USU Engineering Student Wins Student Leadership Award

A Utah State University engineering student is one of 10 students nationwide to win the Society for Advancement of Material and Process’s International University Student Leadership Experience Award for 2023.

Crystal Tingle, a junior in mechanical and aerospace engineering, is the event coordinator for the USU chapter of SAMPE. The leadership award is given to students who demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and qualities in their school, professional work or community.

“Being a recipient of this award means a lot to me,” Tingle said. “It isn't just another thing I can put on a resume, but rather a way for me to reflect on the progress I have sought out to make as a student leader.”

Tingle joined the SAMPE leadership committee to share the importance of networking with her peers. She realized it was something you could not learn in class and started her mission of encouraging students to attend networking events such as the monthly SAMPE dinner, industry tours, expos and more.

“It has been extremely rewarding to see students thriving in networking environments and putting themselves out there and finding their passion for composite materials in the process,” she said.

Tingle attended the conference on April 17 in Seattle to receive her award. The SAMPE conference is an annual event that brings together researchers, students, engineers, scientists and industry professionals from around the world to share the latest advances in materials science and engineering. It featured technical presentations, exhibits, workshops and networking opportunities. Tingle enjoyed learning about sustainable materials and additive manufacturing.

“I want to thank our faculty advisers, Dr. Juhyeong Lee and Dr. Greg Anderson, for the continuous support to our club members, (and) our club president, Gavin Morgenegg, for being a great role model and all other student leaders in our group,” Tingle said. “I couldn't have qualified for this award without them.”