KU honors outstanding graduate students

LAWRENCE — More than 40 outstanding graduate students at the University of Kansas were recognized at the annual Graduate Student Awards Ceremony, Tuesday, April 23, in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Awards were presented by Vice Chancellor Steve Warren and Dean of Graduate Studies Thomas Heilke.

“Graduate students contribute to the university in a variety of ways – they are active instructors, researchers and supportive citizens in the university community,” Heilke said. “It is important to close the academic year with praise for their contributions to KU and their disciplines.”

Graduate awards from KU’s recent Graduate Student Research Competition were presented to 12 students, and seven participants in the Graduate Student Capitol Research Summit were recognized.

The Chancellor’s Teaching Assistant Award was presented to Amy Ash, English. Ash’s nomination emphasized her ability to create an engaging learning environment and foster student awareness and self-reliance. Two students received Carlin Graduate Teaching Awards; Kristin Knutson, communication studies, and Sahana Mukherjee, psychology. Two students received awards for outstanding instruction: Cody Clifton, mathematics; and Brock Ternes, sociology. Twelve additional students received honorable mention for their teaching.

Blair Schneider received the Distinguished Service Award recognizing outstanding service provided by a graduate student to the KU community. Her nomination cited her work in creating the KU Geology Mentor Program, which pairs graduate students with undergraduate geology majors.

Additionally, the 2012-2016 cohort of Self Graduate Fellows were recognized.

Representatives of academic programs throughout the university nominated graduate students for the teaching and service awards. Selection committees chose winners based on their departmental nominations and student evaluations.

Awardees are listed below.

• Rebecca Achen, doctoral student in physical education from Kansas City, Mo., was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Amy Ash, doctoral student in English from Las Cruces, N.M., was recognized with a Chancellor's Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
• Chris Bacon, doctoral student in journalism from Urbana, Ill., was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Lora Black, doctoral student in psychology from Olathe, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Chelsie Bright, doctoral student in political science from Bucklin, Mo., was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Bright’s research may be found here.
• Cody Clifton, doctoral student in mathematics from Walla Walla, Wash., was recognized with an Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award.
• Kevin Colbert, master’s student in bioengineering from Overland Park, was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Colbert’s research may be found here.
• Caitlin Coughlin, doctoral student in linguistics from Urbana, Ill., was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Christy Craig, doctoral student in sociology from Evergreen, Colo., was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Regis Dowd Jr., doctoral student in chemical and petroleum engineering from Williamsburg, Va., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Chalres Fehl, doctoral student in medicinal chemistry from Ann Arbor, Mich., was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Fehl’s research may be found here.
• Marie-Odile Fortier, doctoral student in environmental engineering from Lawrence, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Casey Franklin, master’s student in architecture from Chicago, was recognized with an Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Russell Harlow, master’s student in geology from Lawrence, was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Harlow’s research may be found here.
• Jeffrey Hirst, doctoral student in pathology from Independence, Mo., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Erik Hornberger, doctoral student in electrical engineering from Grantham, Pa., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Kristine Knutson, doctoral student in communication studies from Saint Paul, Minn., was recognized with a Carlin Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
• Andrew McFarland, doctoral student in philosophy from Springfield, Mo., was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Cullen Merritt, doctoral student in public administration from Lawrence, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• David Minnick, doctoral student in chemical and petroleum engineering from Omaha, Neb., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Sahana Mukherjee, doctoral student in psychology from India, was recognized with a Carlin Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.
• Christopher Neal, doctoral student in neurosciences from Greencastle, Ind., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Heather Nelson, doctoral student in music education from Springfield, Mo., was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• David Nepveux, doctoral student in architecture from Phoenix, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Jeffrey Oalmann, doctoral student in geology from Lubbock, Texas, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Austin Oder, doctoral student in speech-language pathology from Lawrence, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Andrew Overholt, doctoral student in physics from Oklahoma City, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Zachary Raff, doctoral student in economics from Arlington, Va., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• April Rand, doctoral student in social work from Lawrence, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Griffin Roberts, doctoral student in chemical and petroleum engineering from Urbana, Ill., was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Roberts’s research may be found here.
• Kathryn Roccaforte, doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology from Lincoln, Neb., was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Amelia Rollings, doctoral student in music education from Columbia, S.C., was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Blair Schneider, doctoral student in geology from Lawrence, was recognized with a Distinguished Service Award and as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Lei Shi, doctoral student in electrical engineering from Overland Park, was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Shi’s research may be found here.
• Andrew Smith, doctoral student in economics from Republic, Mo., was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Amber Smith, doctoral student in molecular, cellular and developmental biology from Baldwin City, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Shengkai Sun, doctoral student in psychology from China, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Janice Super, doctoral student in business from Olathe, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Brock Ternes, doctoral student in sociology from Emporia, was recognized with an Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award.
• Jana Tigchelaar, doctoral student in English from Athens, Ohio, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Cooper Wakefield, doctoral student in communication studies from Cincinnati, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Stephen Walker, doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology from Lawrence, was recognized with a Graduate Research Competition Award.
• Kenneth Ward, doctoral student in business from Westwood, was recognized with an honorable mention for graduate teaching.
• Emily Wisdom, doctoral student in bioengineering from Albuquerque, was recognized as a Self Graduate Fellow, 2012-2016.
• Benjamin Wolfe, doctoral student in educational leadership and policy from Olathe, was recognized as a Capitol Graduate Research Summit Presenter. More information on Wolfe’s research may be found here.