Notestein, Beltran Receive 2025 Meshii Awards

Northwestern Engineering’s Justin Notestein and Michael Beltran are the 2025 recipients of the Masahiro and Eiko Meshii Award. The honor recognizes faculty members for excellence in design education. 

The award was donated by the family of emeritus faculty member Masahiro “Mike” Meshii (PhD ’59), who helped develop and teach the first-year design curriculum, including Design Thinking and Communication, the two-course sequence for first-year engineering students that embeds communication instruction in the context of design. 

“Justin and Michael exemplify the McCormick School of Engineering’s commitment to design education that is both rigorous and impactful,” Northwestern Engineering Dean Christopher Schuh said. “Their teaching and mentorship ensure our students are not only technically skilled but also creative problem-solvers prepared to lead in industry and society.”

Notestein is a professor and the chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Northwestern Engineering. Notestein developed a popular technical elective, CHEM_ENG 355: Chemical Product Design, expanding the chemical engineering curriculum beyond its traditional focus on process design. Recognizing the growing importance of product design and understanding chemical properties and their use in pharmaceuticals, devices, foods, and consumer goods, Notestein built the course around the theory and principles of successful product development to prepare students for diverse industries. A hallmark of the class is its hands-on work, in which student teams design and create a tangible product using accessible materials.

Beltran, distinguished senior lecturer in mechanical engineering and the Segal Design Institute, teaches courses including the capstone MECH_ENG 398-1: Engineering Design, MECH_ENG 340-2: Computer Integrated Manufacturing II: CAD/CAM, and DSGN 348: Rapid Prototyping. He oversees daily operations of several design and manufacturing facilities, including the 3D Printing & Rapid Prototyping Lab, Manufacturing Teaching Labs, and student project workspaces. Beltran has played a central role in developing curriculum in the department’s design and manufacturing track. In MECH_ENG-340-2, Beltran guides students through the cumulative manufacturing course in mechanical engineering, focusing on the post-design aspects of product development. And in MECH_ENG 398-1, Beltran is there as students experience the entire process of design, from ideation to fully functional prototypes.