Award Winner Recognition

Richard Grotegut, AV/Tech

Outstanding Lecturer

Richard will be concluding his eighth year as a Lecturer and, more recently, as a student Advisor, with the Engineering Technology Department.  His dream job!  He is a proud SJSU alum earning his bachelor’s degree (1978), secondary education clear credential in the early 1980s, and his Masters in Instructional Technology, with a focus on instructional design, in 1991.  Under the expert tutelage of his College of Education professors, Dr. Pugno, Dr. Hailer, and Dr. Kemp, his love of teaching, learning, and designing instruction was indelibly ingrained.  It was with confidence that Richard said “Sure!  I can teach Computers” when he landed his first high school teaching job and began, what was to become, a career in teaching technology.  He has taught classes and workshops for all levels both here and abroad.  His work has aligned well with his love for travel.  Doesn’t hurt to have a French passport either.  

Richard retired as a Professor Emeritus in Computer Studies from Ohlone College in 2015.  He then served as the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector Regional Director supporting the ICT programs for the Bay Region's 28 community colleges.    With over 40 years of teaching, organizing, coordinating, and advising programs in the ICT sector, Richard understands the importance of keeping up with technology and in sharing his expertise with others.

Shilpa Gupta, Industrial and Systems Engineering

Outstanding Lecturer

Dr. Shilpa Gupta is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at San José State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Arizona State University and brings over a decade of industry experience in data science and machine learning. Her professional background informs her commitment to integrating theory with practice in engineering education.

At San José State University, Dr. Gupta has developed innovative coursework, including a Data Ethics course, secured curriculum development funding, and contributed to the establishment of the M.S. in Operational Analytics program. She has also participated in institutional initiatives such as the Resilient Course Design Program and the Engineering Course Design Advisory Committee, and has incorporated service-learning components into data science curricula.

Her teaching emphasizes rigorous, inclusive pedagogy grounded in authentic assessment. She is dedicated to fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and sustained intellectual engagement among her students. Beyond the university, she actively mentors emerging data scientists through organizations including Women in Data Science, AI4ALL, and KaggleX BIPOC, and supports initiatives that broaden participation in STEM.

Her current work focuses on the thoughtful integration of artificial intelligence into education, with an emphasis on responsible and effective use of AI tools to enhance student learning.

Lin Jiang, Mechanical Engineering

Faculty Award for Scholarship

Dr. Lin Jiang has been an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at San José State University since 2021. She holds a PhD and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas, as well as a second Master’s in Electrical Engineering from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Dr. Jiang is a rising scholar in foundational robotics, human-centered biomedical devices, and human-robot interaction.

She has secured competitive external funding, including a major NSF award as Principal Investigator. She has built an impressive scholarly record, including 15 journal publications, more than 50 peer-reviewed conference publications, and over 1,200 citations. Her research combines technical rigor with translational relevance, advancing foundational robotics and human-centered technologies that make a meaningful impact on society.

Dr. Jiang also demonstrates strong leadership and service through her mentorship of the IEEE Electronic Packaging Society student chapter at SJSU, her long-term effort in organizing the Bay Area Biomedical Device Conference, and her training of a diverse group of students at the high school, community college, undergraduate, and graduate levels.

Hiu-Yung Wong, Electrical Engineering

Award for Faculty Excellence in Scholarship

Hiu Yung Wong is a Professor and the AMDT Endowed Chair at San José State University. He received his Ph.D. in EECS from UC Berkeley in 2006.
From 2006 to 2009, he was a Member of Technical Staff (MTS) at Spansion, where he worked on technology integration. From 2009 to 2018, he served as a Senior Staff Application Engineer in TCAD at Synopsys.

He joined SJSU in 2018, drawn by its location in the heart of Silicon Valley. The proximity to industry enables him to work with talented and driven students, collaborate closely with industry partners, and engage at the forefront of technological innovation. Although his background is in semiconductor technology, his current focus is on quantum computing, with the goal of bridging semiconductor engineering and quantum information science. He has authored two textbooks on quantum computing.

Beyond his academic work, he currently serves as Vice Chair of the Academic Senate. He enjoys collaborating with faculty across colleges to support policy development that advances academic freedom and shared governance.

Armin Moghadam, AV/Tech

Award for Faculty Excellence in Service

I graduated from Iowa State University and joined San José State University in 2020. I chose SJSU because of its diverse, inclusive, and supportive environment, which immediately felt welcoming. Being located in the heart of Silicon Valley also provides strong connections to industry and opportunities to collaborate with companies working on real-world engineering challenges.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time in nature. Activities like hiking, camping, fishing, and surfing help me recharge and stay connected to the outdoors. Living in California makes it easy to explore beautiful natural environments and stay active.

I enjoy bridging academic research with real-world applications. I regularly engage with local manufacturing companies to explore how new technologies can be implemented in practical settings.

Currently, one area I am especially excited about is the application of computer vision in manufacturing. I enjoy exploring new approaches that can improve quality control, automation, and efficiency in production systems, and I spend a lot of time researching emerging techniques and their potential impact in industry.

Burford Furman, Mechanical Engineering

Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Burford/Buff joined San José State University after accepting a tenure-track faculty position in Mechanical Engineering, drawn by both the professional opportunity and the chance to serve the local community.

Outside the classroom and laboratory, Buff enjoys a wide range of hands-on and active pursuits. A lifelong learner, they love to read, build, repair, hike, bike, and stay physically active. Curiosity and creativity extend well beyond engineering, shaping both personal interests and professional endeavors.
A unique aspect of Buff’s background is extensive training in outdoor leadership through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Wyoming. This training included backpacking, rock climbing, and winter camping in the Wind River Range. During winter expeditions, they constructed and lived in a snow shelter, staying warm even when outside temperatures dropped to 11°F, an experience that reflects resilience, preparation, and teamwork.

Currently, Buff is deeply engaged in the Spartan Superway project, a solar-powered automated transportation system inspired by visionary ideas dating back to the early 1950s. Since 2012, they have collaborated with students and colleagues at SJSU and around the world to tackle the complex engineering challenges involved in reimagining urban transportation for a more sustainable future.

Charmaine Suet Ching Lui, Mechanical Engineering

Donald Beall Student Award for Engineering Accomplishment

Charmaine Lui is a 4th year undergraduate mechanical engineering student, currently most interested in fluid and energy systems, particularly microfluidics. 

She chose to pursue a degree at San Jose State University (SJSU) in part because her childhood mentors both have credentials or degrees from SJSU; this gave her a good impression of the school early on. 

Charmaine feels fortunate to have found that SJSU's education culture is well represented by her two childhood mentors. Just as she found sincere mentorship in them as a child, she now finds sincere mentorship and support in the faculty and staff here as a young adult, in both Charles W. Davidson College of Engineering and the SJSU community beyond. Charmaine is especially thankful for her research mentor, Professor John Lee, whose encouragement and dedication to student learning has been defining in her growth these four years, in more ways than she can realize and count. 

Outside of academics, she generally enjoys good books, coffee, and non-athletically-intense activities. A unique fun fact is that she learned to play the sheng, a traditional Chinese multi-pipe wind instrument with 2000 years of history, with the Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra in San Jose. 

Clarence Choi, Mechanical Engineering

Scott T. Axline Memorial Student Award for Excellence in Service

Clarence chose San Jose State University for its strong hands-on engineering program and emphasis on applying theory to real-world problems. Learning about its Formula racing involvement through his dad’s workplace inspired me to pursue practical, team-based opportunities like Spartan Racing.

Outside of school, I enjoy day trips, scuba diving, and building detailed model kits, activities that require patience and precision. Clarence is especially interested in military history and currently focus on creating highly accurate models of military armor, combining engineering, craftsmanship, and historical research into one deeply engaging hobby.

Gunraj Singh, Software Engineering

Scott T. Axline Memorial Student Award for Excellence in Service

Gunraj chose San José State University because it sits at the intersection of community and opportunity. At SJSU, he’s been able to take risks, innovate solutions rooted in service and diversity, and dream bigger here in the Bay Area. As a Software Engineering student, he doesn’t just attend classes, he  strives to build, lead, and create meaningful impact through internships and by leading student organizations that uplift our campus community.

Beyond academics, he’s passionate about building community and celebrating culture, deeply involved in Bhangra, a Punjabi cultural dance that allows him  to honor his heritage while bringing people together through energy and joy. He also enjoy mentoring students, attending networking events, and having meaningful conversations about growth and leadership.

What surprises many people is that he  values engineering and storytelling equally. While he works in technical spaces, he’s just as passionate about communication, cultural representation, and service. Gunraj  believes impact isn’t built through code alone, it’s built through relationships, empathy, and intentional leadership. That balance of analytical thinking and human-centered creativity is something he carry into everything he does, whether that’s developing software, creating art, or sharing homemade baked goods.

Debi Fennern, Engineering Deans Office

Staff Award for Excellence in Service

Debi has worked in SJSU's College of Engineering for six and a half years, following nineteen years as an administrative analyst at IBM's IPlaw department. Seeking a role with better benefits, she took the SJSU position recommended by her friend, Lee Andersen, appreciating the dynamic work and opportunities for growth. She is passionate about collaborating with her colleagues to continuously improve her environment, often demonstrating her dedication through the creation of carefully designed spreadsheets. A graduate of SJSU, her junior year spent in the South of France remains a highlight, and she continues to enjoy traveling to the region.

Debi is a dedicated woman of faith, a wife of 22 years to her favorite human, and a mother of three spirited teenagers she adores (please pray for her!). She thrives on connecting with people, whether through deep conversations on a walk with a long-time friend or quick chats with a stranger in the gym locker room. Known for her incurable love of puns (both funny and cringey), she values health and fitness, enjoying strength training and swimming, but also can be found huddled over a puzzle. Her current fitness goal is to complete a strict pull-up, so if you see her, feel free to share a groaner of a pun to cheer her on.

Gaojian Huang, Industrial and Systems Engineering

Newnan Brothers Award for Faculty Excellence

Gaojian is a Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at San Jose State University and serves as the director of the Behavior, Accessibility, and Technology (BAT) Lab. He earned a master's degree in Safety Management from Indiana University Bloomington in 2016 and a master's degree in Cognitive Psychology from Purdue University in 2020. He then obtained his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University in 2021. He joined SJSU because of its mission to use a student-centered approach to teaching, research, and mentorship, and to collaborate with students throughout the research process. Outside of work, Gaojian enjoys cooking, hiking, movies, and wine tasting. Because he enjoys editing students' papers, he also enjoys having a glass of wine while he work on students' papers.