2013 Graduate Studies Honors and Awards Ceremony
The 2013 Graduate Studies Honors and Awards Ceremony was held on May 15 at the UC Davis Alumni Center. The awards ceremony recognizes graduate students and postdoctoral scholars for excellence in teaching and academic research. The event acknowledges the winners of the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, various Dissertation awards, and the Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Research. It is also an opportunity for friends, family and colleagues to celebrate the finalists' and award winners’ contributions to the campus and to their fields of study.
Following socializing and refreshments, Vice Provost - Graduate Education and Dean - Graduate Studies Jeffery Gibeling kicked off the event with introductory remarks. He also introduced Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph Hexter and Graduate Council Chair Rachel Goodhue, who both acknowledged the caliber of graduate education at UC Davis, the award nominees and the attending finalists.
Goodhue introduced the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awards, which recognizes graduate students who excel as teaching assistants or instructors for undergraduate and graduate courses. Their hard work and dedication have contributed to improved teaching and learning at all levels on campus. Faculty advisors/mentors of each of the 10 winners gave a brief introduction of their students and joined the provost and dean in recognizing the students' outstanding achievement.
Gibeling then introduced the winners of the various dissertation awards, which included the Max Keliber Prize, the Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology, the Zuhair A. Munir Award for Best Doctoral Dissertation in Engineering, the Allen G. Marr Prize, and the John Kinsella Award.
Postdoctoral Student Association Chair Lauren Hirao introduced the Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Research – which recognizes postdoctoral scholars for their research at UC Davis. Out of 17 nominees, postdocs Eliza Bliss Moreau (Psychiatry and Behavioral Studies) and Barbara Gandolfi (Population Health and Reproduction) took home the Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Research.
Congratulations to all! (See the photo gallery on Facebook.)
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awards
Tania Lizarazo, Spanish
Bert Baumgaertner, Philosophy
Brian Coffey, Philosophy
Jesse Goplen, German
Sarah Ford Lappas, Music
Wenjing Liao, Mathematics
Philip Matern, Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Physiology
Kevin Ringelman, Ecology
Melissa Rivera, Chemistry
Donnelly West, Plant Biology
Dissertation Awards
Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology: Amanda H. Klein, Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
Allen G. Marr Prize: Maxine Zylberberg, Animal Behavior
Zuhair A. Munir Award for Best Doctoral Dissertation in Engineering: Mark Gabel, Computer Science
Max Kleiber Prize: Weston Thomas Powell, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
John Kinsella Award: David Dallas, Plant Breeding and Genetics
Award for Excellence in Postdoctoral Research Nominees
Robin Altman, Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine
Eliza Bliss-Moreau,Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Barbara Gandolfi, Population Health and Reproduction
Ragab Khir Gebreil, Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Peta Hitchens, Anatomy Physiology and Cell Biology
Michael Lodewyk, Chemistry
Eleftherios Makris, Biomedical Engineering
Seth Miller, Bodega Marine Laboratory
Matthew Nystoriak, Pharmacology
Nathan Parker, Institute of Transportation Studies
Laetitia Pereira, Pharmacology
Renee Ruhaak, Chemistry
Jared Schwartzer, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Christopher Simmons, Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Cristian Soldi, Chemistry
Matthew Szydagis, Physics
Amir Tavakoli, Nanomaterials in the Environment, Agriculture and Technology (NEAT)