MAE Graduate Student Wins 2021 ASEE PSW Award

MAE graduate student Alejandra Hormaza-Mejia, was recently awarded the 2021 ASEE PSW Award.

April 12, 2021 – Mechanical and aerospace engineering graduate student Alejandra Hormaza-Mejia was recently named a finalist for the American Society of Engineering Education - Pacific Southwest Section Graduate Student Award. She will be formally recognized during the ASEE PSW virtual conference award ceremony, which will take place Saturday, April 24, 2021. In addition to the recognition, Hormaza-Mejia will receive a $250 honorarium payment.

This award recognizes graduate students who demonstrate strong evidence of commitment to engineering education. In order to be considered, graduates must exhibit evidence of involvement or commitment to research in engineering education, positive contributions to service-learning projects and outstanding leadership in activities that support engineering education. 

Hormaza-Mejia, who is a 2021 Pedagogical Fellow, focuses part of her research on assessing the teaming experiences of students in mechanical engineering design projects. Throughout her graduate school career, she has conducted engineering education research with professors Natascha Buswell, David Copp and Mark Walter.

Hormaza-Mejia is currently creating an introductory engineering course for non-engineering students in order to make engineering more accessible to all. It is her goal to teach this course next year under the guidance and support of Buswell. 

“I feel especially appreciative and delighted that my activities in engineering education were recognized by the American Society of Engineering Education,” said Hormaza-Mejia. “Having received this award makes me feel encouraged to continue following my passion in teaching and mentorship to make engineering more equitable.”

– Megan Lohre