2015 Postdoctoral Scholars’ Awards Ceremony & Reception

UCLA postdoctoral scholars were honored at the 2015 Postdoctoral Scholars Awards Ceremony and Reception for their important contributions to the university’s interrelated missions of research, teaching, and public service. The reception was held on April 22, 2015 at the California NanoSystems Institute.

Of the approximately 1,133 registered UCLA postdoctoral scholars, 26 were nominated for the Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research. The nominees represent virtually many discipline at UCLA, from the basic and applied sciences to the professional schools, the social sciences, and the humanities.

2015 Nominees

  • Alexander Afanasyev, Computer Science
  • Navid Amini, Ophthalmology
  • Peter Darch, Information Studies
  • Seth Dorfman, Physics and Astronomy
  • Mieke Eeckhaut, California Center for Population Research
  • Maher El-Kady, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Peng Ge, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
  • Erik Gjesfjeld, Society and Genetics
  • Mohammed Reza Mahmoodi Hashemi, Electrical Engineering
  • Kay Jann, Neurology
  • Leon Kautz, Medicine/Pulmonary
  • Colin Yu-Hong Lam, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Dong-Keun Lee, Oral Biology and Medicine
  • Eon S. Lee, Environmental Health Sciences
  • Ruibin Li, Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology
  • Yi-Kai Lo, Bioengineering
  • Feng Ma, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
  • Fayth L. Miles, Epidemiology
  • Vincent Pasque, Biological Chemistry
  • Manash Kumar Paul, Pediatrics
  • Mohammad Pourhomayoun, Computer Science
  • Christine Samuel-Nakamura, Nursing
  • Nicholas C. Soderstrom, Psychology
  • Benjamin A. Tabak, Psychology
  • Kimberly A. Thomas, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
  • Guoqiang Yu, Electrical Engineering

Six of the 26 nominees were selected to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research – a $5,000 prize – for their research accomplishments that show clear potential to have meaningful and enduring implications in their field. Five received Honorable Mention awards and a $1,000 prize.

2015 Award Recipients

  • Alexander Afanasyev, Computer Science
  • Mieke Eeckhaut, California Center for Population Research
  • Peng Ge, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
  • Colin Yu-Hong Lam, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Dong-Keun Lee, Oral Biology and Medicine
  • Benjamin A. Tabak, Psychology

2015 Honorable Mention Recipients

  • Navid Amini, Ophthalmology
  • Seth Dorfman, Physics and Astronomy
  • Maher El-Kady, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • Vincent Pasque, Biological Chemistry
  • Manash Kumar Paul, Pediatrics

The awards and reception were co-hosted and funded by the Anderson School of Management, David Geffen School of Medicine, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, International Institute, Office of the Chancellor, Office of Research Administration, Physical Sciences – College of Letters and Science, Social Sciences – College of Letters and Science, School of Dentistry, School of Law and School of Nursing.

Watch a video of the 2015 Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research awards ceremony.

2015 Reception Photo Gallery