Penn Engineering has announced the faculty recipients of the 2023 Student Choice Awards (formerly the Teaching and Advising Awards). Each year, the Penn Engineering undergraduate student body selects the recipients of these awards for their dedication in teaching, mentorship, and student advocacy. This year features two new awards, the Student Advocacy Award and the Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award.

Student Advocacy Award

Brit Shields, a senior lecturer in bioengineering, is the inaugural recipient of the Student Advocacy Award. This award is presented to a member of the Penn Engineering faculty by the Underrepresented Student Advisory Board in Engineering in recognition of their outstanding commitment to women and underrepresented student advocacy, equity, and inclusion. Dr. Shields completed a PhD at Penn in the history and sociology of science, with a dissertation on scientific diplomacy through the example of Richard Courant and New York University, where Dr. Shields completed an MA in humanities and social thought: science studies.

Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award

Deep Jariwala, an assistant professor in electrical and systems engineering, is the first member of the faculty to be awarded the Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award. This award is given to a member of the faculty by the undergraduate student body and the Engineering Alumni Society in recognition of outstanding research mentorship of undergraduate students in the school. Dr. Jariwala received his undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology and went on to receive a PhD in materials science and engineering from Northwestern University.

S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award

Peter K. Davies, the Class of 1942 Term Professor in materials science and engineering, has been awarded the S. Reid Warren, Jr. Award. Presented in conjunction with the Engineering Alumni Society, this award recognizes outstanding service in stimulating and guiding the intellectual and professional development of undergraduate students at the school. Dr. Davies earned a BA in chemistry and an MA in natural sciences from Oxford University. He then went on to earn a PhD in solid state chemistry from Arizona State University.

Ford Motor Company Award for Faculty Advising

Arvind Bhusnurmath, a senior lecturer in computer and information science, is this year’s recipient of the Ford Motor Company Award for Faculty Advising, which recognizes dedication to helping students realize their educational, career and personal goals. Dr. Bhusnurmath received an integrated five-year M.Tech in mathematics and computing from the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, India, and then went on to earn a PhD in computer and information science from the University of Pennsylvania.

Hatfield Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Lecturer and Practice Professor Track

Mahadevan Khantha, a senior lecturer in materials science and engineering, has been awarded the Hatfield Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Lecturer and Practice Professor Track. Presented to a full-time lecturer, senior lecturer or practice professor in Penn Engineering, the award recognizes outstanding teaching ability, dedication to innovative undergraduate instruction, and exemplary service to the school in consistently inspiring students in the engineering and scientific profession. Dr. Khantha earned BS and MS degrees in physics from the University of Madras. She then went on to earn a PhD in physics from the Indian Institute of Technology.