Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, announced the winners of the College’s outstanding teacher, researcher and adviser awards for the 2013-2014 school year. The recipients were recognized at the College’s annual Honors Ceremony, which took place on Friday, April 4.

Mario Perhinschi, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was recognized as the teacher of the year. Also selected as outstanding teachers were Ordel Brown and Todd Hamrick, freshman engineering; Peter Gall, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; and Ashish Nimbarte, Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering.

This year’s outstanding adviser is Larry Banta, from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Statler College also honored Bojan Cukic of the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, David Martinelli and Avinash Unnikrishnan of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Ryan Sigler from freshman engineering for their advising work.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering’s Hota GangaRao was chosen as the Statler College Researcher of the Year. Additionally, Yuxin Liu and Guodong Guo, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering; Cerasela Zoica Dinu, Department of Chemical Engineering; and Ed Sabolsky, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering were recognized for their research efforts, while New Researcher of the Year honors went to Gyungsu Byun, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.

Earlier in the semester outstanding staff awards were presented to Marie Owen, Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering; Pat Goldie, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Laura Ann Lemley, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering; and Beverly Matheny, Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering.

Additionally, Professional Technologist Paul Kritschgau was named eCampus Point of Contact of the Year by Academic Innovation and Information Technology. He will attend the Blackboard World 2014 Conference in Las Vegas in July.