Skip to main
cancer cells
George Mason University

Biology Awards Ceremony

It's always awards season in Biology!

Congratulations Honorees and Awardees!

We are so proud of the successes and triumphs of our graduating seniors. Every year, selected graduates are invited to be honored at the annual Biology Awards Ceremony, in coordination with the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. Awardees are nominated by faculty and staff and selections are finalized by vote during our monthly faculty meeting in early Spring. 

Whether they graduate in Summer, Fall, or Spring, these extraordinary students are invited to join us in at the Spring Awards ceremony, which is held every May before the College of Science Degree Celebration. 

We ask awardees and their families to join us in celebrating in person at a location on the Fairfax Campus. We also publish our slides from the Awards Ceremony via our Youtube Page and our main Biology page. Talk to your professors or email biology@gmu.edu for more information on how to participate and/or qualify for our awards. 

Discover our current year Honorees and Awardees below.

FACULTY AWARD

This award is given to a senior who has excelled in his/her academic program and contributed significantly to the Biology Department and the University, and has demonstrated a serious interest in a vocation in biology. 

2024 Recipient(s):
Ivan Zabello
Maryam Sherani

SENIOR AWARD 

This award is given to an outstanding senior majoring in biology, whose academic profile indicates a wide range of interest and ability in biology, and who is interested in a vocation in biology. 

2024 Recipient(s):
Karina Martinez
Alix Upchurch
Wilson Plummer
 

THE ROCKWOOD PRE-HEALTH AWARD 

This award is bestowed by the Rockwood family, Dr. Larry Rockwood and his wife Jane Rockwood, named in honor for their years of service to George Mason University and pre-health students in the Biological Sciences. The recipient of this award must have demonstrated the greatest potential to be a superior professional in the Health Sciences and normally the recipient has been admitted to a professional school. 

2024 Recipient(s):
Sevgi Shahbazi
Jasmyn Smith
 

MELISSA STANLEY MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE AWARD 

This award is presented to a junior or senior majoring in medical technology who has excelled academically and who has demonstrated a high likelihood of contributing to the profession in the future.  The recipient of the award will already have been accepted by, or is currently registered in, an affiliated school of medical laboratory science. 

2024 Recipients:
Joycie Hagan
Mariangely Rivas-Ortiz
Vi Ho

OUTSTANDING BIOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENT TEACHER 

This award is given to a Master's or PhD student in recognition of a record of teaching excellence in the biology undergraduate program as evidenced by student teaching evaluations and letters of recommendation of faculty supervisors. 

2024 Recipient(s):
Durwood Moore
Allison Case
Lulu Alsalih
Thomas Lopez
Kathryn Cassels

INNOVATIVE TEACHING AWARD 

This award is presented to a Masters or PhD student in recognition of innovative teaching practices or strategies implemented in the academic year. The recipient of the award successfully designed a way to improve student learning in online, blended and/or face-to-face courses in Biology. 

2024 Recipient(s):
Nicholas Minster

BIOLOGY WRITING AWARD 

This award recognizes excellence in writing amongst upper-division, Biology Major, student writers. is aligned with the George Mason University Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) Initiative.

2024 Recipients:
--

HONORS IN THE MAJOR

Students graduating with Honors in Biology 2024:
Shams Aljassar
Vanessa Alvarez
Joseph Kim
Jasmin Laoudi

MARION LOBSTEIN AWARD

This award is presented to a rising senior by the Virginia Academy of Sciences, and recognizes outstanding achievement in research and presentation during the Fall Research Semester.  

2024 Recipient:
--

RESEARCH SEMESTER AWARD

This award is presented to a junior or senior who has excelled in research and presentation skills during the Fall Research Semester.  
 

2024 Recipient(s):

Rachel Hart
Maryam Sherani

Things Awardees Need to Know

Don't forget your Award Slide
All Honorees and Awardees will be presented at the ceremony with a powerpoint slide. We hope Honorees and Awardees confirm spelling of your name and provide a picture. There is also room to provide a quote. If the slide isn't submitted in a timely manner, we will simply print your name on the slide. Please do not update template theme.

Please check your award email for template or email Genevieve McKenna, gmckenna@gmu.edu

Share Photos/Videos/Thank you Notes
In addition to your slide, we encourage you to make this presentation unique to you. This can be a thank you note to a special faculty member, GTA or peer, or what it means to graduate with a Biology degree. This can be a video (15 seconds maximum), a photo/collage, a note (10 sentences or less). You can thank people, you can be silly, you can show us your decorated cap. 

All submissions must be sent via email to Genevieve McKenna, gmckenna@gmu.edu. Video files must be uploaded to server (Google, OneDrive) and download link emailed to Genevieve.

For Family and Friends
Do you want to celebrate your graduate at the event? Then #TweetYourGrad in our presentation! Family/Friends interested in contributing should use the powerpoint slide template below. You can include pictures and a message. Please do not change the theme of the slide. 

All submissions must be sent via email to Genevieve McKenna, gmckenna@gmu.edu.

Template can be found here. 
 

* The programs and services offered by George Mason University are open to all who seek them. George Mason does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, ethnic national origin (including shared ancestry and/or ethnic characteristics), sex, disability, military status (including veteran status), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, pregnancy status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. After an initial review of its policies and practices, the university affirms its commitment to meet all federal mandates as articulated in federal law, as well as recent executive orders and federal agency directives.