Vicky Nguyen, professor and Marlin U. Zimmerman, Jr. Faculty Scholar of mechanical engineering, was named the recipient of the 2025 James R. Rice Medal by the Society of Engineering Science (SES). The medal, which includes a prize of $1,500, is awarded to a mid-career researcher in the field of engineering sciences who has had a substantial impact in his/her field. Nguyen was awarded the medal “for foundational work in the mechanics of soft materials using integrated experimental and modeling approaches, with applications to the biomechanics of the eye, and the mechanics of soft tissues and responsive polymers.” She will formally accept the prize at the 2025 SES Annual Meeting next October in Atlanta.

Announcement by the Department of Mechanical Engineering.