MAE graduate student, Rahul Shinde, won the first place award in the engineering and applied mathematics category of CSULB’s annual student research competition held on Friday, March 2, 2007. His paper, which is based on his MS thesis, was entitled "An Automated Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization Method for Multi-Hull Vessels." His thesis advisor is Dr. Hamid Hefazi. Rahul will represent CSULB at the Twenty-First Annual CSU Statewide Student Research Competition, which will be hosted by California State University, Dominguez Hills on May 4 and 5, 2007.