College of Engineering recognizes 2026 Torgersen Graduate Student Research Excellence Award winners

The Virginia Tech College of Engineering has recognized eight graduate students as recipients of the 2026 Paul E. Torgersen Graduate Student Research Excellence Awards, honoring exceptional research conducted by master’s and doctoral students across the college.

Selected from a competitive pool of 53 submissions, this year’s awardees represent the highest level of graduate research excellence, demonstrating innovation, rigor, and meaningful contributions to their fields.

Ph.D. award winners

First place: Gaurav Duggal, electrical engineering

Research: “Wireless Localization in Next-Generation Emergency Networks”
Focus: Developed a method to accurately locate radio devices in obstructed environments, enabling tracking of emergency responders inside buildings using external signals.
Post-graduation plans: Duggal plans to pursue opportunities in academia or industry focused on wireless communications and localization, with an interest in advancing fundamental research and translating it into practical, real-world systems.

Second place: Jessica Gannon, biomedical engineering

Research: “Developing Histotripsy: A Focused Ultrasound Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer”
Focus: Demonstrated the feasibility of a noninvasive ultrasound treatment for pancreatic cancer, supported a Phase I clinical trial, and introduced a novel minimally invasive device.
Post-graduation plans: Gannon plans to explore academic and industry opportunities in medical device development, with a focus on advancing endoscopic and noninvasive therapeutic technologies. She aims to apply systems engineering and microrobotic control to improve the precision and accessibility of minimally invasive treatments.

Third place: Jack Tapocik, mechanical engineering

Research: “Barley Leaf Billiards: Spore Launching via Rebound Collision from Jumping-Droplet Condensation”
Focus: Discovered a new mechanism for spore dispersal driven by dew formation, reshaping how plant disease spread is understood and predicted.
Post-graduation plans: Tapocik plans to pursue a postdoctoral position to further develop his research and grant portfolio, with the long-term goal of a faculty career focused on fluid flows, heat transfer, and thermodynamics.

Fourth place: Huan Yang, civil and environmental engineering

Research: “Beyond Passive Transport: Predicting When Microplastics Diverge from Water Flow in Gravel-Bed Streams”
Focus: Developed a framework to predict how microplastics move and accumulate in river systems based on particle size, surface changes, and flow conditions.
Post-graduation plans: Yang is pursuing research opportunities that integrate physics-based modeling and data-driven methods to better understand environmental systems. She aims to apply machine learning and simulation techniques to improve the accuracy and efficiency of environmental forecasting.

Master’s award winners

First place: Joshua Hansell, materials science and engineering

Research: “Transforming End-of-Life Automotive Aluminum into High-Quality Components Using Solid-State Additive Manufacturing”
Focus: Created a process to convert aluminum scrap into fully dense, high-performance components in a single step, improving sustainability in manufacturing.
Post-graduation plans: Hansell has accepted a full-time position as a project manager at Dominion Energy, where he will be working on the development of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.

Second place: Ahmed Shah Nisar, civil engineering

Research: “Evaluating Connected Vehicle and Traffic Speed Deflectometer Data for Pavement Monitoring and Deterioration Assessment”
Focus: Demonstrated how vehicle-based data can enhance pavement monitoring and improve understanding of how roads deteriorate over time.
Post-graduation plans: Nisar will continue at Virginia Tech in the Center for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure doctoral program, where he will focus on advancing nondestructive evaluation methods for transportation infrastructure using technologies such as traffic speed deflectometers and connected vehicles.

Third place: Sarah Leach, biological systems engineering

Research: “Unsteady Flood Hydraulics and the Non-Uniqueness of Stage–Inundation Relationships on Floodplains”
Focus: Advanced flood modeling by using 2D simulations to better predict flood behavior and improve risk mapping accuracy.
Post-graduation plans: Leach will work at McGill Associates in Raleigh, North Carolina, as an engineering technician.

Fourth place: Manav Shah, computer engineering

Research: “A PCA-Based Framework for Macro-Scale Physical Unclonable Functions Using Frequency-Dependent Piezoelectric Impedance”
Focus: Developed a method to generate secure hardware identifiers from sensor data, enabling new approaches to device authentication without hardware modification.
Post-graduation plans: Shah plans to pursue opportunities in industry focused on digital hardware design, building on his work in hardware security and sensor-based systems to develop next-generation digital technologies.

Recognizing excellence in graduate research

The Torgersen awards highlight research that spans a wide range of engineering disciplines and real-world applications, reflecting the breadth and societal impact of graduate research at Virginia Tech.

The awardees were selected from 20 finalists (10 doctoral and 10 master’s students), each of whom submitted a five-minute video poster presentation evaluated by a panel of COE faculty judges. The review process emphasized both technical merit and the ability to clearly communicate research to a broad academic audience.

Award recipients were recognized at the College of Engineering MGI Research Day, held April 9 at the Inn at Virginia Tech. During a dedicated session, the students presented their research, engaged with faculty, students, and industry attendees, and received formal recognition for their achievements.

Named for Paul E. Torgersen, former Virginia Tech president and dean of the College of Engineering, the award reflects a commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and leadership in engineering.

Through their research and future aspirations, this year’s awardees exemplify the strength of Virginia Tech’s graduate programs and the impact of graduate research in addressing complex global challenges.

Written by Alicia Johnson, director of graduate and professional studies, College of Engineering