Fellowship & Award Recipients

The MEES Program is proud to recognize the achievements of our students & alumni, and has the distinct honor of presenting the recipients of the MEES Memorial Awards and prestigious Graduate School (UMCP) fellowships listed below.

MEES MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

  
    


    Student
    Year
    Award
    Advisor
  


    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
  

    Catherine Fitzgerald
    2025
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. James Pierson
Dr. Louis Plough
  

    Qianru Liao
    2025
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. William Fagan
  

    Madison Sholes
    2025
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Michael Wilberg
  

    Syeda Ali
    2024
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Lee Cooper
  

    Maya Drzewicki
    2024
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Michael Wilberg
  

    Yanyu Wang
    2024
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Xin Zhang
  

    Jens Wira
    2023
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Matthew Stefanak
    2023
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Ryan Woodland
  

    Joshua Akinola
    2023
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Paulinus Chigbu
  

    Samarah Nehemiah
    2022
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Michael Wilberg
  

    Aubrey Tingler
    2022
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Paul Leisnham
  

    Tan Zou
    2022
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Xin Zhang
  

    Brendan Campbell
    2021
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Matthew Gray
  

    Mingli Zhao
    2021
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Eric Schott
  

    Anna Windle
    2021
    Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Memorial Award
    Dr. Greg Silsbe
  

    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
  

    Kayland Huckaby
    2025
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Paulinus Chigbun
  

    Matthew Kusche
    2025
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Madan Kharel
  

    Pengzheng Yong
    2025
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Shaojun Du
  

    Qianru Liao
    2024
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. William Fagan
  

    Haoran Liu
    2024
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Meng Xia
  

    Kyarii Ramarui
    2024
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Yantao Li
  

    Carol Kim
    2023
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Sairah Malkin
  

    Miranda Judd
    2023
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Paulina Huanca-Valenzuela
    2023
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Clara Fuchsman
  

    Kohma Arai
    2022
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. David Secor
  

    Claire Nemes
    2022
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Emily Cohen
Dr. Matthew Fitzpatrick
  

    Kelsey Abernathy
    2022
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Gerardo Vasta
  

    Alterra Sanchez
    2021
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Michael Gonsior
  

    Lan Xu
    2021
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Ten-Tsao Wong
  

    Mingli Zhao
    2021
    Reid Evans Menzer Memorial Award
    Dr. Eric Schott
  

    MEES Graduate Program Fund
Robert E. Menzer Foundation Fellowship Award (previously)
  

    Julia Charest
    2025
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Lorie Staver 
  

    Cali Roberts
    2025
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Ali Ishaque 
  

    Veronica Lucchese
    2024
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. William Dennison 
  

    Alan Williams
    2024
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Matthew Gray
  

    Shuxian Wu
    2023
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Ten-Tsao Wong 
  

    Kaitlyn Wade
    2023
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Michael Wilberg 
  

    Stefanie Shenoy
    2022
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Jeremy Testa
Dr. Lora Harris
  

    Mingli Zhao
    2021
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Eric Schott
Dr. Harold Schreier
  

    Taylor Gedeon
    2020
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. L. Jen Shaffer
  

    Shanelle Haughton
    2020
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Joseph Pitula
  

    Kayle Krieg
    2020
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Paulinus Chigbu
  

    Laura Wiltsee
    2020
    MEES Graduate Program Fund
    Dr. Matthew Gray
  

    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
  

    Veronica Lucchese
    2025
    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
    Dr. William Dennison
  

    Amanda Schwark
    2025
    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
    Dr. Lori Staver 
Dr. Sairah Malkin
  

    Colin Vissering
    2025
    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
    Dr. Lisa Wainger
  

    Erika Koontz
    2024
    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
    Dr. Lori Staver 
 Dr. Cindy Palinkas
  

    Nina Santos
    2023
    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
    Dr. Ryan Woodland
  

    Nicole Holmes
    2022
    Bill Huppert Endowed Student Award
    Dr. Kenneth Rose
Dr. L. Jen Shaffer
  

    Clint Waters Student Award
  

    Matthew Stefanak
    2025
    Clint Waters Scholarship
    Dr. Ryan Woodland
  

    Samarah Nehemiah
    2024
    Clint Waters Scholarship
    Dr. Michael Wilberg
  

    Isabel Sanchez-Viruet
    2023
    Clint Waters Scholarship
    Dr. Jeremy Testa
  

    Catherine Fitzgerald
    2022
    Clint Waters Scholarship
    Dr. James Pierson
Dr. Louis Plough
  

    Iacopo Vona
    2022
    Clint Waters Scholarship
    Dr. William Nardin
  

    Alexandra McCarty
    2021
    Clint Waters Scholarship
    Dr. Louis Plough
  

    The Wells MEES Graduate Student Fund
  

    Anne Baldino
    2025
    The Wells MEES Graduate Student Fund
    Dr. Jun Sook Chung
  

    Anji Cooper
    2025
    The Wells MEES Graduate Student Fund
    Dr. Cindy Palinkas
  

    Emily Jolly
    2025
    The Wells MEES Graduate Student Fund
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Miranda Judd
    2025
    The Wells MEES Graduate Student Fund
    Dr. Allen Place
  


  

For previous award & fellowship recipients prior to 2020, click here.

College of mathematical & Natural Sciences (CMNS) awards

  
    Student
    Year
    Award
    Advisor
  
    Lauren Jonas
    2023
    Amit and Ruchi Mehta Graduate Research Award
    Dr. Russell Hill

UMCP Graduate school student fellowships & Awards

  
    








    Student
    Year
    Award
    Advisor
  


    Flagship Fellowship
  

    Anne Baldino
    2023
    Flagship Fellowship
    Dr. J. Sook Chung
  

    Sarah Endyke
    2022
    Flagship Fellowship
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Matthew Stefanak
    2021
    Flagship Fellowship
    Dr. Ryan Woodland
  

    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
  

    Miranda Judd
    2024
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Reed Brodnik
    2022
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Thomas Miller
  

    Carol Kim
    2022
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Sairah Malkin
  

    Anna Windle
    2022
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Greg Silsbe
  

    Katelynn Lankowicz
    2021
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Hongsheng Bi
  

    Christina Goethel
    2021
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier
  

    Chelsea Wegner Koch
    2020
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Lee Cooper
  

    Suzanne Spitzer
    2020
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. William Dennison
  

    Hadley Mcintosh
    2019
    Anne Wylie Dissertation Fellowship
    Dr. Laura Lapham
  

    Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Grant
  

    Alexandra Fireman
    2020
    Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Grant
    Dr. Ryan Woodland
  

    Christina Goethel
    2019
    Jacob K. Goldhaber Travel Grant
    Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier
  

    Dean's Fellowship
  

    Madison Sholes
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Michael Wilberg
  

    Cody Quiroz
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Michael Gonsior
  

    Jennifer Weiske
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Jacob Cram
  

    Clara Roth
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Lora Harris
  

    Emilia McGeady
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Matthew Gray
  

    Michael Kalinowski
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Sairah Malkin
  

    Bruna Sobrinho
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Patricia Glibert
  

    Yufeng Jia
    2024
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Feng Chen
  

    Jun Suk Byun
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Xin Zhang
  

    Kylie Cherneskie
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Dong Liang 
 Dr. Hongsheng Bi
  

    Lael Collins
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Michael Wilberg 
 Dr. Ryan Woodland

    Anji Cooper
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Cindy Palinkas

    Erin Geibel
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Matthew Fitzpatrick

    Zhongshi He
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Yantao Li

    Miranda Judd
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Allen Place

    Amanda Schwark
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Cindy Palinkas

    Brian Tsuru
    2023
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Emily Cohen

    Nicole Ibrahim
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Meghna Mathews
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Xin Zhang
  

    Leonardo Soto
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Shiladitya DasSarma 
 Dr. Tim Canty
  

    Emily Jolly
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Allison Dreiss
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Jeremy Testa
  

    Grace O'Hara
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Sarah Roth
    2022
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Mark Cochrane
  

    Katherine Stahl
    2021
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Andrew Baldwin
  

    Barry Bowman
    2021
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Kenneth Rose
  

    Tanja Crk
    2021
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Andrew Baldwin
  

    Yanyu Wang
    2021
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Xin Zhang
  

    Anna Davis
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Louis Plough
  

    Juliet Nagel
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Aubrey Tingler
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Paul Leisnham
  

    Katherine Hornick
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Louis Plough
  

    Yuren Chen
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Ming Li
  

    Lauren Rodriguez
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Helen Bailey (Olde)
  

    Tanja Crk
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Andrew Baldwin
  

    Brendan Campbell
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Matthew Gray
  

    Lucas DeGroote
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Emily Cohen
  

    Taylor Gedeon
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. L. Jen Shaffer
  

    Christina Goethel
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier
  

    Miranda Judd
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Jens Wira
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Barry Bowman
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Kenneth Rose
  

    Lauren Jonas
    2020
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Russell Hill
  

    Christina Goethel
    2019
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier
  

    Juliet Nagel
    2019
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Anna Davis
    2019
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Louis Plough
  

    Nicole Barbour
    2019
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Helen Bailey (Olde)
Dr. William Fagan
  

    Katherine Hornick
    2019
    Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Louis Plough
  

    Other College Park Graduate School Awards
  

    Lauren Jonas
    2020
    Three Minute (3MT) Thesis Competition
    Dr. Russell Hill
  

    Nicole Barbour
    2021
    GS Summer Research Fellowship
    Dr. Helen Bailey (Olde)
Dr. William Fagan
  

    Outstanding Graduate Student Assistant
  

    Matthew Kusche
    2022
    Outstanding Graduate Student Assistant
    Dr. Madan Kharel
  

    Suzanne Spitzer
    2020
    Outstanding Graduate Student Assistant
    Dr. William Dennison
  

    External Grants & Fellowships
  

    Nicole Ibrahim
    2022
    Ronald E. McNair Graduate Fellowship
    Dr. David Nelson
  


  

MEES COLLOQUIUM STUDENT AWARDS

  
    








    Student
    Year
    Award
    Advisor
  


    Angel Reyes
    2021
    USM Graduate Fellowship
    Dr. Paulinus Chigbu
  

    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award
  

    Qianru Liao
    2025
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 1st Place
    Dr. William Fagan
  

    Jonathan Johnson
    2025
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 2nd Place
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Sarah Bomar
    2025
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 3rd Place
    Dr. Mark Cochrane
  

    Kyarii Ramarui
    2024
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 1st Place
    Dr. Yantao Li
  

    Erika Koontz
    2024
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 2nd Place (tied)
    Dr. Cindy Palinkas 
 Dr. Lori Staver (co-advisor)
  

    Nicholas Gallagher
    2024
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 2nd Place (tied)
    Dr. Yantao Li
  

    Jens Wira
    2023
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 1st Place
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Anne Baldino
    2023
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 2nd Place
    Dr. J. Sook Chung
  

    Abdulmajid Alrefaie
    2023
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 3rd Place
    Dr. Yantao Li
  

    Anna Hildebrand
    2022
    MEES Colloquim Student Poster Award - 1st Place
    Dr. Lora Lapham
  

    Jens Wira
    2022
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 2nd Place
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Penzheng Yong
    2022
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 3rd Place
    Dr. Shoajun Du
  

    Isabel Sanchez-Viruet
    2021
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 1st Place
    Dr. Lora Harris
  

    Nidhi Satishkumar
    2021
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 2nd Place
    Dr. Som Chaterjee
  

    Jens Wira
    2021
    MEES Colloquium Student Poster Award - 3rd Place
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk Award
  

    Sarah Endyke
    2025
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Fariba Rostami
    2025
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 2nd Place
    Dr. Joseph Pitula
  

    Sarah Bomar
    2025
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 3rd Place
    Dr. Mark Cochrane
  

    Sarah Endyke
    2024
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. David Nelson
  

    Gillen Curren
    2024
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. Joseph Pitula
  

    Emily Jolly
    2024
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Kayla Fairfield
    2023
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. Eric Schott
  

    Jens Wira
    2023
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 2nd Place
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Michella Salvitti
    2023
    3 MT MEES Lightning Talk - 3rd Place
    Dr. Joseph Pitula
  

    Anna Windle
    2022
    3MT MEES Lightning Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. Greg Silsbe
  

    Miranda Judd
    2022
    3MT MEES Lightning Talk - 2nd Place
    Dr. Allen Place
  

    Katherine Stahl
    2022
    3MT MEES Lightning Talk - 3rd Place
    Dr. Andrew Baldwin
  

    Lan Xu
    2021
    3MT MEES Poster Award- 3rd Place (tie)
    Dr. Ten-Tsao Wong
Dr. Yonathan Zohar (co-advisor)
  

  

  10MT Research Talk
  

    Michael Kalinowski
    2025
    10MT MEES Research Talk - 1st Place
    Dr. Sairah Malkin
  



  

CMNS DEAN’s FELLOWSHIP

  
    Student
    Year
    Award
    Advisor
  
    Katherine Hornick
    2020
    CMNS Dean's Fellowship
    Dr. Louis Plough