Awards

A $160 million energy revolution is hitting the Carolinas, and UNC Charlotte is leading the charge.

The National Science Foundation has selected UNC Charlotte’s Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas as one of America’s newest NSF Regional Innovation Engines. This designation brings a federal investment of up to $160 million to the region, positioning North and South Carolina to play a larger national role in grid modernization and technology deployment. The effort is led by John Daniels, a William States Lee College of Engineering professor and the program’s principal investigator.

UNC Charlotte mechanical engineering student Abhinav Das earned first place in the undergraduate division at the 2026 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Region II Student Paper Conference and received the Stan Powell Prize for best paper, the conference’s highest paper award.

The newly launched Albert School of Construction at UNC Charlotte is already making waves on the national stage. At the recent ASCE Construction Institute and Construction Research Congress 2026 Joint Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Chau Le, assistant professor in engineering technology and construction management, earned multiple prestigious honors for his research and academic service.

William States Lee College of Engineering was in the spotlight during UNC Charlotte’s 2026 Invention of the Year Awards, an evening that showcased the university’s growing role as a national engine of innovation, commercialization and technological impact. Engineering innovators took home the grand prize, called the “Excellence Award,” as well as the Physical and Material Sciences category award.

Niner Engineer Felix Ekuful was selected as the winner of the 2026 international American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers student competition.

Carlos Gonzalez-Calderon, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been named a 2026 Gambrell Faculty Fellow. With support from The Gambrell Foundation and as part of the Charlotte Urban Institute’s Gambrell Faculty Fellowship, he will join nine other UNC Charlotte faculty as they leverage the scholarship to help develop a better quality of life for Charlotte.  

Elevating UNC Charlotte’s standing in advanced research, Professor of Mechanical Engineering Stuart Smith has been elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, a status nationally recognized as the highest professional distinction awarded to inventors. This honor places Smith among an esteemed group of pioneers recognized for creating outstanding inventions that make a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society.

Dipankar Maity, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the William States Lee College of Engineering, earned the prestigious NSF CAREER Award in June of this year to support his investigations in how teams of smart machines, like connected robots, work together more reliably.

Xiang Chen, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, wins NSF CAREER award to explore the complexities of energy supportive materials. She is working to unravel these complex relationships and unlock the full potential of these ionic-conducting superlattices, pushing the boundaries of what’s currently possible in various technological fields.

William States Lee College of Engineering faculty have been recognized for their exceptional contributions to research, innovation, teaching and service. These achievements reflect the College’s ongoing commitment to engineering excellence and societal impact.