Eighteen Michigan State University College of Engineering students received first-place awards at the 2026 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum (UURAF) at the Breslin Center in April. Students from 14 colleges participated in MSU's premier showcase for undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity.
The annual spring event brings together hundreds of Spartan undergraduates to share their work with faculty, staff, peers, and external audiences. Participants gain experience in presenting their research, answering questions about their work and receiving constructive feedback from judges.
The 2026 Engineering first-place recipients are listed below, along with award photos. Students who are members of the MSU Honors College are identified with (Honors College) after their names.
Agriculture and Animal Science
- Janus Grivins, biosystems engineering
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Abdolla Hegazy, computational data science (Honors College)
- Sasha Stoyanovich, biomedical engineering (Honors College)
Business and Entrepreneurship
- Dhruv Kekin Toprani, computer engineering and electrical engineering
Diversity and Interdisciplinary Studies
- Ikenna Iyioke, environmental engineering (Honors College)
Education
- Maggie Gaunt, mechanical engineering (Honors College)
- Truman Bauer, biosystems engineering
Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics
- Anish Pravin Jadhav, chemical engineering (Honors College)
- Khang Nguyen, computer science
- Dhruv Kekin Toprani, computer engineering and electrical engineering
- Caleb Benninger, electrical engineering (Honors College)
- Ziwu Zheng, chemical engineering (Honors College)
- Krish Wadhwani, computer science (Honors College)
- Hrishikesh Belagali, computer science (Honors College)
- Christina Van, electrical engineering
Environmental Science and Natural Resources
- Gianna Fiore, biosystems engineering (Honors College)
Linguistics, Languages, and Speech
- Daniel Helo Puccini, computer science and economics (Honors College)
Nutrition and Food Science
- Emma Bingham, biosystems engineering
Social Science: General
- Daniel Horowitz, applied engineering sciences (Honors College)
Mentor Award
The Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year Award in Sciences, Mathematics & Engineering was awarded to Younsuk Dong, an assistant professor in the Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering.
S. Patrick Walton, associate dean for academic programs in the College of Engineering, said Spartan Engineers are ready to change the world through cutting-edge research.
“UURAF is a valuable opportunity for our undergraduates to hone the presentation and communication skills necessary to maximize the impact of their work. It is also a great chance to build valuable personal and professional connections that will support them throughout their professional careers,” Walton added.
Written by Patricia Mroczek
MSU College of Engineering Media and Public Relations page