Graduate Studies is pleased to announce and recognize the dedicated and talented individuals who have earned awards and recognition (link to awards page) for their outstanding achievements in the 2022-23 academic year.

The following graduate students, postdoctoral students, and professors are recognized for their exceptional contributions in research, teaching and mentorship.

 

Dissertation Awards

Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology

The Loren D. Carlson Prize in Physiology is awarded to the student who best demonstrates "scholarly achievement and promise for teaching and research.”  The recipients of the Carlson Prize receive an award of $3,000, a certificate commemorating the Prize, and their name will be inscribed on the Carlson Prize plaque in the Carlson Library.

Awarded to Chih-Ting Wu, Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology             
Major Professor: Karen Ryan                                                                                    
Dissertation Title: To be announced

 

The John Kinsella Award

The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CA&ES) has established the Kinsella Memorial Prize in honor of the late Dean and Professor John Kinsella. The annual award of $3,500 is given to two outstanding individuals based on the quality and originality of the work, the multidisciplinary impact of the research, and the importance of the research to the college’s mission to serve agriculture, the environment, and human health and development.

Awarded to Bernardo A. Bastien Olvera, Geography Graduate Group
Major Professor: Frances C. Moore
Dissertation Title: “Climate Change Impacts on Natural Capital: Consequences for Human Well-Being and Macro-Economic Growth”

 

The Max Kleiber Prize

This prize was established to honor the sixty-year career of Professor Max Kleiber in recognition of his outstanding success in elucidating metabolic relationships in intact animals. The award is given to a nominee who best represents the characteristics and high standards of scholastics and professional ethics that guided Professor Kleiber’s career.

Awarded to Taylor Voelker, Pharmacology and Toxicology
Major Professor: Rose Dixon
Dissertation Title: “PI(4,5)P2 regulation of Cav1.2 L-type Ca2+ channels via angiotensin II signaling in the heart”

 

The Allen G. Marr Prize

The Allen G. Marr Prize was established in honor of Allen G. (Jerry) Marr's 20-year contribution as Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and his commitment to the highest standards of scholarship and professional ethics. A prize is awarded by Graduate Studies to a doctoral student in honor of superior dissertation work. Each year the competition is in different discipline areas. The fields of competition for the 2022 award were Biological Sciences/Life Sciences and Humanities and Fine Arts.

Awarded to Chunyang Dong, Biochemistry, Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Major Professor: Lin Tian
Dissertation Title: “Developing genetically encoded optical tools for imaging brain circuits and pharmacology”

 

The Zuhair A. Munir Award for Best Doctoral Dissertation in Engineering

The Zuhair A. Munir Award for the Best Doctoral Dissertation honors former Dean of the College of Engineering Zuhair A. Munir. Munir led the College from 2000 to 2002 and acted as its Associate Dean for Graduate Studies for 20 years. This Award will not only honors the individual who submitted the best doctoral dissertation within the College of Engineering during the eligibility period and publicizes their outstanding research but also acknowledges the mentorship of the major professor. The award consists of a plaque and honorarium of $1000 for the student.

Awarded to Shahin Shams, Biomedical Engineering
Major Professor: Eduardo A. Silva
Dissertation Title: “EGLN1 Targeted SpCas9 Encapsulating VLPs for Proangiogenic Cascade Activation and Their Delivery via Alginate Hydrogels”

 

Mentoring Awards

Distinguished Graduate and Distinguished Postdoctoral Scholar Mentoring Award

Graduate Studies and the Graduate Council are pleased to present awards for outstanding mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. The Distinguished Mentoring Awards recognize the vital role mentoring plays in the academic and professional development of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at UC Davis. A certificate and $1,000 will be conferred to each awardee.

Congratulations to the following recipients:

• Aldrin Gomes, Professor, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior
• Maja Makagon, Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science
• Adrienne Nishina, Professor, Department of Human Ecology
• Richard J. Sexton, Distinguished Professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics

In addition to the four 2023 award recipients, the awards committee wanted to give special recognition to the following faculty for specific areas of excellence:

• Lisa Oakes, Professor, Department of Psychology, for mentorship and service to graduate student well-being
• Tamara Swaab, Professor, Department of Psychology, for involvement in graduate student career development activities
   

Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Awards

The Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award (OGTA) recognizes the contributions of graduate students to teaching and learning at UC Davis. This is a tremendously important award as it honors outstanding graduate students, reminds the campus that teaching is a central part of the university’s mission, and can inspire students and professors to give increased attention to the educational process.

• Marcela Radtke, Nutrition
• Jeffrey Nichols, Mathematics
• Talitha Angelica Trazo, Asian American Studies
• Sophie Miller, Physics
• Samuel Pizelo, English
• Hannah Stevens, Communication
• Pratik Gandhi, Physics
• Hongtao Zhang, Genetics and Genomics
• Courtney Calahan, English
• Natalia Crialeison Balbo Vall Ribeiro, Food Science and Technology
• Alexandra Burgess, English
• Kaceylee Klein, Comparative Literature
• Mary Farruggia, Environmental Science

 

Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (CPFP) offers postdoctoral research fellowships and faculty mentoring to outstanding scholars whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity at the University of California.

• Raed El Rafei
• Utitofon Inyang – deferred 1 year
• Cuauhtemoc Lule
• Denae Ventura Arredondo
• Antonio De Jesus Torres Hernandez

2022-23 Postdoctoral Research Excellence Awards

The winners of the 2022-23 Postdoctoral Research Excellence Awards were announced at the 8th annual Postdoctoral Scholars Research Symposium on March 17. The postdoctoral scholars were selected based on their outstanding research accomplishments as well as their commitment to diversity and inclusion, mentorship, service and/or public scholarship. Award recipients will receive $500 to assist in their continued professional development.

• Nicholas Burnett, Ph.D.
• Jennifer Mogannam, Ph.D.
• Hugo Fernando Monteiro, Ph.D.
• Shruti Paranjape, Ph.D.
• Rebeca Scalco, DVM
• Gina Sideli, Ph.D.