2026 Outstanding Neuroscience Senior Awards

Each spring, the Mason Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience gathers to recognize and celebrate the Outstanding Undergraduate Neuroscience Seniors. This event is a favorite of the faculty and staff because we love honoring the work and sacrifice of Mason students with your friends and family. As Dr. Guerriero said in their welcome to the audience: "Getting a degree in neuroscience asks a lot: mastery of biology, chemistry, psychology, physics, and statistics...Our seniors have met that challenge with discipline, focus and an impressive capacity for sustained intellectual effort. Neuroscience teaches us that progress is rarely linear--more like a network than a straight line. And if there's one thing our seniors have demonstrated, it's strong network connectivity: across disciplines, across challenges, and, at times, across far too many late nights powered by caffeine and sheer determination." 

Congratulations to all of our 2025/26 graduates! 

Outstanding Neuroscience Senior Award
Given to majors with a cumulative 3.5 GPA with at least 60 credits at Mason

Fall 2025
Jaweria Ahmad
Amal Ahmad
Akif Ali
Salaam Al-Nazer
Anasimon Azer
Fatmata Bah
Jasmine Bui
Varuna Chopra
Elijah Coughlan
Roa Elashry
Giovanni Faltaos
Mahnoor Ibrahim
Emilia Judd
Zoha Naeem
Ollie Vo
Naureen Zahra

Spring/Summer 2026
Majd Abdeen
Eman Ahmed
Faris Abdullah A Alabdulkareem
Naima Ali
Smrithi Balakumar
Jasleen Bhangra
Mahnoor Bhatti
Jesse Cass
Saniya Dilip Darediya
Riley Ellis
Lima Ghairatmal
Layla Hasanzadah
Manal Imtiaz
Sumayya Javed
Timothy Kochany
Khadija Murtaza
Iram Noor
Maryam Rafie
Rayyan Tarin
Stephanie Terceros
Gisselle Torres
Sammana Waziri
Ethan Wright

Outstanding Academic Achievement in Neuroscience Award 
Given to the student with the highest GPA
Varuna Chopra (Fall 2025)
Jesse Cass (Spring 2026)

Faculty Choice Award 
This award is designed to reward the senior neuroscience major who demonstrates an exceptionally high degree of interest, maturity, motivation, and effort in their neuroscience classes. The primary focus of this award is the attitude of the nominated student. In determining the recipient of this award, personal challenges or circumstances that the student has had to overcome can be considered.

Jessie Cass (nominated by Dr. Sinclair and Dr. Herin)

Outstanding Neuroscience Researcher Award
Candidates for this award must be graduating seniors who have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00, while having completed, by graduation, a minimum of 45 credits taken at GMU. The successful candidate will be the one who has excelled at research, either through development of their own project or through contribution to laboratories on campus or in the community. Relevant publications and presentations can be considered when choosing a winner.

Jasmine Bui (nominated by Dr. Dumas)

Community Leadership Award 
Candidates for this award must be graduating seniors who have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0, while having completed, by graduation, a minimum of 45 credits taken at GMU. This award recognizes students who have positively impacted their community at George Mason and beyond. These students’ leadership and actions reflect Mason’s values and mission to create a more inclusive, just and free world. Their impact is felt not only in what they have accomplished individually, but in how they have strengthened the connections between people—something we know, in neuroscience, is essential for any system to function at its best.
Layla Hasanzadah, President of Nu Rho Psi
Saniya Darediya, President of Neuroscience Club