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As the 2021-22 academic year came to a close, Chancellor Gary S. May and Graduate Studies honored faculty members and others for outstanding mentorship of undergraduates, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students during the year.

We also have the recipients of the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, coupled with the Dean Keith Simonton Prize and the Dean Keith Simonton Prize for Creativity in Undergraduate Research, both prizes endowed by and named after Dean Simonton, professor emeritus of psychology, who started his own research career as an undergraduate. See box below the mentorship awards.

“Approximately 50 percent of our undergraduates participate in hands-on research or design projects under the mentorship of a professor,” Chancellor May said in presenting the awards for mentorship and research at the undergraduate level. “This is truly exceptional. Our level of student participation and faculty support far exceeds that of most other universities.” Elsewhere, In most cases, he said, student research is largely confined to students pursuing graduate degrees.

“Whether it’s scientific experimentation or the scholarly analysis of literature, performing research heightens the joy of learning and tightens the interaction with professors. Hands-on experience helps our students identify their interests and aptitudes. It also provides them with experience valued by employers and graduate schools.”

Undergraduate level

Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research:

• Faculty — Nitzan Shabek, assistant professor, Department of Plant Biology, College of Biological Sciences. Honorable mention: Jacob Hibel, associate professor, Department of Sociology, College of Letters and Science
• Postdoc/project scientist — Marina LaForgia, Department of Evolution and Ecology, College of Biological Sciences. Honorable mention: Ryan Toedebusch, Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Graduate student — Iris Holzer, Soils and Biogeochemistry Graduate Group; and Jesse Kolber, Department of Sociology; College of Letters and Science

Graduate-postdoctoral

Distinguished Graduate and Postdoctoral Scholar Mentorship Award:

• Rachael Goodhue, professor, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
• Thomas Hahn, professor, Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, College of Biological Sciences
• Paul Hastings, professor, Department of Psychology, College of Letters and Science
• Wolf-Dietrich Heyer, professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences

Honorable mention:

• Robert Bayley, professor, Department of Linguistics, College of Letters and Science, for the success of his apprenticeship model of mentoring
• David Begun, professor, Department of Evolution and Ecology, College of Biological Sciences, for support of students throughout their career path
• Georgia Drakakaki, professor, Department of Plant Sciences, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, for the development of a program supporting graduate student well-being and mental health