Nearly 50 seniors were honored on Friday, May 17, 2019, at the annual Dean’s Awards luncheon held in the Jordan Hall of Science Galleria. Mary Galvin, William K. Warren Foundation Dean of the College of Science, presented the awards—including two Dean’s Awards—in front of a crowd of more than 200 family, friends and faculty who gathered to celebrate.
The Dean’s Award is presented to the top students in the college who have not only achieved excellent academic performance, but also have exemplary personal character, high leadership qualities, and significant service achievements. The 2019 recipients are Sofia Carozza and Arwa Mohammad.
Carozza was named the University’s valedictorian for 2019, and majored in neuroscience and behavior with a supplemental major in theology and a minor in politics, philosophy, and economics. She was a research assistant in the Development and Psychopathology Lab as well as in the Institute for Advanced Study. She has been active as a mental health coach with MindRight, a group that provides socio-emotional therapy services to students who have experienced trauma, and has held various positions in ND Students for Worker Justice, which leads campus social justice initiatives. She is also the leader and co-founder of an exercise program at the Juvenile Justice Center. Additionally, Carozza is a Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar and a Glynn Family Honors Scholar. As the recipient of the 2019 British Marshall Scholarship, her future plans include pursuing a master of philosophy in basic and translational neuroscience leading into a doctorate in psychiatry at the University of Cambridge.
Mohammad majored in science preprofessional studies and in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern studies. She served as a member of the Muslim Student Association during each of her four years, and has been active in her dorm, Badin Hall, as a welcome weekend ambassador and, this year, as vice president. She also worked as a resident assistant. She volunteered both in medical and artistic settings, helping the elderly at a healthy aging clinic in Florida, and also volunteering at a refugee camp in Bethlehem, West Bank. She conducted undergraduate research in several labs, was an Emil T. Hofman Scholar, and recipient of the James DiNardo Award.
Evan Nichols earned the 2019 Dean’s Research Award. This award is presented each year to the outstanding graduating senior in the College of Science who conducted exceptional research and who embraces, facilitates, and fosters an environment of scientific inquiry. Evan majored in neuroscience and behavior with a minor in constitutional studies. He has published neuroscience research as a first author in three different publications, with two more on the way — one under review, and another in revisions. Nichols has presented his research at four different meetings attended by top scientists in the field, and earned an outstanding oral presentation award at the Notre Dame Summer Research Symposium. In addition to his research accolades, he received an honorable mention for a Goldwater Scholarship, and has worked as a tutor and teaching assistant. This year he was also the resident assistant for Sorin Hall. Nichols plans to pursue graduate studies in neuroscience.
In addition to the Dean’s Awards, each department within the college presented awards to graduating seniors.
Alan Huebner, Ph.D., director of undergraduate studies for Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics (ACMS), presented the Outstanding ACMS Major Award to Logan Arnold and Marissa Kivi.
Crislyn D’Souza-Shorey, Ph.D., Morris Pollard Collegiate Professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, presented several departmental awards:
Outstanding Biology Student Leader Award: Cayla Bayles and Katheryn Barnhart
Outstanding Biological Scientist Award: Meridith Balbach, Christina Del Greco, Bailee Egan, and Caroline Murtagh
Outstanding Environmental Scientist Award: Aleah Appling
Mr. and Mrs. Frank McDonald Undergraduate Research Award: Henri Chung, Eleanor Clark, Colin Sheehan, and Magdalene Walters
Robert Braco, M.D. Honors Research Award: Nathan Hermann
Paul F. Ware, M.D. Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award: Caitlin Harrington
Brian Baker, Ph.D., Rev. John A. Zahm, C.S.C. Professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, presented the following awards:
Outstanding Biochemist Award: Trever Carter, Rebecca Georgiadis, and William Phillips
Outstanding Biochemistry Research Award: Alexandra Bodnar
Outstanding Chemist Award: Anthony Deziel
Outstanding Chemistry Research Award: Elisabeth Kerns
William R. Wischerath Outstanding Major Award: Lauren Davancaze
Chemistry and Biochemistry Leadership Award: James Shuttleworth
Jeffrey Diller, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics, presented several departmental awards:
Robert P. Balles Honors Program Mathematics Scholar: Katherine Gallagher
Robert P. Balles Distinguished Mathematics Scholar: James Venzor
The General Electric Prize for Honors Mathematics Majors: Katherine Gallagher and Nicholas Lohr
The General Electric Prize for Mathematics Majors: Dante Domenella and James Venzor
The George Kolettis Award in Mathematics: Daniel O’Connor
Peter Garnavich, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Physics, presented several departmental awards:
Outstanding Senior Physics Major: Patrick Millican
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award: Matthew Drnevich and Maciej Olszewski
Paul Chagnon Award for Service To The Department: Zachary Huber
Joseph O’Tousa, Ph.D., professor and co-director of the Neuroscience & Behavior Program, and Nancy Michael, Ph.D., the director of undergraduate studies for Neuroscience & Behavior, presented several awards:
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award: Evan Nichols
Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award: Kevin Lee
Outstanding Undergraduate Leadership and Service Award: Bailey Jaeger and Coleman Sapp
Universal Scholar Award: Delaney Weiland
Rev. James Foster, C.S.C., M.D., assistant dean, Center for Health Advising, and chair of the preprofessional studies program, awarded the following:
The Lawrence H. Baldinger Award: Annette Cai, Mathew Morico, and Jacqueline Townshend
The Reverend Joseph L. Walter, C.S.C. Award: Mia DiCara
The Samuel J. Chmell, M.D. Award: Arwa Mohammad
The Patrick J. Niland, M.D. Award: Daniel Sweeney
Sr. Kathleen Cannon, OP, associate dean of the College of Science, presented the Collegiate Sequence Majors awards to Kristin Andrejko and Leigh Campbell,
Chris Kolda, Ph.D.,professor of physics and director of the Glynn Family Honors Program, recognized senior College of Science graduates who were members of the Glynn Family Honors Program, which offers select undergraduates the opportunity to pursue academic excellence within a community of like-minded learners: Emily Abramczyk, Kristin Andrejko, Andrew Appert, Cayla Bales, Leigh Campbell, Sofia Carozza, Trever Carter, Elizabeth Chen, Joseph Hickman, Audrey Immonen, An Iverson, Roslyn Joseph, Elisabeth Kerns, Patricia Kim, Ryan Kim, Wiktoria Kozlowska, Molly Kuehm, Jordan Lazowski, Alexandra Lesnik, Laura Matthews, Caroline McGowan, Brady McLaughlin, Michael Mulligan, Simon Padanilam, Angela Pantell, Su Jean Park, Cecilia Pesavento, Savanna Pfeffer, Camille Pierre, Maria Pope, Marya Poterek, Nicholas Rossiter, Anne Stratman, Erin Sullivan, and Ivy Wang.
To conclude the event, Dean Mary Galvin awarded the Father James L. Shilts C.S.C./Doris and Gene Leonard Teaching Award to Dennis Snow, in the Department of Mathematics, and the College Research Award to Kasturi Haldar, Department of Biological Sciences. She also recognized the following professors who received the Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C. Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching: Steven Corcelli, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Jay Christopher Howk, professor of physics, James Parise, teaching professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Sylwia Ptasinska, associate professor of physics, Matthew Ravosa, professor of biology, and Mitchell Wayne, professor of physics.
Originally published by at science.nd.edu on May 23, 2019.