The Aerospace Department is composed of a formidable student body of inspired, driven and passionate students. Each year, the College recognizes a handful of these students that demonstrate exceptional academic performance, leadership skills and community contributions. Congratulations to the following recipients of this year’s College of Engineering leadership awards:

Beldon Lin: Distinguished Leadership Award-Undergraduate Students

Beldon is a junior in Aerospace Engineering from Atlanta, Georgia. His main research interests lie in computational sciences, plasma physics, electric propulsion and aircraft design. He is a research assistant in the Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory under Assistant Research Scientist Dr. J.P. Sheehan, where he is responsible for designing and testing a thrust vectoring system for the CubeSat Ambipolar Thruster.

Beldon is heavily involved in the M-Fly student design team as the Chief Engineer for the Advanced Class aircraft. He is also a member of the Outreach Committee of the U-M AIAA student chapter, where he coordinates activities for the Aerospace Department’s bi-annual “Aerospace Day” event.

Katie Reichl: Distinguished Leadership Award-Graduate Students

Katie Reichl is a 4th year Ph.D. student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. Katie’s research works to reduce aircraft vibration by embedding lightweight suppression systems into aircraft structures. She conducts her work under Department Chair Dr. Daniel Inman.

She devotes time after research as the co-director of the graduate component of the Society of Women Engineers (GradSWE). GradSWE hosts networking events between female students and faculty, a workshop series, professional development sessions, general social events and outreach activities for elementary school students to promote excitement in engineering. She also acts as secretary for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and facilitates workshops for undergraduate students to provide training for software they’re expected to use for engineering classes.

Chaaru Raghavan: Distinguished Achievement Award

Chaaru Raghavan is a senior in Aerospace Engineering from Round Rock, Texas. On campus, Chaaru is the President of Sigma Gamma Tau, the Aerospace Honors Society, and a research assistant in Dr. Ella Atkins’ Autonomous Aerospace Systems Lab. She is also involved in AIAA’s Outreach Committee, the College of Engineering’s Undergraduate Student Advisory Board, and the Center for Engineering Diversity and Outreach’s mentoring program. Chaaru is primarily interested in conceptual aircraft design and interned in the Product Development organization at Boeing Commercial Airplanes last summer.

After graduation, Chaaru plans to complete another internship at Boeing before returning to complete her one-year Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering through the SUGS program.

Tyler Sandberg: A.D. Moore Award

Tyler Sandberg is a junior in Aerospace Engineering from Walnut Creek, California. Tyler’s interests lie in rocket propulsion. In his spare time, he heads the propulsion team for the Michigan Aeronautical Science Association (MASA); in this role, he spearheads development of a hybrid rocket engine to power the team’s sounding rocket up to 30,000 feet at its annual competition.

After graduation, Tyler hopes to complete a Master’s degree before entering industry to work on rocket engines that will power the next generation of human spaceflight.

Kaelan Oldani: Arthur B. Singleton Prize

Kaelan Oldani is a freshman in Aerospace Engineering from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Last summer, she worked for the Escape Room company Decode Detroit designing and building interactive puzzles.

She is a member of the Michigan Triathlon Team, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Women in Aeronautics and Astronautics student group, and the Society of Women Engineers. She will be returning to the Women in Science and Engineering Residential Program next year as a mentor.

Reebehl El-Hage: Cooley Writing Contest

Reebehl is a senior with double majors in Aerospace Engineering and Political Science. He also has an International Minor in Engineering.

While attending University of Michigan, Reebehl has been involved in the political environment on campus, speaking out in favor of free speech and open dialogue, and has been quoted in numerous media outlets, including the Washington Post, New York Times, and the Detroit News.

He plans on attending law school after graduation, in the hopes of pursuing a career in patent law.