The Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering congratulates the Class of 2026! Through hard work, dedication, and perseverance, you have achieved an incredible milestone. We can’t wait to see the impact that you will make on the world!
We would also like to highlight and celebrate the following award-winning students.
Outstanding Seniors in Chemical Engineering
Highest academic achievement of seniors majoring in chemical engineering
- Afrah Ahmed
- Mikayla M. Bryant
- Elliot H. Clark
- Trevor Gibson
- Brendan J. Hanlon
- Jasmine D. Ives
- James I. Margulies
- Tyler A. Moody
- Danielle T. Romanowski
- Maaike Swaters
- Miffy Yost
Student Leadership Award
- Diana C. Valencia
Dr. Mariajosé Castellanos, AIChE Faculty Co-advisor, adds, "Diana currently serves as the President of the UMBC AIChE chapter, where she leads with both clarity and collaboration. She works closely with her entire executive board to ensure the organization runs smoothly, fostering a culture of teamwork and shared purpose."
Dr. Neha Raikar, AIChE Faculty Co-advisor, shares, "Diana has been highly impactful as a teaching fellow in ENES 101 and was promoted to the head teaching fellow position. She oversaw the smooth running of the discussion sessions and project hours. She was also involved in creating a new project for 101, particularly the fuel cell component. Having a strong representation of chemical engineering in 101 was much needed. She has motivated a few pre-ChemE students and helped build connections with the department."
Undergraduate Research Award
- Maaike Swaters
Sahar Souizi, Maaike's graduate student mentor in BlaneyLab, shares, "As her mentor, I have been impressed by her initiative, critical thinking, and insightful questions, which have helped our team advance both the fundamental and applied understanding of Donnan dialysis. She is highly motivated and driven to complete tasks efficiently, often going beyond expectations to satisfy her curiosity and deepen her understanding of the project. Maaike has also demonstrated strong collaboration skills and has actively participated in presenting our research at several academic events and conferences. Beyond her technical contributions, she has been a supportive and collaborative member of our research team. Based on her commitment to research, work ethic, and intellectual curiosity, I strongly believe Maaike is deserving of recognition for her research accomplishments."
Dr. Lee Blaney, Principal Investigator of BlaneyLab, adds, "I have been quite impressed with her group meeting presentations due to her (i) expert data analysis and interpretation and (ii) creative ownership of her work."