The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing Alumni Awards honor alumni for achievements and service that have a lasting impact on society. The School of Engineering and Computing and the Rice Engineering Alumni (REA) board are pleased to announce the 2026 recipients of the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award, the Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award and the Dean’s Appreciation Award.
The 2026 Alumni Award recipients are recognized for industry leadership, innovative technology and diagnostic platform development, and their immeasurable impact on students’ hands-on educational experiences at Rice University.
Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award
The Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award is the highest recognition bestowed by the School of Engineering and Computing and honors a lifetime of professional accomplishments. Vinay Pai ’88 ’91 is the recipient of this award.
Pai is a technology executive, entrepreneur and fintech leader whose career has focused on building innovative platforms that expand economic opportunity for consumers and small businesses. He served as Chief Technology Officer at BILL, helping scale the company through its successful 2019 IPO. Previously, he held executive leadership roles at Intuit following Intuit’s acquisition of PayCycle. He has also held leadership positions with Fiserv (formerly First Data) and Cassatt. Most recently, as Founder and CEO of Prosperos.ai, he developed AI-driven fintech solutions that improved access to banking, credit, and international remittances for underserved communities. Pai now advises companies and executives on technology strategy and product innovation.
Pai has been instrumental in raising visibility of Rice to the broader community as a member of the Rice University Board of Trustees, as chair of the Development Alumni Relations and Public Affairs (DARPA) Committee, and as a member of the Rice Engineering Advisory Board. He earned bachelor’s degrees in computer science and electrical engineering and a master's degree in electrical engineering from Rice.
Distinguished Service Medal
The Distinguished Service Medal recognizes a visionary leader who has shown a deep dedication to the School of Engineering and Computing. This year’s recipient is Wanda Gass ’78.
Gass spent her career at Texas Instruments, where her contributions in microprocessor specification, semiconductor design and application solutions earned her top honors from the company. After retiring from Texas Instruments, she launched and led Design Connect Create, a nonprofit that encourages young women and girls to pursue STEM careers.
Gass has served Rice University for decades, including on the Rice University Board of Trustees, the Association of Rice Alumni Board of Directors and the External Advisory Board of the George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing. For a decade, she steadfastly hosted student externships, giving Rice students invaluable hands-on industry experience as they prepare to launch their careers. Gass received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Rice.
Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award
The Outstanding Engineering Alumni Award honors alumni for professional achievement and service to society. Suzanne Plummer ’89 is the 2026 recipient.
Plummer is the Corporate Vice President of Technical Diversity and Development at AMD, where she is dedicated to improving the technical talent pipeline for female engineers and under-represented groups. With almost four decades of experience delivering industry-defining microprocessors, she oversees the production of all central processing units (CPUs) at AMD and has also held leadership and technical roles at Motorola and Alchemy Semiconductor. Plummer holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Rice University.
Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award
The Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award honors alumni under the age of 40. This year’s award will be presented to David Tsao ’17.
Tsao is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of BillionToOne, a precision diagnostics company transforming disease detection through quantitative DNA technologies. Under his leadership, the company has commercialized first-in-kind diagnostics for prenatal screening and oncology, processed over one million clinical tests, and grown to over $300 million in annual revenue. Tsao earned his doctoral degree in bioengineering and biomedical engineering from Rice University.
Dean’s Appreciation Award
Established in 2018, the Dean’s Appreciation Award is given to a non-alumnus who has had a significant impact on the School of Engineering and Computing. Luay Nakhleh, the William and Stephanie Sick Dean of Engineering and Computing, has selected Harrell Huff as this year’s recipient of the Dean’s Appreciation Award.
As a chemical engineer, Huff worked in process and product research for 33 years at Dow Chemical in Freeport, where he met his wife, Carolyn. Alongside Carolyn—also a Rice alumna—Huff left a lasting impact on the undergraduate experience at Rice Engineering and Computing by sponsoring dozens of teams at Rice University’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK). Huff now bears the namesake of the OEDK’s premier engineering design competition and continues to sponsor teams today, proudly carrying forward the legacy he and Carolyn built together.
The 2026 class of alumni award recipients will be formally honored at the biannual George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing Alumni Awards Celebration on October 22, 2026.