FDCL’s Maneesha (“Maneesh”) Wickramasuriya has received the 2026 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The George Washington University, recognizing his dedication to teaching and undergraduate mentorship.
Since Spring 2022, Maneesh has supported courses including Thermodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, and Electromechanical Control Systems Design. Through recitations, laboratory instruction, coding sessions, and office hours, he has helped students understand challenging concepts and develop confidence in solving engineering problems. His nomination, prepared by Professor Taeyoung Lee, brought together support from 70 students and five faculty members, as highlighted in the department’s feature on the award.
Maneesh’s contributions extend beyond the classroom. He has mentored undergraduate learning assistants and guided capstone design teams, including the RTX competition teams from 2024 through 2026. Students and faculty praised both his technical guidance and his patience, kindness, and willingness to help. Their recommendations describe a mentor who makes students comfortable asking questions while encouraging them to work independently.
On May 13, FDCL celebrated the recognition with undergraduate students and lab members at Science and Engineering Hall. Messages of appreciation from students and faculty were displayed outside the lab—a reminder of the many people Maneesh has supported throughout his time at GW.
Congratulations, Maneesh, and thank you for the care and enthusiasm you bring to teaching and mentoring!
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