Frankenhoff Outstanding Research Award
The Frankenhoff Outstanding Research award is based upon research accomplishments during the past five years, and awardees receive a $3,000 cash prize. Selection criteria include the following:
- Success in obtaining competitive funding and completion of research
- Commitment to graduate education
- Dissemination of research results through publications, presentations, patents, software and other means
- Research leadership such as national recognitions and organizing research teams
Current recipient
Melanie Derby
This year’s recipient is Melanie Derby, professor in the Alan Levin Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.
She serves as principal investigator on a nearly $3 million NSF-funded MICRA project, leading a multidisciplinary team addressing agriculture, climate resilience and rural livelihoods. She has secured $9 million in research funding, with nearly $4 million credited directly to her, from sponsors including NSF, NASA, DOE and industry.
Derby has mentored seven doctoral students, three master’s students and more than 10 undergraduate researchers while advancing collaborative and interdisciplinary research.