2026 Tagliatela College of Engineering Student Awards

Presented to an outstanding senior in each program in recognition of high academic achievement and active participation in department, college or university activities.

• Chemistry - Angelina Fardo

  

  Angelina Fardo is a senior undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry at the University of New Haven, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Chemistry. Throughout her undergraduate career, Angelina has demonstrated an immense passion for the field. Her love of laboratory work has driven her decision to pursue a PhD and apply her skills in a research setting. Angelina credits her undergraduate years in chemistry with shaping not just her career goals, but her perspective on the world. She is honored to receive this recognition of her hard work and dedication from the Department of Chemistry.

• Chemical Engineering - Cassidy Krill

  

  Cassidy is a senior pursuing a BS in Chemical Engineering. She will continue into the M.S. in Chemical Engineering through the 4+1 program in fall. She has conducted research on slow-scale pyrolysis, designing a system to convert household waste into biochar fertilizer through an international collaboration with a college in Pune, India. Cassidy serves as a teaching assistant, supporting undergraduate engineering labs, and is a former NCAA Division II softball athlete at the University of New Haven. She plans to pursue a career in process or sustainable engineering.

• Civil Engineering - Candice Habay

  

  Candice Habay is a senior Civil Engineering student at the University of New Haven with a current 4.0 GPA. She is a member of the varsity women’s tennis team and has earned Academic Excellence recognition on the Northeast-10 Academic Honor Roll. Candice serves as Secretary of the Chi Epsilon Honor Society and supports students as a Peer Assistant for Short Engineering Reports and as a Transfer Peer Mentor. She is also a member of Tau Sigma Honor Society, successfully completed two summer internships, and passed the FE Civil Exam. A recipient of the CMAA Scholarship Award, Candice will pursue a master’s degree in civil engineering at TU Delft (TOP 3 worldwide) in the Netherlands.

• Computer Science - Yash Desai

  

  Yash Desai is a senior with a strong passion for application development and secure systems design. He has developed a solid foundation in Java, data structures, and software architecture, with experience building scalable and security-focused applications. His work includes projects emphasizing encrypted communication and decentralized file transfer. Beyond academics, he continuously explores emerging technologies and modern development practices. Yash is committed to advancing his expertise in backend engineering and distributed systems, with plans to pursue a professional career focused on building robust, high-performance software solutions.

• Cybersecurity - Kristine Zurovchak

  

  Kristine Zurovchak is a Senior pursuing a B.S. in Cybersecurity & Networks on the NSA Cyber Operations Pathway. She is president of the school’s Women in Cybersecurity chapter and Upsilon Pi Epsilon Honors Society, as well as a member of the Hacking Team, where she was invited to compete in the global Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition (CPTC). After graduation, she will be advancing her career in public sector cybersecurity.

• Electrical & Computer Engineering - Megan Leverock

  

  Megan Leverock is a senior pursuing a B.S. in Electrical and Computer engineering. She is currently interning at RBC Heim Bearings. At Heim, Megan gains hands on experience working in automation, manufacturing, and robotics. As of last fall, Megan has accepted a position at Heim and will start full time after graduation. For one of her senior year projects, she is building an Autonomous Battle Bot with two other students, and they are hoping to compete in a Battle Bot competition in the upcoming months. In her free time, she enjoys baking many desserts, carpentry with her dad, and going on hikes.

• Mechanical Engineering - Beverly Ukoha

  

  Beverly is a senior Mechanical Engineering student in the Honors Program who has been named to the Dean’s List every semester. As an international student, she has made the most of her university experience with her strong commitment to academic excellence and campus involvement. She has served as a tutor in engineering and other STEM courses and fostered an engaging learning environment. In addition, she is a Resident Assistant who leads programs that support and connect first-year engineering residents. She also interned at TRUMPF Inc. as an Occupational Safety Intern, where she applied engineering principles to safety programs in a manufacturing environment. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.

Presented to an outstanding master’s student in each program in recognition of high academic achievement and performance in research/scholarship, teaching or service.

• Biomedical Engineering - Santiago Proano

  

  Santiago is an international student from Ecuador with a bachelor’s in Mechatronic Engineering, pursuing a master’s in biomedical engineering. He works as a research assistant in the BMEiLab under Dr. Amoako’s guidance, leading microfluidic research for lipid nanoparticle formulation and blood-related applications for thrombosis control, with a recent co-author journal publication on characterization of fouling on SiNP-coated feeding tubes. Santiago’s passion lies in developing innovative solutions that integrate mechatronics with biomedical applications to improve health and quality of life, particularly in prosthetics.

• Chemistry - Monica Kaczynski

  

  Monica is a graduate student specializing in analytical chemistry. She serves as the Peer Tutoring Coordinator at the university's Tutoring & Academic Support Center, where she mentors students and tutors a wide range of STEM courses, including chemistry, physics, and calculus. She also works as a research assistant under Dr. Hao Sun, focusing on polymer synthesis, characterization, and ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) for recyclable materials. She previously completed an internship at Momentive, gaining hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation, notably ²⁹Si NMR, and method development. In June, she will begin her career as a chemist at Sipi Metals in Chicago.

• Chemical Engineering - Safi Balkissou Wouna

  

  Safi-Dapetel Balkissou Wouna is a dedicated graduate research assistant student working under Dr. Huan Gu’s supervision, contributing to projects on antibiofilm activity and polymer biodegradation. Safi-Dapetel has supported community outreach by accompanying Dr. Gu to an elementary school science night to demonstrate reaction kinetics concepts. In addition, she assisted with a Chemical Engineering laboratory tour for visiting high school students on campus by demonstrating chemical engineering research laboratory settings and instruments. Outside the lab, she enjoys walking and cooking. She has secured a summer R&D internship with BYK USA Inc. and is looking forward to advancing her research and professional skills.

• Civil Engineering - Uday Kumar Chinnam

  

  Uday Kumar is a master’s student in Civil Engineering with a strong passion for structural engineering and construction management. He has over a year of professional experience in structural engineering and has completed two internships in bridge inspections, also conducted two semesters of research under Dr. Chang on bridge analysis, balancing academic excellence with leadership and active participation. As Vice President of the SEI student chapter, he has led impactful initiatives like resume workshops, field visits, guest lectures, and FE info sessions, supporting both the chapter growth and fellow civil engineering students. Uday represented SEI UNH at various professional platforms across Connecticut, including the Structural Engineering Institute Congress in Boston, April 2026. Uday is known for his reliability and readiness whenever the department needs support. He is driven by innovation and originality, never seeking personal benefit, he values effort and learning, over outcomes. With high proficiency in civil engineering software’s, he aspires to become a Professional Engineer.

• Construction Engineering & Management - Samin Mirzaghanbarpour

  

  Samin is pursuing her master’s degree in construction engineering and management at the University of New Haven, where she serves as a Provost Assistant. She has experience as a Teaching Assistant for the AutoCAD course, combining both learning and teaching practices. She is currently engaged in research on UAS and BIM-based modeling for bridge inspection and continues to develop knowledge in this area. Samin holds a background in architectural engineering and is a member of CMAA. She enjoys visiting theaters and museums, reflecting her design-oriented perspective, and is passionate about sustainability and creating safer, more efficient infrastructure systems.

• Computer Science - Ayush Bhusal

  

  Ayush Bhusal is a Computer Science graduate student from Nepal at the University of New Haven with a 3.98 GPA. His work focuses on building machine learning systems that bring research into production, informed by industry experience in the UK. He serves as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, contributing to computer vision research while mentoring students in algorithms and artificial intelligence. He applies structured reasoning to solve problems in complex and scalable systems. He plans to pursue a career in applied machine learning and intelligent systems.

• Cybersecurity - Kismat Kunwar

  

  Kismat Kunwar is a graduating master’s student in Cybersecurity at the University of New Haven with a 3.96 GPA. Originally from Nepal, he earned his bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity with First Class Honors. He serves as a Provost Research Assistant at the Tagliatelle College of Engineering, where he published first-author research on standardizing digital forensics artifacts using large language models, presented at the EAI International Conference on Digital Forensics & Cyber Crime (ICDF2C), and is working toward publication in an advanced digital investigation journal. He has participated in NCAE Cyber Games and CTF competitions, enjoys watching soccer, and looks forward to applying his cybersecurity expertise to practical challenges and contributing meaningfully to the field.

• Data Science - Shruti Brahma

  

  Shruti Brahma is a Data Science MS candidate at the University of New Haven and a TCoE Endowed Graduate Fellow, one of the university's most prestigious awards. Her work spans research and development in multimodal AI, assistive technology, and educational data mining, with 5+ peer-reviewed research papers across IEEE & Springer Nature along with many open-source contributions. Previously, Shruti worked as an AI Engineer building AR application for smart eyewear. She also mentors young students interested in science and research. Outside academia, she loves photography. After graduation, Shruti will be pursuing a career as an AI Engineer in the assistive technology and computer vision space.

• Electrical Engineering - Erik Parker

  

  Erik is a master’s Electrical Engineering student at the University of New Haven, where he began as an undergraduate. There, he founded the university’s Mars Rover project, which is advancing to world finals for the third time this year. He now mentors the new team and has helped guide its continued success. As a graduate research assistant, Erik studies how quadruped robots can navigate unstable environments using vibration sensors to evaluate surface stability. He is currently working to publish this research. This summer, he will begin working at Anduril Industries.

• Environmental Engineering - Kacey Daly

  

  Kacey Daly is a graduate student pursuing a degree in environmental engineering at the University of New Haven, where she also earned her bachelor’s in marine biology. Kacey’s passion lies in the complexity and fragility of water systems, completing an undergraduate honors thesis on endocrine-disrupting chemicals in local treatment facilities. Currently, she is working as a graduate research assistant, observing PFAS (polyfluoroalkyl substances) in rain gardens. Additionally, Kacey works as a graduate assistant for the university’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Graduating in May, Kacey is excited to continue learning and make a meaningful impact in preserving and restoring water systems.

• Engineering and Operations Management - Rudra Virendrakumar Brahmbhatt

  

  Rudra Brahmbhatt holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Engineering and Operations Management. He is the President of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) UNewHaven Student Chapter for 2025–2026 and has worked as a Graduate Research Assistant under the supervision of Dr. Marzieh Soltanolkottabi. His research focuses on data-driven hurricane forecasting, scenario analysis, and resource planning to support disaster preparedness and decision-making under uncertainty. Outside academics, Rudra enjoys playing tennis, reading books, and exploring astrophysics.

• Industrial Engineering - Juan Martin Azaldegui

  

  Juan is an engineering and operations professional with an international academic background and progressive leadership experience across manufacturing and construction environments. He holds degrees in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Services Management, and is currently pursuing a dual MBA and MS in Industrial Engineering at the University of New Haven (expected December 2026). Juan has held roles including Refinery Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Project Manager, Production Manager, and Director of Services Management. Juan is experienced in leading cross-functional teams, optimizing operations, and driving efficiency, cost reduction, and continuous improvement. Juan focuses on operational excellence and aligning engineering expertise with strategic business objectives.

• Mechanical Engineering - Jatin Kumar

  

  Jatin, hailing from Pakistan, is a dedicated Mechanical Engineering graduate student at the University of New Haven, currently serving as a Graduate Research Assistant. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Debrecen in Hungary, where he was a recipient of the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship Award. His research lies within the area of manufacturing and materials engineering, mainly focusing on additive manufacturing, surface integrity, and predictive modeling. Jatin enjoys exploring new technologies, traveling, and capturing scenic moments through photography.

• Tarek Ibrahim

  

  Tarek S. Ibrahim is a Ph.D. candidate in Engineering and Applied Science with a focus on Polymer and Organic Chemistry at University of New Haven under the supervision of Prof. Hao Sun. His research centers on sustainability through the design and synthesis of degradable and recyclable polymers to replace conventional petroleum-based materials, as well as the development of advanced materials for biomedical drug delivery systems. Tarek is a recipient of a NASA Graduate Fellowship, where he works on developing self-healing polymeric materials for space applications. His work has resulted in 13 publications in prestigious scientific journals, including seven as first author.

  Tarek’s passion is spending time in the lab solving chemistry puzzles through research. He plans to pursue postdoctoral training and ultimately establish his own company focused on advanced materials and sustainable chemical technologies.

• Civil Engineering - Kevin Borrelli

  

  Kevin is a civil engineering student at the University of New Haven with a passion for design and management in commercial buildings. Through leadership in ASCE as Creative Director and service in Chi Epsilon, he has contributed to major events, including the Northeast Concrete Canoe Competition. He has gained experience through bioswale sizing research with Dr. Nandan Shetty and internships with Snyder Civil Engineering, supporting on-site coordination of water resources projects. Kevin has developed skills in design, construction management, and data analysis. After graduation in 2027, he plans to complete his 4+1 M.S. in Civil Engineering while advancing in the industry.

• Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering - Tristyn Barnes

  

  Tristyn is a junior in Chemical Engineering who is consistently involved in his department. He serves as Treasurer of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, a Student Ambassador for the Tagliatela College of Engineering, a member of the Chem-E Car Team, and a research assistant studying natural gas formation. He has accepted a summer internship as a Technical Service Intern at BYK USA, building on prior experience at LATICRETE International and Brand-Nu Laboratories, where he worked as a Process Engineer and Chemical Operator Intern. He plans to pursue a career in advanced materials and chemical manufacturing after graduation.

• Mechanical Engineering - Daniel Folloni

  

  During his time at the university, Daniel completed two summer internships specializing in manufacturing and design. He contributed to a team working on the Sikorsky fast active vibration actuator capstone project. Daniel has a passion for aviation and earned his private pilot certificate at 17 years old. He is now training for his commercial pilot certificate, with plans to become a certified flight instructor. He is the founder of the University of New Haven Aero Club, a student organization dedicated to expanding aerospace opportunities on campus through industry tours, guest speakers, and participation in design competitions. Following graduation, Daniel will be joining a rotational leadership development program with RTX, beginning at Pratt and Whitney in East Hartford.

• Cybersecurity - Raquel Gabriel-Pita

  

  Raquel Gabriel Pita is a Cybersecurity & Networks student at the University of New Haven and an NSF CyberCorps® Scholar, maintaining a 3.93 GPA. She specializes in digital forensics, network security, and vulnerability analysis, and conducts research on anti-forensics and ransomware detection. Her work includes an accepted publication with ASEE and a submitted paper on detecting inconsistencies in digital artifacts. Raquel has also developed an IoT vulnerability detection toolkit using Raspberry Pi. She serves as Vice President of Women in Cybersecurity and mentors peers. After graduation in May 2026, she plans to pursue a career in federal cybersecurity.

• Electrical & Computer Engineering - Adem Lazri

  

  Adem Lazri is a senior Electrical and Computer Engineering student. His family is from Albania, and he is the first engineer in his family. He gained experience through an internship at Eversource Energy. His senior capstone project, “Utility Eye,” applies thermal imaging and drone technology to improve power line monitoring and outage prevention. His academic interests include power systems and embedded systems. Outside of academics, he remains active and enjoys playing pickleball. After graduation, he will begin his career as a Field Test Engineer at Eversource Energy while pursuing an MBA.

• Computer Science - Kyle Mather

  

  Kyle Mather is a Senior Computer Science student with a concentration in Cybersecurity, who is a part of the NSA CAE-CO track, and served as a member of the Varsity Men’s Soccer, Student Athletic Advisory Committee (Community Liasion & President), HackNewHaven 2026 (Finance Officer & Lead CTF Author), Tau Sigma Honor Society, Upsilon Epsilon Pi Honor Society, and the Hacking Club. Kyle has been working as an Information Security Engineer Intern at Principal Financial Group since May of 2025, and will continue full time as an Information Security Engineer I following graduation this May.

• Chemistry - Mackenzie Robien

  

  Mackenzie is a senior who has been actively involved in the chemistry department throughout her time at the University of New Haven. She is currently a TCoE ambassador, a general chemistry lab assistant, and a member of the American Chemical Society. Mackenzie has also completed both research and an internship focused on environmental chemistry, an area she is especially passionate about. After graduation, she plans on working in a wastewater treatment plant as an analyst, allowing her to analyze components in wastewater and contribute to protecting environmental health.

The Tagliatela College of Engineering Service Awards recognize the contributions of undergraduate and graduate students as tutors, peer assistants, lab assistants and volunteers. Recipients of these awards were selected by their academic program.

• Civil Engineering - Bhupesh Chand

  

  Bhupesh Chand earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in Nepal and, after gaining several years of professional experience, joined the University of New Haven in Fall 2024. He has been awarded the Dean and Provost Scholarship (2024–2026) and the GEO-CT Outstanding Student Scholarship (2025). Maintaining a 4.0 GPA, Bhupesh has served as a Graduate Research Assistant and Department Assistant in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and has completed an internship with Dimeo Construction Company. He also served as President of the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Graduate Student Chapter, where he actively promoted student engagement and professional development. His research, conducted under Dr. Byungik Chang, focuses on lateral load distribution in steel girder–concrete deck bridges under wind and vessel collision effects. Outside of academics, he enjoys hiking, community service, and yoga, and aspires to pursue a career in structural engineering.

• Biomedical Engineering - Faiza Chowdhury

  

  Faiza Chowdhury is currently in her last semester of the Biomedical Engineering Master's Program. She is a graduate research assistant at BMDiLAB, where her research focuses on characterization and surface modification of feeding tubes. Faiza is currently the BMES president and was awarded the President’s Award from GSC. She is a Learning Assistant at ARC, where she tutors students in STEM courses. Throughout her academic journey, she was part of Women in Engineering as a student ambassador and research assistant, inspiring young girls into engineering. Faiza's future career plan is to work in the research and development industry.

• Chemistry - Riley Eagleson

  

  Riley is a graduate student currently finishing her M.S. in Chemistry. Throughout her time at the university, she has completed two research projects; one focused on the analysis of drug solutions using TLC-SERS, and the other on observing degradation patterns of latent fingerprints, which she presented at the 49th annual NEAFS conference. Last summer, Riley interned at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, where she worked on sustainable urban-agriculture solutions as a Plant Health Fellow. She has worked as a chemistry laboratory assistant for four semesters and is committed to supporting her fellow students in their studies. Beyond academics, Riley enjoys hiking and reading, and served consecutive terms as Vice President and President of Alpha Sigma Kappa – Women in Technical Studies. After graduation, Riley plans to gain industry experience before pursuing a career in forensic chemistry.