Celebrating Student Excellence 2026

News / May 11, 2026

Twenty undergraduate and graduate students are recognized for outstanding achievements in scholarship, research, leadership, teaching, and service, showcasing the talent and impact of Penn Engineering’s next generation of innovators.

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Yiding Zhang Defends Master’s Thesis on Computational Modeling of C. elegans

News / May 21, 2025

For many students, the path to a graduate degree is a journey of self-discovery, and for Yiding Zhang, his journey has been one of academic evolution and unexpected passions. His master’s thesis, “A Computational Model of Caenorhabditis elegans Locomotion” focused on the computational modeling of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), a tiny, transparent...

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Celebrating Graduate Excellence (2025)

News / May 15, 2025

At this year’s Graduate Awards Ceremony, six MEAM graduate students were celebrated for their contributions to the Penn Engineering community through service, teaching, and academics. Master’s Student Awards Nina Gao ’25 was the recipient of the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s (SEAS) Outstanding Teaching Award for significant contributions as a teaching assistant...

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Xueyang Qi Defends Master’s Thesis on the Dynamic Origami Quadruped Robot

News / August 22, 2024

Master’s students have the option to write and defend a thesis at the end of their two-year program. Xueyang Qi, a 2024 graduate with a double major in Electrical and Systems Engineering (ESE) and Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), opted to write a thesis under the advisory of Cynthia Sung,...

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MEAM Master’s Students Compete at ICRA 2024

News / July 23, 2024

he 2024 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in PACIFICO Yokohama, held from May 13–17, was a thrilling experience for us emerging robotics enthusiasts. The event was an incredible gathering where the world’s leading robotics experts showcased and competed with their cutting-edge technologies. I am keeping this blog...

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Zaini Alansari Defends Master’s Thesis on Off-Grid Photovoltaics and Energy Storage

News / May 22, 2024

Zaini Alansari, a recent graduate from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), has successfully defended his master’s thesis titled “Modeling Off-Grid Photovoltaics Integrated with Micro-Cogeneration and Electrical Energy Storage.” His research presents an innovative system that combines solar photovoltaics, micro-cogeneration, and electrical energy storage to achieve energy...

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Xu Zhang Defends Master’s Thesis on Micro-Robotic Membranes

News / May 13, 2024

Xu Zhang, a recent graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM), has successfully defended his master’s thesis titled “Optical Analysis of Buckling-Induced Micro-Robotic Membranes” under the advisor of Assistant Professor in Electrical and Systems Engineering, Marc Miskin. His research offers a novel framework for understanding the...

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Ho Jin Choi Defends Master’s Thesis

News / May 7, 2024

Ho Jin Choi has successfully defended his master’s thesis titled “Gaussian Process-Based Active Exploration Strategies in Vision and Touch” under the advisory of Nadia Figueroa, Shalini and Rajeev Misra Presidential Assistant Professor in MEAM. Choi’s research presents innovative methods for enhancing the capabilities of robots in perceiving and interacting with their...

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Celebrating Graduate Student Excellence 2024

News / May 6, 2024

Each year, Penn Engineering master’s students are honored with awards recognizing exceptional scholarly achievements. This year, we are proud to recognize four graduate students in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics who received these awards. Master’s Awards Outstanding Academic, Tianyun Zhao, MEAM MSE & MCIT 2024 Outstanding Researcher, Ho Jin Choi,...

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Celebrating Graduate Student Excellence 2024