OSU chemical engineering student receives national AIChE award
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Reagan Tollefson, a junior in chemical engineering at Oklahoma State University, has been named the recipient of the 2024–25 Donald F. Othmer Second Year Student Award by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).
The award is presented to one student member in each AIChE chapter who has achieved the highest scholastic grade-point average during their first two years of study, based on the recommendation of the chapter advisor. Tollefson will be recognized during the 2025 AIChE Annual Student Conference on Sunday, Nov. 2.
At OSU, Tollefson serves as the 2025–26 president of the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology Student Council and works as a CEAT Ambassador, helping prospective students and their families explore opportunities within the college. She is also active in AIChE, Tau Beta Pi and the Society of Women Engineers, in addition to being both a CEAT Scholar and a participant in the Freshman Research Scholars Program.
Tollefson has developed a strong interest in the oil and natural gas industry, gaining hands-on experience as a production engineering intern with Devon Energy for two consecutive summers. Her projects included evaluating and optimizing flowback operations. Beyond her academic and professional pursuits, she plays bassoon with the OSU Symphony Orchestra.
Her achievements have already been recognized statewide. In 2024, she received the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board’s Collegiate Future Leader Award and was named an OERB Petroleum Scholar.
The AIChE Annual Student Conference brings together student engineers from more than 200 universities for four days of career programming, competitions, networking and professional development alongside AIChE leaders, young professionals and industry experts.
AIChE is the world’s leading organization for chemical engineering professionals, with more than 60,000 members across 110 countries, advancing both traditional process industries and emerging fields such as translational medicine.