On September 25, 2018 UCLA’s postdoctoral scholars and their mentors were honored for their important contributions to the university’s interrelated missions of research, teaching, and service at the annual Postdoctoral Scholars & Mentors Awards Ceremony at UCLA’s California NanoSystems Institute from 3 pm – 5:30 pm. The 2017/18 Chancellor’s Awards for Postdoctoral Research were presented that same day. Of the 1,314 postdoctoral scholars, 31 were nominated for this prestigious award that recognizes individual research accomplishments that show clear potential to have meaningful and enduring implications in their field.

2017/18 Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research Nominees

• Zahra Aghajan, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
• Jonathan Axtel, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Davis Yuri Torrejon Castro,Medicine
• Pei Cheng, Materials Science and Engineering
• Kristen R. Choi, Nursing
• Yinan Cui, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Abigail Dickinson, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
• Marc Garcia-Borras, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Seyedfarid Ghahari , Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Michael Hicks, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
• Jessica Holmes, Musicology
• Steven J. Jonas, Pediatrics
• Kelsey Laird, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
• Shiheng Liu, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
• Michal Marszewski, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Sarah R. Martin, Pediatrics
• Duyoung Min, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Maruthi Kumar Narayanam, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
• Thomas Navarro, Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences
• Kimberly Paul, Epidemiology
• Calin Plesa, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Breanna Putman, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Prashant Rajbhandari, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Yair Rivenson, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Kharah Ross, Psychology
• Meru Sadhu, Human Genetics
• Rebecca A. Sosa, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Vincent Taschereau-Dumouchel, Psychology
• Christina Termini, Medicine
• Nezih Tolga Yardimci, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Gen Yin, Electrical Engineering
  

Six of the 31 nominees were selected to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research — a $7,500 prize and a plaque — for their research accomplishments that show clear potential to have meaningful and enduring implications in their field. Four received Honorable Mention award plaques and a $1,000 prize.

2017/18 Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research – $7,500

• Zahra Aghajan, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
• Duyoung Min, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Kimberly Paul, Epidemiology
• Calin Plesa, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Breanna Putman, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Yair Rivenson, Electrical and Computer Engineering

2017/18 Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research “Honorable Mention”  – $1,000

• Yinan Cui, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Jessica Holmes, Musicology
• Shiheng Liu, Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics
• Nezih Tolga Yardimci, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Past Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research recipients

Mentoring Award

We also honored UCLA faculty members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping postdoctoral scholars develop successful careers by awarding the Postdoctoral Mentoring Award.

2018 Funders

We’d like to extend deep appreciation to our esteemed funders:

• JAYATHI MURTHY, Dean, Henry Samueli School of Engineering & Applied Science
• VICTORIA SORK, Dean, Life Sciences
• PAUL KREBSBACH, Dean, School of Dentistry
• MARCELO M. SUÁREZ-OROZCO, Dean, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
• LINDA SARNA, Dean, School of Nursing
• AL OSBORNE, Interim Dean, Anderson School of Management
• DARNELL HUNT, Dean, Social Sciences
• CINDY FAN, Vice Provost, International Studies & Global Engagement
• DAVID SCHABERG, Dean, Humanities

2018 Event Video & Photo Gallery

 

Watch a video of the 2018 Chancellor’s Awards for Postdoctoral Research awards ceremony.