Sanjivan Manoharan, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was one
of three faculty members in the state named a 2026 Michigan
Distinguished Professor of the Year.
The award is presented annually by the Michigan
Association of State Universities to recognize outstanding
contributions and dedication to the education of undergraduate
students by faculty members from Michigan’s 15 public universities.
“Dr. Sanjivan Manoharan represents the very best of
what this award seeks to honor," said Jennifer Drake, provost
and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. "His
teaching is rigorous and compassionate, his scholarship is
purposeful and his commitment to students is unmistakable. I am
confident that he will continue to shape lives, strengthen his
profession and advance undergraduate education in meaningful ways.”
Sanjivan Manoharan, right, and engineering graduate Scott Strayer
demonstrate how a lunar flagpole is assembled as part of the 'Astro
Anchors' senior project at the Innovation Design Center. Manoharan
serves as faculty advisor to the organization that regularly competes in
NASA collegiate challenges.
Image credit - Cory Morse
Manoharan joined Grand Valley in 2016 as a visiting
faculty member. Initially interested in pursuing aerospace
engineering, Manoharan earned bachelor's and master's degrees from
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a doctoral degree in
mechanical engineering from the University of Cincinnati.
He maintains ties to aerospace by teaching related
courses and serving as the advisor to several student teams from
GVSU’s chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
organization, including one headed to the Johnson Space Center.
Sanjivan Manoharan
Image credit - Kendra Stanley-Mills
In May, the GVSU team will continue its streak of
traveling to Houston to compete in NASA's Micro-g NExT challenge.
Manoharan said one of this year's challenges is for engineering
teams from around the country to design a cart handle that
astronauts on the moon can easily maneuver.
Manoharan was quick to brag about Padnos College of
Engineering students.
"Our students are very hands-on," he said.
"An example is the NASA project. Our students have competed and
topped students from other big universities. When it comes to
engineering, building, testing and prototyping, our students are
among the best."
Last year, Manoharan was among the engineering faculty
who secured a $1.98 million grant from the National Science
Foundation to remove financial barriers and create academic support
systems for students to earn engineering degrees. That project will
welcome a student cohort this fall. In 2020, Manoharan and others
received an NSF grant to support students who are pursuing a
combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in engineering.
Adebayo Ogundipe, dean of the Padnos College of
Engineering, said Manoharan's award is an honor for the entire college.
"Dr. Manoharan's commitment to listening,
mentoring and inspiring both in and out of the classroom makes him a
worthy recipient of this honor," Ogundipe said. "He
symbolizes the commitment that all PCE faculty have to helping
students learn not just engineering skills but everything they need
to succeed."
This marks the third consecutive year MASU has
recognized a Grand Valley faculty member as a Distinguished
Professor of the Year. Adrienne Wallace, associate professor of
advertising and public relations, and Brad Wallar, professor of
chemistry, were recipients in 2025 and 2024, respectively.
