The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing proudly participated in Houston Engineers Week (E-Week) by hosting the annual Texas Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) Outstanding Student Awards Luncheon on Feb. 24, 2026.
The TSPE Outstanding Engineering Student Awards Luncheon recognized juniors and seniors in ABET-accredited engineering departments from participating schools across Texas. Rice was joined by Prairie View A&M University, the University of Houston, the College of Engineering at the University of Texas at Tyler, and Texas Southern University.
Awardees represent excellence in academic performance, research, design projects, leadership, and service across the ABET-accredited programs at Rice Engineering and Computing. Students were nominated by their departments based on academic performance, extracurricular activities and service.
One senior and one junior from each school were named Most Outstanding Senior and Most Outstanding Junior, respectively, and received a TSPE scholarship.
From Rice University, the Most Outstanding Senior Award was presented to mechanical engineering student Karina Chao. Her professional background includes internships with Phillips 66 and Air Liquide as well as medical device assembly experience with Stryker. On campus, she researches self-healing materials in the Getachew Lab. She also serves as the treasurer for the Society of Women Engineers and as an undergraduate teaching fellow.
“This recognition supports my academic journey and motivates me to continue pursuing a career in engineering, and I thank the TSPE donors and sponsors for this honor,” said Chao. “I would also like to thank the Department of Mechanical Engineering for support and professor Raudel Avila for his mentorship and continued guidance in my academic endeavors.”
Electrical and computer engineering student Emma Berdou received the Most Outstanding Junior Award. Specializing in control systems and human-machine interaction, Berdou researches teleoperation robotics and haptic feedback at the Mechatronics and Haptic Interfaces Lab. Her professional background includes neuroengineering work with UT Health and industry internships at both Piramal Pharma and Anark Corporation. On campus, she is the electronics team lead for the Rice Medical Design Club and the treasurer for the Rice IEEE student chapter.
“Thank you to the TSPE donors and sponsors for this recognition and support,” said Berdou. “It means a lot to be acknowledged by professional engineers in Texas, and it motivates me to keep pushing myself in my studies and research. I am also very grateful to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering for the support, mentorship, and community that have shaped my experience at Rice.”
Additionally, TSPE recognized outstanding juniors and seniors with certificates:
Outstanding Juniors: Jordyn Mariam, Bioengineering; Bess Glenn, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Jessica Xu, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Ethan Case, Materials Science and NanoEngineering; and Mitchell Harms, Mechanical Engineering.
Outstanding Seniors: Komal Talloo, Bioengineering; Maggie Lim, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; Arkin Si, Civil and Environmental Engineering; Leo Marek, Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Eli Rich, Materials Science and NanoEngineering.
Beyond recognizing student excellence, this luncheon exposed students to industry connections and strengthened Rice University’s connection to the engineering community.
“By placing student achievement at the center of the program, the event reinforces the critical connections between Rice, our local academic peers, and Houston’s professional sector,” said Renata Ramos, senior associate dean for academic affairs at the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. “This collaborative environment provides the direct industry access and cross-institutional networks required to engineer solutions for the world's most complex challenges as our students move from the classroom to high-impact engineering roles.”
E-Week, held this year Feb. 22-28, is an annual national celebration that spotlights the engineering profession as a transformative social and economic influence. Founded by the National Society of Professional Engineers, E-Week unites more than 70 engineering, education, and cultural organizations across the country to highlight the global impact of engineers.