Eleonora Botta receives distinguished teaching and mentoring award

By Elizabeth Egan 

Recipients are determined by nominations from department leaders that include letters of support from faculty and students. The award recognizes the impact quality mentoring can have on student experience and academic achievement.

“I am proud to say that I had the opportunity to work with someone I would now consider to be a permanent role model to not just myself, but to other rising women in this industry.” Said Alexa Schultz, a former student of Botta’s, studying aerospace engineering, in a letter of support for Botta. “Dr. Botta exemplifies the qualities of exceptional teaching and mentoring to her undergraduate students at the university by putting her best foot forward for the next generation of engineers to come.”

Botta’s interest in teaching was inspired by her mom who was a schoolteacher. She especially enjoys when she gets to work one-on-one with the students who come in during her office hours and witness as they find inspiration in their own work. Botta is also always proud when the students who she mentored in research receive recognition, such as best paper awards.

While Botta adjusts her approach to mentorship depending on the needs of her students, when working with undergrads she focuses on helping them to transition from high school to college learning.

“I think teaching them to be independent learners is very important early on,” said Botta. “That can be a significant achievement for the students as they transition into undergrad.”

Botta also said that she encourages her students to get involved in research early on in their academic careers.

“I push students to get involved with publications very early and I think it is a good motivator for them,” said Botta. “When I was an undergraduate, I did not do research because it wasn’t really a thing at my university. I think it is great exposure for younger students because they get to meet peers and older students and become more interested in their fields at a young age.”

Botta came to the University at Buffalo in 2019 from McGill University where she was a postdoctoral fellow. Her research interests include dynamics and control of space tethers and large flexible space structures, active debris removal, collision detection and avoidance and spacecraft dynamics.

Botta also received the SEAS Early Career Teacher of the Year Award in 2023 and the Outstanding Teaching Assistant award from McGill University in 2018. She earned her PhD in mechanical engineering from McGill University in 2017 and received her master’s degree in space engineering and bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Politecnico di Milano in 2013 and 2010 respectively.

Botta was formally recognized at a ceremony on Jan. 31, along with other award recipients and the fellow 2024 President Emeritus and Mrs. Meyerson awardees Priya Banerjee, assistant professor in the Department of Physics, and Andreas Daum, professor in the Department of History.