This University of Georgia Honors Week 2025, we are thrilled to announce the winners of the second annual Engineering Trailblazer Award.
The Trailblazer Award is a prestigious recognition that celebrates the remarkable contributions of individuals who have overcome unique challenges in their engineering journey.
First-Generation Trailblazer Award
Aasma Sapkota, PhD Student
Recognizing a trailblazer who is the first in their family to pursue a career in engineering, demonstrating perseverance and determination.
Aasma is a fourth-year PhD student at Brisbois lab in the School of Chemical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering. Her research involves developing antibacterial and antithrombotic surfaces for medical devices such as catheters, to tackle complications associated with infections. As a first-generation student from Nepal, Aasma is involved in the Equity Engineers Council to ensure that the voices of underrepresented students are heard. She advocates for graduate student resources and support. In addition to attending and presenting at various conferences, Aasma recently completed a Research and Academic Exchange program at Harvard where she represented UGA and the College of Engineering.
Woman Trailblazer Award
Elizabeth Brisbois, Associate Professor
Acknowledging a trailblazing woman who has made significant contributions to the field of engineering, breaking gender barriers and inspiring others.
Dr. Brisbois is currently an Associate Professor and Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the School of Chemical, Materials, & Biomedical Engineering at the University of Georgia. She completed a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Michigan Medical School in the Department of Surgery, where she worked in the Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) laboratory under the direction of Dr. Robert H. Bartlett (Emeritus Surgeon). She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Michigan in 2014 under the supervision of Dr. Mark E. Meyerhoff. She obtained a B.S. degree in Chemistry and a B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education at Concordia University Nebraska in 2008. Prior to her graduate studies, she also gained R&D experience by working as an analyst at Novartis Consumer Health to develop/improve QC testing methods for current and new products.
Dr. Brisbois’ research focus is in the field of polymeric biomaterials and the development of therapeutic biomolecules aimed at addressing biocompatibility challenges related to medical devices, such as thrombosis, infection, and inflammation. Her translational research aims to design novel multifunctional polymers and small molecule therapeutics, characterize for their properties in vitro, and evaluate their potential biomedical applications in clinically relevant animal models. Her research has been supported through competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH R01s), Breakthrough T1D, Center for Disease Control (CDC) SBIR, the Georgia Clinical & Translational Science Alliance, and industry funding. Her work has been well received by peer-reviewed journals resulting in > 70 publications and > 20 patents and patent disclosures. Throughout her academic career, she has been awarded several honors including: elected Senior Member in the National Academy of Inventors, the American Chemical Society WCC Rising Star Award, UGA College of Engineering Distinguished Faculty Fellow Award, UGA College of Engineering Excellence in Research Award, the National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering invited speaker, the American Chemical Society Young Investigator Award (PMSE division), the Society for Biomaterials Young Investigator Award (SC&M SIG), NIH F32 Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship, a career development award from the Michigan Institue for Clinical & Health Research, 2016 Baxter Inc. Young Investigator Award, and the University of Michigan Department of Chemistry Research Excellence Fellowship.
Student Trailblazer Award
Natalie Crutchfield, PhD Student
The Student Trailblazer Award aims to celebrate the resilience of students who have overcome challenges and obstacles, demonstrating tenacity and fortitude on their educational journey. We seek to acknowledge students who have exhibited outstanding leadership qualities, not only within academic settings, but also as inspirations to their peers and the broader community
Natalie is a third-year PhD student co-mentored by Dr. Brisbois and Handa in the School of Chemical, Materials, and Biomedical Engineering. Her research involves developing mechanically tunable and robust bioactive materials for medical devices. Natalie‘s mission is to use her position as a future graduate to benefit disabled and marginalized members of her community to promote equity and diversity in Materials Science and Biomedical Engineering. Natalie serves on the Equity Engineers Council as an advocate for the underrepresented students in the College of Engineering. In addition to her active work in her community, Natalie is passionate about mentoring future graduate students and has participated as a mentor for visiting REU scholars throughout her PhD and even received the NanoBio REU Excellence in Mentorship Award.
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Trailblazers will be recognized at the College of Engineering’s 2025 Celebration of Excellence Award Ceremony on April 10th.
For questions about the Trailblazer Award, contact Dr. Sonia Garcia, Assistant Dean for Inclusive Excellence.
