SPE recognizes ACCE, Rehkopf scholarship winners

The organizing committee for the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE, Brookfield, Conn., U.S.) Automotive Composites Conference & Expo (ACCE) has announced the winners of its annual scholarships and the Dr. Jackie Rehkopf scholarships from a fund that has been set up to honor the long-time SPE ACCE committee  member, SPE Automotive Division board member and automotive composites researcher. All scholarship winners will be honored at the SPE ACCE taking place Sept. 4-6, 2024 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan.

SPE ACCE scholarship winners will present the results of their research at  SPE ACCE 2025. Rehkopf scholarship winners will present the results of their research at SPE ACCE 2025 or publish them in an SPE journal. Both scholarships are administered as part of the SPE Foundation.

The ACCE Scholarships (a total of $6,000) are sponsored by SPE Automotive and SPE Composites Divisions. Five ACCE Scholarships ($500-$2,000 each) are awarded to students pursuing advanced studies in a composites-related field.  The five winners of the SPE ACCE scholarships are

• Kuthan Celebi (awarded $2,000)
• Uday Kiran Balaga (awarded $2,000)
• Md Amay Amif (awarded $1,000)
• Seyedshahabaldin Amirabadi (awarded $500)
• Elife Kildali (awarded $500).

The Dr. Jackie Rehkopf Scholarships ($1,250-$2,500 each) are sponsored by the SPE Automotive Division, the SPE Composites Division and the generous donations of friends and family. Three winners were selected this year:

• Paula Hohoff (awarded $2,500) 
• Meng Jiang (awarded $1,250)
• Dhanashree Shinde (awarded $1,250).

More on each scholarship winner is mentioned below.

Kuthan Çelebi: 2024 ACCE Scholar

Kuthan Çelebi is a Ph.D. student in materials engineering at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. Çelebi graduated from the same university in 2022 with his bachelor’s degree in integrated engineering, a program combining mechanical and materials engineering. His Ph.D. project focuses on compression molded discontinuous long fiber-reinforced composites (DLFC). He is developing machine learning models to analyze the mechanical properties and damage characteristics of this material, using data that can be feasibly obtained in industrial applications. Çelebi’s previous experience includes teaching assistantships and internship roles at a composites research lab and various companies in the aviation and consumer electronics sectors.

Uday Kiran Balaga: 2024 ACCE Scholar

Since childhood, Uday Kiran Balaga has focused on applying knowledge practically rather than just aiming for high grades. This mindset led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, expanding his opportunities to explore advanced technologies. His interest in practical applications took him to Germany for a master’s degree, where he specialized in composites research. Conducting his thesis at the Center for Composite Materials in the U.S. deepened his involvement in this field. This journey led to securing a Ph.D. position focused on composites recycling, a sustainable solution for manufacturing. He is eager to contribute to innovative solutions and advancements in this vital field.

Md Admay Amay: 2024 ACCE Scholar

Md Admay Amif received his BS in naval architecture and marine engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and his MS in mechanical engineering from Baylor University. Currently, he is pursuing his Ph.D. in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Baylor University. His research is focused on carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), conventional and phased array (PA) ultrasonic inspection, analysis of fracture mechanisms with structural testing and finite element analysis. He has served SPE at Baylor University for 2 years as general secretary and president. Amif enjoys traveling, outdoor activities and sports. He grew up in Nilphamari, Bangladesh.

Seyedshahabaldin (Shahab) Amirabadi: 2024 ACCE Scholar

Seyedshahabaldin (Shahab) Amirabadi is a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at the University of Toronto. He did his MSc. and BSc. in chemical engineering at Laval University and Shiraz University, respectively. His Ph.D. research is about developing nano-fibrillated flame-retardant polymer composites and foams. During his Ph.D., Amirabadi obtained various experiences in polymer processing techniques including extrusion systems, injection molding, compression molding and fiber spinning (e.g., spun bond).  Furthermore, he notably gained exposure to the fabrication and characterization of microcellular structure, as well as nanofibrillar composites. He also experienced fabricating nanocomposites using various nanomaterials for fire retarding applications.  

Elife Kildali: 2024 ACCE Scholar

Elife Kildali is a bioengineer and works at Bursa Technical University as a research assistant. She has a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering from Adana Alparslan Türkes Science and Technology University. Kildali received her master’s degree from Bursa Technical University’s Bioengineering program in December 2021 and is currently enrolled in the bioengineering Ph.D. program. She aims to research engineering polymer composites with improved properties for thesis. Kildali continues her research and education on polymeric materials in order to improve herself. After graduation, her main goal is to advance polymeric composite materials.

Paula Hohoff: 2024 Rehkopf Scholar

Paula Hohoff is the chief engineer of the Polymer Engineering Center at UW– Madison. She graduated with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from RWTH Aachen University in Germany. Her research includes modeling fiber microstructure in polymer flows with a passion to drive innovations for sustainable solutions around plastics materials. Hohoff’s industrial experience in modeling injection molding processes and project management makes her fundamental research an asset to industrial applications. She was honored with the Springorum medal for outstanding graduate students from RWTH Aachen University and is engaged in various professional networks covering plastics industries, female leadership and social responsibilities.

Meng Jiang: 2024 Rehkopf Scholar

As a Taoist and a chemist, Meng Jiang is interested in observing nature, recording patterns (and/or proposing theories), and predicting future events based on these patterns. She has previously worked in the fields of inorganic chemistry and computational chemistry before joining Worch Lab. After intensively working in different fields of natural science, with initial conflicts and later uniformity in thoughts, Jiang has developed a somewhat atypical view of science and life. Her current research focuses on creating programmable and recyclable polymeric and composite materials using dynamic covalent chemistries. In the process of generating new materials, she is also interested in deciphering the connection between theoretical understanding of microscopic level chemistry and measurable material properties.

Dhanashree Shinde: 2024 Rehkopf Scholar

Being a first-generation Ph.D. student, Dhanashree Shinde noted she has come a long way thanks to her parents’ support. She completed her undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology, India. Although Shinde always wanted to pursue a Ph.D. immediately after her undergraduate studies, she sought industry experience first. This led her to earn a master’s in plastics engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell, driven by her interest in polymer processing. Shinde then worked in the plastics industry for 2 years. Her desire for deeper knowledge in composite material development, especially for automotive applications, inspired her to pursue a Ph.D.