Georgia Southern mechanical engineering student recognized in international competition

October 2, 2023

Mohammad Towhidul Islam Rimon, a mechanical engineering master’s student in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing (AEPCEC), recently won first place in the best student paper competition at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 2023 Power Applied R&D Conference.

The international conference and competition exhibited research relevant to current and future power generation issues, applications and emerging technologies. Following Rimon, second and third place winners were named from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Cambridge, respectively.

Rimon’s paper focused on a new generation of power technologies known as supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) power generation. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, the project aims to address the technical challenges at the subcomponent level of sCO₂ power cycles and contribute to the goal of greenhouse gas pollution reduction.

“Working with cutting-edge technology, delving deep into these subjects and receiving recognition for my efforts has been incredibly inspiring,” Rimon said. “It was a privilege to present this paper at a prestigious event where experts from the power industry were gathered.”

Rimon said mentorship from his advisor, Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D., assistant professor of mechanical engineering in the AEPCEC and the principal investigator of the project, was an integral part of his success.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work in the exact field I’ve always wanted under the guidance of Dr. Cesmeci,” Rimon said. “He invested a significant amount of effort in my training and consistently encouraged me, even before the presentation. Winning the award feels like a way to honor his dedication and showcase our findings on an international stage, reaffirming their significance.”

Cesmeci was proud not only to see his student succeed but also to see the University recognized at an international level.

“I have never seen a student who was so dedicated to putting every effort that they can for a flawless presentation, including answering challenging questions from the experts in their field,” Cesmeci said. “Considering this is an international conference and it was open to all levels of students, including Ph.D. students, I am immensely proud of Rimon’s success.”