMI, a machine learning club on campus, as well as working as a research assistant at the Jonides Cognitive Neuroimaging Lab. I am double majoring in Computer Science (LSA) and BCN (Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience), and some of my favorite classes have been COGSCI 200 with Professor Lewis and EECS 390 with Professor Amir Kamil. Last summer I interned at Keybank in Cleveland, Ohio as a Software Development Intern and this upcoming summer I will be interning in NYC at Amazon as a Software Development Engineer. I have loved my time at U-M and this is without a doubt the best university in the world. Go Blue!

Peter Redman
Electrical Engineering

In my time at U-M I have been involved with numerous clubs ranging from Recreational Tennis to MRover, and had a great time on all of them. I have thoroughly enjoyed studying topics like control theory, digital signal processing, and circuits. My proudest accomplishment is probably still winning the 2021 winter IM dodgeball league with my house. I intend to pursue a Master’s degree in robotics.

Jacob Block
Electrical Engineering

Some of my most enjoyable moments during my time at the University of Michigan have been making lifelong friends as part of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, working Summer internships at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and MathWorks, and performing research as part of the Fessler Research Group. I plan to pursue a PhD in Electrical Engineering.

Blake Mischley
Computer Science

At the University of Michigan, I was a team lead at Michigan Investment Group (MIG) and networked with like-minded students in the Entrepreneur Power Hour. I also founded my own startup, MeetYourClass, which aims to bring students together and foster a sense of community on campus, which recently hit 30k account creations. My passion for entrepreneurship and the connections I’ve made with peers have equipped me with valuable skills that will serve me well in my future endeavors. For me, the most beneficial aspect of my time at the University of Michigan was the people and the connections I made with my peers. Everyone seemed to be doing something exciting and innovative, with a common drive to change the world. Hearing their stories and learning from their experiences has been the most rewarding part of my time at UM, and has given me valuable insight and perspective on the possibilities for myself.

Kaleb Schmottlach
Computer Engineering

Aakash Bharat
Computer Engineering

In my time at U-M, I experienced many opportunities to try new things both within and outside of Computer Engineering. With respect to student organizations, U-M Autonomous Robotic Vehicles (UMARV) allowed me to explore my interests in embedded systems with a group that is dedicated to welcoming everyone regardless of their prior experience, while U-M Science Olympiad (UMSO) allowed me to share my love of exploring different branches of STEM with high-schoolers around the Midwest. Outside of student organizations, my first internship and my research opportunity allowed me to realize that I really love working with embedded systems.

Saaketh Medepalli
Electrical Engineering

I participated in Michigan Hyperloop and Michigan Electric Racing before shifting towards research. I worked with Prof. Becky Peterson on semiconductor work initially before moving towards research generally covering intelligent models. I first worked with Prof. Wei Lu in the field of neuromorphic engineering, building brain-inspired memristor models and publishing a journal paper before working on deep learning research from a low-dimensional perspective with Prof. Qing Qu. To understand the nature of intelligence, I interned at the Allen Institute to work on computational neuroscience research. Throughout the entire journey, I have loved teaching others as an IA and a tutor, while being the Treasury Chair and more generally a member of Michigan Sahana, an Indian Classical Music and Dance organization on campus. I plan to attend Carnegie Mellon University for a Master’s in Machine Learning. I hope to work on AI research in my career, developing human-centric intelligent systems. My experience at U-M has been one that has allowed me to explore my interests and eventually land upon a path for my future that I am extremely excited for. My time at U-M would not be complete without a mention of Michigan Sahana, and the wonderful friends and memories I have both performing in concerts, attending events and simply hanging out with members of the organization. I will truly miss them.

Jiayi Pan
Computer Science

I am a senior student in Computer Science Engineering. I transferred to UMich in my junior year. In the one and a half years since I’ve started at UMich, I’ve been actively involved in AI/Robotics research, working closely with Professors Joyce Chai and Dmitry Berenson on multiple projects that have led to several publications. In my free time, I like to explore new hobbies such as game development and skiing. I also enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures. With its excellent academic research and supportive environment, UMich has provided me with incredible opportunities for both research and personal growth, and I’m grateful for the experiences I’ve had here.

Amy Liu
Electrical Engineering

During my time at U-M, I’ve gotten involved in a variety of organizations centered around science outreach. I’m an associate editor for the University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal, which gives undergraduates a chance to experience a review process and to get their research published, and an officer for the University of Michigan Science Olympiad, which hosts a tournament in a variety of STEM topics for middle and high schoolers across Michigan. I also work for the Office of Community, Culture, and Equity, through which I’ve helped teach an Arduino project-based class to underrepresented high schoolers across Michigan.

Jacqueline DiMonte
Computer Science

I am a junior, and my favorite class is Conversational Artificial Intelligence. I currently work as an EECS 281 IA, and I am involved in Peer Mentor Program and GEECS mentorship programs. Outside of CS, I am involved in intramural walleyball and dodgeball. 

Emily Su
Computer Engineering

During my time at the University of Michigan, I’ve been involved as an undergraduate researcher in MiTEE concentrating on command and data handling for the mission’s CubeSat. I am also currently the director of professional development in the Taiwanese Student Association (TWSA) an an active member under the teleoperation team in Michigan Mars Rover.

Amanda Whitley
Electrical Engineering

I am currently a junior majoring in Electrical Engineering. In my time at U-M, I have gotten heavily involved in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Through SWE, I’ve been given many amazing opportunities, such as hosting two workshops about defining your leadership style, hosting a 100 person conference around women in leadership, and countless STEM outreach events for K-12 and college-aged students. Outside of SWE, I’m also a member of another STEM outreach club, called Elementary Engineering Partnerships (EEP), and a recreational dance organization, called New Movement Dance Company, where I’ve taught two semester-long classes and taken many more. This past summer, I had my first internship at Promess, Inc. in Brighton MI. At Promess, I built six industrial presses, programmed them to run with a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), and connected them over a fieldbus. After working with presses for manufacturing in the summer and the introduction to assembly line probability theory through my coursework, I’m heading to Kellogg’s this summer in Battle Creek. Here, I will work to develop their Smart Manufacturing infrastructure. 

Ian Iong (Nicole) Lam
Computer Science

I am a master student at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor majoring in Computer Science. My passion for “how things work” leads to a lifelong path in computer science and engineering projects. My last internship in DoorDash allowed me to collaborate and work on large codebase projects with more understanding of testing and deploying code to actual production. In my previous experience of being an instructional aide, I worked with the team to coordinate more than 400 students and helped students understand and reinforce their conceptual understanding of course material through weekly office hours and discussion sessions. Also, I have been a research assistant for web robotic process automation in which I gained hands-on experience in tackling real-life requests in data scraping tasks. Besides my technical skills, my diverse passions in designing also lead me to help different basketball teams where I design posters as well as shoot and edit promotion videos. I am also the team leader for the Michigan Wolves Chinese Basketball Women’s Team and manager of the Men’s Team. I look forward to continue my journey at the University of Michigan.

Amy Liu
Electrical Engineering

During my time at U-M, I’ve gotten involved in a variety of organizations centered around science outreach. I’m an associate editor for the University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal, which gives undergraduates a chance to experience a review process and to get their research published, and an officer for the University of Michigan Science Olympiad, which hosts a tournament in a variety of STEM topics for middle and high schoolers across Michigan. I also work for the Office of Community, Culture, and Equity, through which I’ve helped teach an Arduino project-based class to underrepresented high schoolers across Michigan.

Ava Pardo-Keegan
Computer Science, Computer Engineering

I am majoring in Computer Science and Computer Engineering with a minor in Russian. I am currently the President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and am a member of Engineering Honors. I am the peer advisor for CSE and an IA for ENGR 100. I have completed research in AI/Natural Language Processing and Bioinformatics and have completed Software Engineering internships at Amazon. I am honored to be receiving an award and extremely grateful for my time at U-M. I have been able to not only pursue my academic interests with the help of the amazing faculty and staff here, but also my passion for diversity in engineering through multiple organizations on campus, especially through the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

Alex Bismuth
Computer Science

There are so many things I’d want to talk about. I think my favorite experience was working with (now doctor) Michael Gonzalez on a systematic review of the ways in which we’re restoring touch in people with acquired upper and lower limb amputations. It taught me that I want to work in rehabilitation or assistive technologies. It also taught me how I could approach writing my now 26-page scientific paper about how many capybaras it would have taken to move the rocks of Stonehenge. I want to keep encouraging people to pursue ridiculous ideas in the name of science. Anything that lets me do that is a good plan.

Kohei Nishiyama
Electrical Engineering

I am Kohei Nishiyama, a third year Electrical Engineering student. I am currently in my second year as the Platform Lead for the Autonomous Robotic Vehicle team and was a brakes team member on the Solar Car team. I am doing a project about the electrical characterization of gallium nitrides and gallium oxides diodes or transistors in Professor Ahmadi’s research group. I was also an IA for EECS 215.

Kan Zhu
Computer Engineering

Dipro Prattoy
Computer Science

Dipro Prattoy
Computer Science

Ibrahim Musaddequr Rahman
Computer Science

Abby Duke
Computer Science

Angelina Ilijevski
Computer Science

Since I began my educational journey at U-M, I’ve become a member of various clubs from which I gained a diverse skill set. I joined Michigan Investment Group as a Quant Developer where I worked to research and develop proprietary investing algorithms. I also joined Michigan Hackers as an Experienced iOS App Developer where I invented and developed the team’s ongoing iOS app project. Soon after, I joined The Michigan Daily’s development team as a Mobile Application Developer where I created and designed mobile app features to deliver journalism and push notifications to readers of the newspaper. Additionally, I’ve had the opportunity to take multiple interesting computer science classes, my favorite being EECS 281: Data Structures and Algorithms. As a result of my involvement on campus, I was welcomed into Amazon as a Jr. Software Developer, during my freshman year, where I continue to work on algorithms and communicate directly with engineers, managers, designers, and directors of varying levels and organizations to provide an exceptional automated experience to millions of customers worldwide. As a student, I also continue to participate in writing contests, hackathons, research opportunities, and other activities both at U-M and elsewhere so as to maximize my understanding of the challenging yet fascinating concepts I learn at the university.

Kendra Kleber
Computer Science