Umut Gurkan, the Warren E. Rupp Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was named one of five finalists for the prestigious Curtis W. McGraw Research Award. 

The annual award was established in 1957 to recognize significant achievements of early career researchers and educators. Today, it is sponsored by the Engineering Research Council, with the initial assistance of the McGraw-Hill Book Company. The award emphasizes early achievement, trajectory and potential.