MSE alumna, Haasa Gaddipati, was named a recipient of the College of Engineering’s Helen Grenga Award, recognizing academic excellence and contributions to the Georgia Tech community. Gaddipati’s contributions reflect both her commitment to research and her active role in the MSE community.

Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, Gaddipati received a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering this Spring, along with the Research Option and a Sustainable Business Certificate. During her time at Georgia Tech, she was deeply involved across the MSE community, including undergraduate research in Professor Juan-Pablo Correa-Baena’s group.

In addition to her research, Gaddipati took on numerous leadership and service roles. She previously served as president of Women in Materials Science (WiMSE) and remained actively involved in the organization until graduation. She was also a leader within the Materials Innovation Learning Laboratory (MILL), where she led Science of Art and previously served as Measurement Chief Technical Officer. Her involvement included serving on the MSE Undergraduate Student Advisory Council (USAC) curriculum team and contributing to the MSE Ambassadors Program. A former MSE Research Scholar and teaching assistant for the program, she credits the department’s close-knit community as a key part of her experience at Georgia Tech.

Gaddipati’s research focuses on analyzing phase gradients in perovskites for optoelectronic devices. She was initially drawn to this area through an interest in sustainability and renewable energy, as perovskites are emerging as a promising alternative to silicon in solar panels due to their semiconductor properties. Over time, she developed a deeper interest in understanding how material structure influences electronic properties such as charge transport, which motivated her to continue in the field.

Following graduation, Gaddipati will pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering at Northwestern University. She plans to continue research in energy and electronic materials as she builds on her undergraduate experience.