Fifteen graduate students were recognized at a dinner Oct. 4 as the first recipients of the newly established Gordon Wu Prizes for Excellence. Made possible by the generous support of Sir Gordon Y.S. Wu, who earned his B.S.E. from Princeton Engineering in 1958, the awards support the final year of study for graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship and research during their time at Princeton.
Chrysanthos Gounaris
Developing computational tools to predict the structural resemblance between various molecules and the tiny pores that are found in certain materials. This work has wide-ranging applications, from improving oil refining processes to enhancing the purification of potentially lifesaving pharmaceutical compounds. Photo by Frank Wojciechowski
Bernice Rosenzweig
Exploring how detention ponds may be used to reduce the high loads of nitrogen found in urban stormwater-the result of fertilizer application and other land use activities. Disruptions to the nitrogen cycle have serious environmental consequences, including global warming and loss of biodiversity. Photo by Frank Wojciechowski
Ananya Misra
Composing a new way to transform and recombine existing sounds to create novel musical tapestries. The computer system, called TAPESTREA, allows users to incorporate elements from multiple recordings to achieve effects unlike anything in existence today. Photo by Frank Wojciechowski
Noel Eisley
Improving networks and multiprocessors that exist on a single computer chip by increasing efficiency and memory capabilities. These microscopic multiprocessors are crucial to the advancement of a broad range of devices, from large, high-performance servers to small, battery-operated devices, such as cell phones and mp3 players. Photo by Frank Wojciechowski
Zheng Chen
Advancing the understanding of alternative fuels and surrogate jet fuels. Precise knowledge of the behavior and properties of these fuels is of paramount importance to energy security, industrial safety, energy conservation and the environment. Photo by Frank Wojciechowski
Juliana Nascimento
Deciding how best to allocate resources in situations when decisions are made sequentially under uncertain conditions. One recent project targeted financial risk, comparing various approaches used to determine the optimal cash holding level of mutual funds. Photo by Frank Wojciechowski
Wu Prize for Excellence recipients:
Chemical Engineering
Chrysanthos Gounaris
Civil and EnvironmentalEngineering
Alexandros Ntelekos
Bernice Rosenzweig
Computer Science
Ananya Misra
Frances Perry
Guilherme Ottoni
Electrical Engineering
Pei Zhang
Noel Eisley
Xiaogan Liang
Erik Nielsen
Wei Zhang
Mechanical andAerospace Engineering
Yong Yang
Melissa Green
Zheng Chen
Operations Researchand Financial Engineering
Juliana Nascimento
