Excellence in Faculty Recognition Awards were presented to, from left, Robert Van Gulick, Tula Goenka, Era Jain and Jamie Lamit.
Graduate School Cites Faculty, Teaching Assistants for Educational Contributions
Every year, the recognizes the people who make graduate education at Íø±¬ÃÅ what it is, honoring the faculty members who mentor and inspire and the teaching assistants who support students while pursuing degrees of their own.
Faculty Awards
At a campus ceremony April 27, Ìýfour faculty members received Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty ,Ìý honoring their impact on graduate education through teaching, research, creative activity and service. ÌýThe awardees were selected by an interdisciplinary group of graduate students.
This year’s faculty honorees are:
- , professor and graduate program director of the television, radio and film program in the
- , assistant professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in the (ECS)
- , assistant professor of biology in the (A&S)
- , professor of philosophy in A&S.
Teaching Assistant Awards
At the same ceremony, 36 teaching assistants were recognized with Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards for their contributions to the educational enterprise and for helping to create strong teaching and learning outcomes across the University. Awardees were nominated by their departments.

The honorees and their programs of study are:
- Rachel Ameen ’20, geography and the environment, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
- Sarah Appedu, information science and technology, School of Information Studies
- Zachery Robert Barrows Gonzalez, languages, literatures and linguistics, A&S
- Almila Basak G’23, political science, Maxwell School
- Julia Janina Viola Baumgarten, physics, A&S
- Caroline Anne Bowling, architecture, School of Architecture
- Shannon Burth G’23, mass communications, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
- Kirstin Len Clear, human development and family science, A&S
- Rein Desbiens ’23, chemistry, A&S
- Iwona Franczak G’23, sociology, Maxwell School
- Antonio Freiles G’25, philosophy, A&S
- Aliza Haskal, English, A&S
Also honored are:
- Jaihyun Jeon, business administration, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
- Kennedy Reed Jones, communication and rhetorical studies, College of Visual and Performing Arts
- Xiangjing Kong, psychology, A&S
- Shivam Kumar, electrical engineering and computer science, ECS
- Yifan Cheng Li, economics, Maxwell School
- Liam Victor Lieblein, philosophy, A&S
- Ash Lienemann, languages, literatures and linguistics, A&S
- Tyler Logie, earth and environmental sciences, A&S
- Desiree Laurel Martin, mathematics, A&S
- Kerry McNamara G’17, communication sciences and disorders, A&S
- Zaidao Mei G’20, electrical engineering and computer science, ECS
- Fasika Minda Melese G’19, instructional design, development and evaluation, School of Education
Additional recipients are:
- Chelsea Renea Morton, social science, Maxwell School
- Amanda Qi Ni G’21, women’s and gender studies, A&S
- David Aanuoluwa Okanlawon G’24, anthropology, Maxwell School
- Gizem Ozyazici, college science teaching, A&S
- Urmi Manoj Parekh, writing studies, rhetoric and composition, A&S
- John Sackey, biomedical and chemical engineering, ECS
- Sergio Saravia Lopez, sociology, Maxwell School
- Karie Nicole Schmitz G’22, mathematics, A&S
- Lauren Sdun, physics, A&S
- Soham Sinha, English, A&S
- Sabrina Marie Traver G’23, mathematics, A&S
- Jenna Marie Walmer, psychology, A&S
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