3/24/2026
The Department of Materials Science and Engineering has announced recipients of its annual alumni awards. Honorees include Elizabeth Opila (Distinguished Merit Award), Cassandra Birrenkott (Young Alum Award) and Zeba Parkar (Loyalty Award). Additionally, alumnae Rose Castanares ('88, B.S.) is receiving the Alumni Award for Distinguished Service from The Grainger College of Engineering.
Each spring, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, gathers to celebrate the outstanding contributions of its alumni. This year's Spring Awards Banquet, held at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center Ballroom on Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., honors three remarkable individuals whose careers embody the spirit of innovation, dedication, and service that defines the Illinois materials community. From pioneering research in extreme-environment materials to championing hands-on engineering education and bridging the worlds of science and entrepreneurship, this year's honorees represent the very best of what Illinois engineers go on to achieve.
Elizabeth Opila is Chair and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and the Rolls-Royce Commonwealth Professor of Engineering at the University of Virginia, where she also holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She directs the Rolls-Royce University Technology Center for Advanced Materials Systems. Before joining UVA in 2010, she spent 19 years as a materials research engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Her current research focuses on thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms of material degradation in extreme environments, creating life prediction methodology grounded in fundamental high-temperature chemical reaction mechanisms and the development of material protection in extreme-environment applications. She studies ceramic matrix composites, refractory metals and alloys, ultra-high temperature ceramics, and environmental and thermal barrier coatings through specialized experimental, characterization and computational approaches.
Opila earned her B.S. in Ceramic Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, her M.S. in Materials Science from the University of California, Berkeley and her Ph.D. in Materials Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and the Electrochemical Society and received the American Ceramic Society's Arthur L. Friedberg Award in 2021.
Cassandra Birrenkott is a mechanical engineering educator and researcher at South Dakota Mines who carries a passion for experiential learning and institutional growth. She holds a B.S. in Metallurgical Engineering from South Dakota Mines and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
In the classroom, she teaches mechanics of materials, viscoelasticity and experimental stress analysis, integrating real-world applications, data acquisition and modern tools such as digital image correlation to connect theory and practice. Her research focuses on novel characterization techniques, full-field deformation measurement and polymer and composite joining — work that addresses industry-relevant challenges while creating meaningful research opportunities for students.
Beyond teaching and research, Birrenkott has led curriculum development initiatives, supported S-STEM scholarship programs, and advises the South Dakota Alpha chapter of Tau Beta Pi. Through mentorship, service and collaborative leadership, she contributes to departmental growth and alumni engagement while fostering inclusive learning environments that prepare future engineers to think critically, communicate effectively and lead with integrity.
Zeba Parkar is a scientist, inventor and serial entrepreneur who bridges the gap between materials research and consumer-focused innovation. Originally from Mumbai, India, she earned her undergraduate degree in Polymer Engineering and Technology from the Institute of Chemical Technology before coming to the United States for her doctoral studies. At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, she completed her Ph.D. research under the late James Economy, focusing on Aromatic Thermosetting Polyesters (ATSP) for high-temperature applications.
Her professional career included a tenure at 3M Corporate Research as a Research Specialist, where her work yielded multiple patents in manufacturing — spanning 3D printable compositions, continuous fiber-reinforced composite processing and inductively curable materials. Inspired by the maker movement and the transformative power of additive manufacturing, she transitioned into entrepreneurship. As Founder and CEO of Treleaf, she uses CNC machining and 3D printing to manufacture houseplant accessories, a venture born from her personal collection of hundreds of houseplants.
Deeply committed to the next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs, Parkar has served on the Materials Science and Engineering Alumni Board at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as member, vice president and president. She actively mentors aspiring business owners, sharing her journey from the laboratory to the startup world through her blog — and continues to guide others navigating the intersection of technical expertise and entrepreneurship.
The Grainger College of Engineering has awarded alumnae Rose Castanares ('88, B.S.) with the Alumni Award for Distinguished Service. This award celebrates the accomplishments of leaders in higher education, semiconductor technology, international engagement and additional fields. As the president of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) Arizona, Castanares oversees facilities producing some of the world's most advanced semiconductor chips. Recipients were honored at a March 27, 2026 college event.