Announcing the Winners of the 2025 MSE Senior Awards

The Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at NC State is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 MSE Senior Awards, recognizing exceptional achievements in undergraduate research and leadership. These outstanding students will be honored at the MSE Department Graduation Ceremony on Friday, May 2, 2025.

MSE Senior Award for Outstanding Student Leadership

This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment to personal development, and a lasting impact on the MSE department and broader university community. Nominees were evaluated based on their leadership roles, contributions to student organizations, and service to the department.

Grace Kiel: A Leader in MSE and Beyond

The 2025 MSE Senior Award for Outstanding Student Leadership is awarded to Grace Kiel in recognition of her exceptional leadership, growth, and lasting impact on the MSE Department and NC State community.

As the MSE Lead Ambassador for two years, Grace played a pivotal role in shaping student-led outreach, mentoring peers, and organizing events to foster a strong sense of community within the department. Through her efforts, she has directly inspired many prospective students to pursue materials science and engineering.

Her leadership, however, extends beyond student engagement and into the research community. In February 2024, Grace presented a standout poster presentation at the Electronic Materials and Applications (EMA) meeting in Denver, Colorado. Grace’s ability to communicate complex research with clarity and technical expertise impressed attendees, many of whom were surprised to learn she was still an undergraduate.
Beyond her academic and research achievements, Grace is a dedicated mentor, guiding fellow undergraduates through the challenges of research and professional development. She has become an invaluable asset to her research team, demonstrating leadership in both technical and interpersonal realms.

Beyond the MSE Department, Grace’s leadership extends across NC State’s Grand Challenges Scholars Program, a semester abroad in Ireland, and her impactful roles within Kappa Delta Sorority, where she served as Panhellenic Delegate on the Executive Council and as Senior Representative on the Accountability & Support Board. Her ability to unite students, build meaningful connections, and create a lasting impact on every organization she joins reflects her dedication to leadership and service.

Grace’s leadership is defined by vision, initiative, and mentorship. Her forward-thinking approach continues to drive the initiatives she has led, and her meticulous planning ensures that her contributions will benefit future students for years to come. Peers and mentors consistently praise her for identifying challenges, proposing meaningful solutions, and inspiring those around her.

Grace will go on to be the MSE Department’s nominee for the College of Engineering Senior Award for Leadership.

MSE Senior Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research

This prestigious award honors students who have demonstrated exceptional research accomplishments, innovative thinking, and strong scholarly contributions during their time in the MSE program. Candidates were nominated by their research advisors and evaluated based on their participation in conferences, published research, and promise for a future research career.

Caitlyn Obrero: Pushing the Boundaries of Materials Science & Engineering

The 2025 MSE Senior Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research is awarded to Caitlyn Obrero for her groundbreaking contributions to materials science and engineering. Caitlyn’s research spans multiple disciplines, including additive manufacturing, photonics, and 2D materials, demonstrating her ability to apply materials characterization and computational modeling to solve complex scientific challenges.

Her research journey began with NC State’s Physics Department and the Center for Additive Manufacturing and Logistics (CAMAL), where she worked with Dr. Karen Daniels and Dr. Christopher Rock to design, fabricate, and analyze variably uniform 2D metamaterials. Her contributions to this project resulted in a first-author publication currently under review. She further expanded her expertise through an REU at the University of Maryland College Park, applying Python programming and experimental design to photon number resolve multiphoton events with a multiplex loop.

Her passion for advanced materials characterization led her to the Analytical Instrumentation Facility (AIF) at NC State, where she gained extensive experience with SEM, TEM, and X-ray CT, assisting in critical research projects across multiple disciplines. Toby Tung, Instrumentation Manager at AIF, commended her ability to operate high-end research equipment independently and develop training materials for fellow researchers.

Currently, Caitlyn is conducting research in Dr. Raymond Unocic’s lab, focusing on 2D transition metal dichalcogenides and twisted van der Waals heterostructures using aberration-corrected STEM. Her work on in situ STEM transformation research is expected to lead to another first-author publication. Dr. Unocic emphasized her “scientific aptitude, creativity, and perseverance,” noting that she is poised to make significant contributions to the field of materials science and engineering.

In addition to her research achievements, Caitlyn has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA, presented at multiple conferences, and received recognition for her outstanding research presentations. Her dedication to scientific discovery, combined with her technical acumen, makes her a highly deserving recipient of this award.

Caitlyn will go on to be the MSE Department’s nominee for the College of Engineering Senior Award for Scholarly Achievement.

Congratulations to this year’s award winners! Grace Kiel and Caitlyn Obrero exemplify the excellence, dedication, and impact of NC State MSE students. We wish them both the best of luck as they move forward as nominees for the College of Engineering Senior Awards!