As we start the new academic year, let's take a look back at last year's awardees and celebrate the work of four fine engineers, researchers, and educators.

Best phd dissertation, 2014-15: Dr. florian dorfler

Dr. Florian Dorfler was honored last year for his PhD Dissertation in the field of Dynamical Systems and Control, which he completed with supervision from Chair and Prof. Francesco Bullo. Since receiving his PhD, Dorfler and Bullo have continued to collaborate, and have most recently received the Guillemin-Cauer Best Paper Award for their work, "Kron Reduction of Graphs with Applications to Electrical Networks." More information on Dr. Florian Dorfler's work may be found here.

Best teachers' Assistant, 2014-15: Maurice filo

Congratulations to Maurice Filo, the recipient of last year's Best TA Award. Filo is currently a student of Prof. Bassam Bamieh, in whose group he studies Dynamical Systems and Control, as well as their connections with other fields such as network science, fluid mechanics, statistical physics, and mathematics.

Outstanding faculty Award, 2015-16: Dr. Tyler Susko

Dr. Tyler Susko is one of our newest faculty, and he has already done so much to advance education in our Department. From mentoring the UCSB Hyperloop team to emceeing a special engineering showcase ceremony to building bridges with local schools through Girls, Inc. programs, Dr. Susko has proven his dedication not just to the field of mechanical engineering, but to our next generation of movers and shakers.

Distinguished Alumnus Award, 2015: Dr. Niklas karlsson

As we prepare to announce the winner of this year's Distinguished Alumnus Award, we would like to honor last year's recipient, Dr. Niklas Karlsson. Karlsson earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering - and picked up a Best TA Award of his own - at UCSB, and he is currently Vice President of Research and Development at AOL/Verizon and directs Algorithm Research within AOL Platforms. He was honored last convocation for his outstanding application of system engineering principles to the field of online advertising, and delivered a talk on the topic of modeling and control in online advertising. For more information on this remarkable alumnus, please click here.