Ashish Borgaonkar, assistant professor of engineering education in the School of Applied Engineering Technology at New Jersey Institute of Technology and founding director of Newark College of Engineering’s Grand Challenges Scholars Program, has been selected for the 2026 ASEE National Outstanding Teaching Award. The award recognizes an engineering educator for excellence in outstanding classroom performance, contributions to the scholarship of teaching, and participation in ASEE section meetings and local activities.

All engineers are familiar with the chemical, mechanical and physical properties of the materials that they work with. But for materials engineers, their expertise goes much deeper, demonstrating highly detailed knowledge — down to the molecular and atomic level — of materials such as ceramics, concrete, metals, plastics, textiles and compounds that are compatible with living tissues. 

Pia Piazzi '26, a graduate of New Jersey Institute of Technology with a B.S. in materials engineering, is bringing that proficiency in materials science to the aerospace industry. 

Long before Michael Gottlieb ’63 became a chemical engineer, he learned how to think like a scientist. Growing up in Newark, he would watch his father take apart vacuum cleaners piece by piece on the kitchen table — he was a vacuum salesman. His father was not just pitching a product. He understood how every component worked and how to show customers that what he sold wasn’t a vacuum at all, but a cleaner, healthier home. Gottlieb absorbed that lesson: know what you’re working with, understand the people you serve and recognize the good your work can do.

NJIT’s Newark College of Engineering brought together alumni, students, faculty, staff and industry partners for its 28th Annual Salute to Engineering Excellence, an evening that celebrated the people and partnerships helping shape the college’s future.

Held April 16 at Stone House at Stirling Ridge, the annual event highlighted achievement across the NCE community. Proceeds from the night will support experiential learning and NCE competitive student teams and organizations.

NJIT’s Dana Knox Research Showcase filled the Bloom Wellness and Events Center with student research spanning science, engineering, computing, management and the humanities. With poster presentations, two-minute elevator speeches and Board Day luncheon attendees moving through the event, the showcase offered a cross-disciplinary snapshot of research activity across the university.