On November 13, 2024, UCLA’s postdoctoral scholars and their mentors were recognized for their important contributions to the university’s interrelated research, teaching and service missions at the annual Postdoctoral Scholars & Mentors Awards Ceremony.

The Chancellor’s Awards for Postdoctoral Research, recognizes individual research accomplishments that show clear potential to have meaningful and enduring implications in their field. This event also recognizes the contributions of faculty mentors through the Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Awards, administered by the Postdoctoral Association at UCLA.  The Mentoring Awards honor UCLA faculty members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in helping postdoctoral scholars develop successful careers.

2024 Event Program

View the recording of the 2024 ceremony.

2024 Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research

38 postdoctoral scholars have been nominated to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research. Eight of these received the award — a $7,500 prize and a plaque.

Award Recipients:

• Jorge Ramirez-Lopez, American Indian Studies Center
• Zhong Wan, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Xiao Luo, Computer Science
• Samuel Lamontagne, History
• Yanruide Li, Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics
• Elisabetta Manca, Physics and Astronomy
• Matthias Ollivier, Psychology
• Summer Mengelkoch, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences

Nominees:

• Haleh Alimohamadi, Bioengineering
• Oren Avram, Anesthesiology
• Somanshu Banerjee, Anesthesiology
• Luke Barry, Epidemiology
• Tristan Buckreis, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Kai-Chi Chang, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Matilde Cirnigliaro, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
• Abhisek Datta, Physics and Astronomy
• Joao Moreira Guassi, Psychology
• Gyeo-Re Han, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Yuanwei He, Radiation Oncology
• Soon-Gook Hong, Medicine-Cardiology
• Debasish Jana, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Sohyun Kim, Education
• Samuel Lamontagne, History
• Yanruide Li, Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics
• Cheng-Wei Lin, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Xiao Luo,  Computer Science
• Elisabetta Manca, Physics and Astronomy
• Zhiyuan Mao, Molecular and Medical Pharmacology
• Summer Mengelkoch,  Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
• Colum O’Leary, Physics and Astronomy
• Matthias Ollivier, Physiology
• Elisa Pabon, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
• Melecio Perea, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Renata Pirani, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Jorge Ramirez-Lopez, American Indian Studies Center
• Deborah Southern, Education
• Daniel Toker, Psychology
• Cynthia Vasquez, American Indian Studies Center
• Zhong Wan, Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Christopher Wegemer, Social Welfare
• Alainna Wen, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
• Carrie Wiese, Human Genetics
• Huan Wu, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Cecile Yama, Medicine
• Wenzhong Yan, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Zachary Zeidler, Physiology (DGSOM)

 

2024 Excellence in Postdoctoral Mentoring Award

UCLA faculty members who have gone above and beyond in helping postdoctoral scholars develop successful careers.

Award Recipients:

• Elsa Ordway, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Anne Churchland, Neurobiology

Nominees:

• Elaheh Ahmadi, Electrical and Computer Engineering
•  Kai-Wei Chang, Computer Science
•  Anne Churchland, Neurobiology
•  Mansoureh Eghbali, Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine
•  Elisa Franco,    Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
•  Anthony P. Heaney, Endocrinology
•  Eric Hoek, Civil and Environmental Engineering
•  Yih-Ing Hser,  Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences
•  Chen Jun, Bioengineering
•  Richard Kaner, Chemistry and Biochemistry
•  Alexander Kusenko, Physics and Astronomy
•  Kathryn Leifheit, Department of Pediatrics
•  Matthew Nava, Chemistry
•  Elsa Ordway, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
•  Nanyun Peng,  Computer Science
•  Karen Reue, Human Genetics
•  Andreas Schwingshackl, Pediatrics/Critical Care
•  Jennifer Silvers, Psychology
•  Xia Yang, Integrative Biology and Physiology

Past Award Recipients

Past Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research recipients

Past Postdoctoral Mentoring Award recipients

Photo Gallery

2024 Photo Gallery

Video Gallery

Watch a video of the 2023 Chancellor’s Awards for Postdoctoral Research awards ceremony.

Watch a video of the 2022 Chancellor’s Awards for Postdoctoral Research awards ceremony.