Student Honors & Awards

Student graduating

30 Under 30 for Science by Forbes Magazine

View Recipients of 30 Under 30 for Science by Forbes Magazine
NameMajorYear Awarded
Desiree Jones MS’20 PhD’23Psychology2023

Alumni Awards

View Recipients of Alumni Awards
Award or RecognitionNameYear GraduatedYear Awarded
NCAA Board of GovernorsIsaiah Swann20202022
UT Dallas’ Undergraduate Alumni Achievement AwardConrad Capili20082016

Archer Fellowship Program

Founded in 2001, the Archer Center is where Texas meets the world. As the Washington, D.C., campus of The University of Texas System, the Center provides talented undergraduate and graduate students from across the UT System with the opportunity to live, learn, and intern in the nation’s capital.

Congratulations to the Archer Fellowship Program Award recipients!

View Student Recipients of the Archer Fellowship Awards
StudentMajorYear Awarded
Aaiyma GhufranPsychology2023
Samyuktha Senthil KumarNeuroscience2023
Aryan VermaNeuroscience2023
Anisha HollaPsychology2022
Apoorva SubramanianNeuroscience2022
Caleb KengPsychology2022
Hadeel AliNeuroscience2022
Nandika MansingkaNeuroscience2022
Smrithi UpadhyayulaCognitive Science2022
Esther MathewChild Learning and Development2022
Likhit AgrawalNeuroscience2021
Arjun MehendaleNeuroscience2021
Navnit MohanNeuroscience2020
Isra AbdulwadoodNeuroscience2020
Malissa OwenNeuroscience2020
Nikitha VicasNeuroscience2020
Katherine DavidsonPsychology2019
Clisha D’SouzaNeuroscience & Psychology2019
Ann-Cathrin GuertlerNeuroscience2019

Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation Award

The Goldwater scholarships support sophomores and juniors who show exceptional promise to become the next generation of research leaders. Established by Congress in 1986 to honor the late Arizona senator, the scholarships award up to $7,500 per academic year.

View Student Recipients of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation Award
StudentMajorYear Awarded
Breanna ShenNeuroscience2022
Grace MooreNeuroscience2021
Patrick NnoromeleNeuroscience2020
Jennifer JenksNeuroscience2020
Vyom RavalNeuroscience2019

BBS Honors

Students graduating with BBS Honors have successfully completed an independent research project and Honors Thesis under faculty mentorship and approved by two faculty members, completed other designated research-related activities, and maintained a UTD GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Congratulations to the BBS Honors recipients on your outstanding accomplishments!

View Student Recipients of BBS Honors
Graduating Student – Spring 2023MajorFaculty Mentor
Jesper BajwaCognitive ScienceYune Lee, PhD
Sophie BoutouisPsychologyFrances Wymbs/ Berkeley Franz (Ohio)
Max BrennerPsychologyHeidi Kane, PhD
Isabella HernandezPsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentMelanie Spence, PhD
Lydia GrantNeuroscience / PsychologyFrancesca Filbey, PhD
Vaibhavi JoshiNeuroscienceJiyoung Park, PhD
Deepika KrishnanNeuroscienceCatherine Thorn, PhD
Rebecca MargolisPsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentMeghan Swanson, PhD
Esther MathewChild Learning and DevelopmentMeridith Grant, PhD
Grace Elizabeth MooreNeuroscienceTheodore Price, PhD
Sara NeunerPsychologyAmy Pinkham, PhD
Varun PasapulaNeuroscienceCrystal Engineer, PhD
Unnati PentaNeuroscienceShayla Holub, PhD
Ciro RandazzoCognitive ScienceChrista McIntyre, PhD
Rodrigo FrancoPsychologyHeidi Kane, PhD
Breanna ShenNeuroscienceTheodore Price, PhD
Ranya SiddiquiNeuroscience / PsychologyPeter Tsai (UTSW)
Keerthi StanleyNeuroscienceTodd F. Roberts (UTSW)
Amrita TelidevaraCognitive Science / PsychologyBoKyung Park, PhD
Divya YadavalliPsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentAmy Pinkham, PhD
Enrico Lorenzo Di Castro YoungNeuroscienceMandy Maguire, PhD
Graduating Student – Fall 2022MajorFaculty Mentor
Mahnoor MuhammadPsychologyJulia Evans, PhD
Vrushali PanditNeuroscienceNikhil Munshi, MD, PhD
Benjamin StanislavNeuroscienceSeth Hays, PhD
Bernadette WeigmanNeuroscienceMeghan Swanson, PhD
Graduating Student – Spring 2022MajorFaculty Mentor
Alexandria CuiPsychologyShayla Holub, PhD
Ali AlhaqueNeuroscienceTheodore Price, PhD
Anthuanet EspinelPsychologyCandice Mills, PhD
Billal HomayounNeuroscienceTres Thompson, PhD
Carson BurkeNeuroscienceFrancesca Filbey, PhD
Genny WhidbyPsychologyRichard Golden, PhD
Ginni StrehlePsychologyMelanie Spence, PhD
Hedwig GavinoNeuroscienceShayla Holub, PhD
Javariah SohailPsychologyMargaret Owen, PhD
Jenna HappeNeuroscienceYune Lee, PhD
May ChinnPsychologyKendra Seaman, PhD
Nikitha AdariNeuroscienceCatherine Thorn, PhD
Nina NarosovNeuroscienceBenedict Kolber, PhD
Prasanth ChalamalsettyNeuroscienceMandy Maguire, PhD
Sheza HabibNeuroscienceChrista McIntyre, PhD
Yasir MianNeuroscienceYune Lee, PhD
Graduating Student – Fall 2021MajorFaculty Mentor
Aishah KhanPsychologyJiyoung Park, PhD
Ruchita Mahesh KumarCognitive ScienceRichard Golden, PhD
Shraddha TrehanNeuroscience and Child Learning and DevelopmentJackie Nelson, PhD
Graduating Student – Spring 2021MajorFaculty Mentor
Alessandra StagniCognitive ScienceCandice Mills, PhD
Alina SiatkaPsychologyHeidi Kane, PhD
Analia MarzorattiNeuroscience / PsychologyMandy Maguire, PhD
Anna StraughanPsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentShayla Holub, PhD
Beatriz Menezes BrandaoPsychologySandra Bond Chapman, PhD
Charles FranznickCognitive Science / PsychologyMandy Maguire, PhD
Chelsey BrawnerPsychology / NeuroscienceJackie Nelson, PhD
Danny DunnPsychologyNoah Sasson, PhD
Ezinwa Kalunta-CrumptonNeuroscienceReto Fiolka
Isabella MyersChild Learning and Development / Speech, Language, and Hearing SciencesLisa Goffman, PhD
Jennifer JenksNeuroscienceDenise Park, PhD
Kanishk GoelNeuroscienceJonathan Ploski, PhD
Kristen DamicoChild Learning and DevelopmentCandice Mills, PhD
Madeline HaleSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences / NeuroscienceMelanie Spence, PhD
Mihir LulayNeuroscienceCatherine Thorn, PhD
Sanjay NeerukondaNeuroscienceMark Goldberg
Sarah BosticPsychologyRobert Ackerman, PhD
Seo Won (Anna) ChoNeuroscienceMichael Burton, PhD
Stephanie BatchNeuroscienceFrancesca Filbey, PhD
Graduating Student – Spring 2020MajorFaculty Mentor
Anthony MonroePsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentCandice Mills, PhD
Antonio Santa CruzPsychologyMargaret Owen, PhD
Isadora ComensNeuroscience / PsychologyGreg Dussor, PhD
Jack PartainPsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentJackie Nelson, PhD
Kennedy BalzenPsychologyRobert Ackerman, PhD
Margaret MickelsenPsychologyAmy Pinkham, PhD
Rabab IsaNeuroscienceAmy Pinkham, PhD
Rebekah RodriguezCognitive ScienceGagan Wig, PhD
Sai Nikitha PrattipatiPsychologyAmy Pinkham, PhD
Spandana AkkarajuPsychology / Child Learning and DevelopmentMeridith Grant, PhD

Best Dissertation Award

View Student Recipients of the Best Dissertation Award
StudentDissertation TitleYear Awarded
David Hoagey PhD’22Structural Heterogeneity in Neuronal Aging: Insights from Micro and Macro Structural Neuroimaging2023
Robert Morrison, PhDVagus Nerve Stimulation Intensity Regulates Targeted Plasticity2022

Bio-Behavioral Sciences Research Award

View Student Recipients of the Bio-Behavioral Sciences Research Award
StudentAdvisor(s)MajorYear Awarded
Pan GuJerillyn KentNeuroscience2023
Yue LiJiyoung ParkPsychology2023
Athul SudheeshRichard GoldenNeuroscience2023
Hao-Ruei MeiMichael Burton, Greg DussorNeuroscience2022
Denise WilliamsCrystal EngineerNeuroscience2022

Buhrmester Rising Star Award

The Buhrmester Rising Star Award was created to annually recognize one of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences’ graduates, a former student who has shown outstanding early- career accomplishment during his or her first 10 years after receiving an undergraduate degree. It is named after Dr. Duane Buhrmester, who served as the school’s associate dean for undergraduate programs from 1997 until his death in August 2010 in a climbing accident with his wife, Linda. The Rising Star Award was named after Dr. Buhrmester because of his deep commitment to preparing our students for successful careers. He took great pride in the success of our students, and it is fitting that this recognition be named after him.

View the Student Recipients of the Buhrmester Rising Star Award
Student NameYear GraduatedYear Awarded
Ramin Toofan20092019
Derrick Chen20062018
Janet Ismail20052017
Peggilee Wupperman20012016
Lindsey Hopkins20062015
Conrad Capili20082014
Shana Harris20082013
Theodore Price19972012
Konstantin Parkhomenko20072011
Amanda Owen19972010
Aron Barbey19992009

Burroughs Wellcome Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program Fellow

View the Student Recipients of the Burroughs Wellcome Postdoctoral Diversity Enrichment Program Fellow
StudentMajorYear Awarded
Lakeisha Lewter, PhDNeuroscience2022

Carol L. and Maynard S. Redeker Fellowship

View Student Recipients of the Carol L. and Maynard S. Redeker Fellowship
StudentAdvisorMajorYear Awarded
Desiree JonesNoah SassonPsychology2022

Dean’s Awards for Excellence

The Dean’s Awards for Excellence are given in recognition of students achieving the highest academic performance or GPA, and for overall excellence within their major, including additional academic accomplishments.

Congratulations to the Dean’s Award recipients for your stellar academic accomplishments!

View Student Recipients of the Dean’s Awards for Excellence
Graduating Student – Spring 2023Major
Rebecca Nicole MargolisChild Learning and Development
Ciro Daniele RandazzoCognitive Science
Divya YadavalliPsychology
Breanna Qingyan ShenNeuroscience
Grace Elizabeth MooreNeuroscience
Samyuta RajagopalanSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Graduating Student – Fall 2022Major
Alexander GarciaPsychology
Syed GhaziNeuroscience
Joy NgunSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Dylan NguyenCognitive Science
Benjamin StanislavNeuroscience
Graduating Student – Spring 2022Major
Bailey GreenPsychology
Bryant KarensonNeuroscience
Dorothy CobbSpeech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Ha Thu LeCognitive Science
Nadya van de CoeveringChild Learning and Development
Graduating Student – Fall 2021Major
Anna E. ScullySpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Jacob Joseph ThomasNeuroscience
Thomas Jun Hao LeongPsychology
Graduating Student – Spring 2021Major
Charles FranznickCognitive Science
Isabella MyersChild Learning and Development
Priya VanpariaSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Sanjay NeerukondaNeuroscience
Shruti NatarajanPsychology
Graduating Student – Fall 2020Major
Aman Ibrahim AttiehChild Learning and Development
Audra Madison MillerCognitive Science
Jenna Rene CherreyPsychology
Mackenzie Renee KiteSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Naureen Zeenat WajahatNeuroscience
Graduating Student – Spring 2020Major
Abbigaile OppenheimerSpeech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Cristina MartinChild Learning and Development
Glenn SherardCognitive Science
Isadora ComensNeuroscience
Paige RichmondSpeech-Language Pathology and Audiology
Sai Nikitha PrattipatiPsychology
Tejaswini SeelamNeuroscience

Diane Cash Fellowship

View Student Recipients of the Diane Cash Fellowship
StudentAdvisorMajorYear Awarded
Sreoshi ChowdhuryFrancesca FilbeyPsychology2023
Carole LeungYune LeeSpeech, Language, and Hearing2023
Mackenzie TaylorBart RypmaPsychology2022

Duane and Linda Buhrmester Undergraduate Research Award

The Duane and Linda Buhrmester Undergraduate Research Award was established to help prepare undergraduate students in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences for their career paths after graduation. The award honors Dr. Duane Buhrmester, who served as associate dean of the school for 14 years. He and his wife Linda died in a hiking accident in 2010.

One outgrowth of the award is to provide undergraduate students with summer research opportunities. Duane Buhrmester was known for encouraging students to engage in research opportunities and for facilitating involvement in such projects.

Other activities supported by the award include the BBS Senior Launch and two lecture series designed to help students as they choose a path after graduation. The Guide to Grad School series provides information and support for undergraduates preparing for new careers.

As the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences continues to grow, contributions are necessary to serve the growing number of BBS graduates each year. Please consider supporting the Buhrmester Student Development Fund.

View Student Recipients of the Duane and Linda Buhrmester Undergraduate Research Award
Student NameAward Year
Samantha Plas2019
Isabella Myers2019
Rebekah Rodriguez2019
Neha Srinivasan2019
Kimberly Watson2019
Michael Tabet2018
Emily Scarlett2018
Christina Mai2018
Gianna Maggiore2018
Natalia Camacho2018
Jasmine Argente2018
Hayyan Yousuf2017
Stefan Yossif2017
Jessica Tierney2017
Aloki Shah2017
Rotem Pedahzur2017
Cecily Oleksiak2017
Ezek Mathew2017
Yolanda Colon2017
Subodh Potla2016
Rodolfo Perez2016
Matison McCool2016
Kelsey Jackson2016
Kirsten Anderson2016
Andrew Torck2015
Sidney Stovall2015
Stephanie Shyu2015
Ali Manor Kara2015
Daniel Guest2015
Dante Gallucci2015
Tina Dam2015
Davelle Cheng2015
Neeraja Balachandar2015
Sarah Rouhani2014
Sakthi Rajendran2014
Giselle Morales2014
Priscilla Jacob2014
Ian Gonzalez2014
Michelle Chavez2014
Jonathon Shasteen2013
John Isaac Sedillo2013
Peris June Nganga2013
Fizza Masood Naqvi2013
Angela Kim2013
Shrinath Kadamangudi2013
Madison Hammonds2013
Amy Zwierzchowski-Zarate2012
Susan Sipe2012
Allyson Rice2012
Kendall Marshall2012
Rose Ashraf2012

Green Fellows Research Program

The Green Fellows program offered jointly by The University of Texas at Dallas and the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, provides a semester-long, fully paid undergraduate research fellowship. The program is most appropriate for those students interested in PhD or MD/PhD pathways after graduation from UT Dallas.

View Student Recipients of the Green Fellows Research Program
StudentMajorYear Awarded
Abdul Malik AyamNeuroscience2023
Vijaya DuttNeuroscience2023
Ethan MarksNeuroscience2023
Aakash PaidesettyNeuroscience2023
Kritika RameshNeuroscience2023
Ezi Kalunta-CrumptonNeuroscience2021
Jack MostynNeuroscience2021
Krystal MortonNeuroscience2021
Patrick NnoromeleNeuroscience2021
Ruta UttarkarNeuroscience2021
Sabeen WazirPsychology2021
Zuhair ZaidiNeuroscience2021
Janiece VancilNeuroscience2021
Irtiza AhmedNeuroscience2020
Vaibhav BommareddyNeuroscience2020
Madad IbrahimPsychology2020
Analia MarzorattiNeuroscience, Psychology2020
David MikhailNeuroscience2020
Sanjay NeerukondaNeuroscience2020
Yushra RashidNeuroscience2020
Naureen WajahatNeuroscience2020
Robert WhiteNeuroscience2020
Fayha ZiaPsychology2020
Neil GhoshPsychology2019
Sandra GirgisNeuroscience2019
Arisha HarrisonPsychology2019
Omid RahmanianNeuroscience2019
Vyom RavalNeuroscience2019
Maria SosaNeuroscience2019
Aishwarya VemulaNeuroscience2019
Mario GaldamezNeuroscience2018
Shri Vaishnavi Karri​Neuroscience2018
Elaine Lai​Neuroscience2018
Gianna MaggioreNeuroscience2018
Shre NandamNeuroscience2018
Aloki ShahPsychology2018
Nida SafdarNeuroscience2017

Habits, Ideals, Values, and Ethics in Human Subjects Research (HIVE) Awards

The HIVE award is a way to recognize UTD students and staff exhibiting positive Habits, Ideals, Values, and Ethics in human subjects research.

View Student Recipients of Habits, Ideals, Values, and Ethics in Human Subjects Research (HIVE) Awards
StudentMajorYear Awarded
Genny WhidbyPsychologyFall 2023
Dr. Colleen FrankPsychologySummer 2023
Gayathri Batchalli MaruthyPsychologySpring 2023
Hyun-Woong KimCognition and NeuroscienceFall 2022
Erin VenzaPsychologySummer 2022
Ginni StrehlePsychologySpring 2022
Siri WilderPsychologyFall 2021

James C. Bartlett, PhD Fellowship

View Student Recipients of the James C. Bartlett, PhD Fellowship
StudentAdvisorMajorYear Awarded
Linlin FanAmy PinkhamPsychology2023
Yiyi ZhuJiyoung ParkPsychology2022
Linlin FanAmy PinkhamPsychology2022
Dennis WuMeghan SwansonPsychology2022

Matthew K. Weddle Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience

View Student Recipients of the Matthew K. Weddle Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience
StudentAdvisorMajorYear Awarded
Debora CalderonChrista McIntyreNeuroscience2023
Sarah MonierDenise ParkPsychology2022
Ya-Yu HuChrista McIntyreNeuroscience2022

Matthew S. Perry Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience

View Student Recipients of the Matthew S. Perry Fellowship in Cognition and Neuroscience
StudentAdvisorMajorYear Awarded
Ya-Yu HuChrista McIntyreNeuroscience2023
Yuko TamaokiCrystal EngineerNeuroscience2022
Galston WongKendra SeamanPsychology2022

Nancy M. O’Neil and John Q. Stilwell, JD, PhD Fellowship in Behavioral and Brain Sciences

View Student Recipients of the Nancy M. O’Neil and John Q. Stilwell, JD, PhD Fellowship in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
StudentAdvisorMajorYear Awarded
Denise WilliamsHeidi KanePsychology2023
Sabrina SrokovaMichael RuggPsychology2022

President’s Teaching Excellence Awards (UT Dallas)

The President’s Teaching Excellence Award committee receives hundreds of nominations every year and considers a broad spectrum of eligible candidates throughout the University. The award comes with a stipend and recipients were presented with medallions at the annual Honors Convocation ceremony in May.

View Student Recipients of the President’s Teaching Excellence Awards (UT Dallas)
StudentAward YearAward Area
Siri Wilder2022Award for Teaching Assistants
Katie Austin2020Award for Teaching Assistants
Julie Parsons2019Award for Teaching Assistants

Student Leadership Awards

The Student Leadership Awards recognize students who have consistently made significant contributions to student organizations and student life within BBS and UT Dallas. Student nominations are invited from faculty, staff and students; a committee of faculty and staff then select the awardees from the nominees based on students’ involvement in campus and state/national professional organizations and UTD student leader programs.

Congratulations to the Student Leadership Award recipients! We are extremely grateful for your generous contributions to UT Dallas and other organizations.

View Student Recipients of Student Leadership Awards
Graduating Student – Spring 2023Major
Mursal HusseinNeuroscience
Vaibhavi JoshiNeuroscience
Graduating Student – Fall 2022Major
Calis LimCognitive Science
Graduating Student – Spring 2022Major
Clareth Mota BeltranNeuroscience
Ginni StrehlePsychology
Joonoh LeeNeuroscience
Kiree GoveNeuroscience
Graduating Student – Spring 2021Major
Dimple WadhwaChild Learning and Development
Kanishk GoelNeuroscience
Karishma MithalSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Mackenzie FreelandSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
Sanjay NeerukondaNeuroscience
Graduating Student – Fall 2020Major
Jaqueline Wei CastroNeuroscience
Samia Syed RazviNeuroscience
Graduating Student – Spring 2020Major
Agam JagotaNeuroscience
Danni YangNeuroscience
Mattie WattsChild Learning and Development
Sarah RehmanSpeech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Terry Foundation® Scholarship

The Terry Foundation, based in Houston, Texas, is the largest provider of private scholarships in the state of Texas, awarding funding to scholars state-wide. Established in 1986 by philanthropists Howard and Nancy Terry to help students attain their higher education goals, the Terry Foundation’s mission is to improve and develop Texas students by helping them attend the state’s finest public universities.

View Student Recipients of the Terry Foundation® Scholarship
StudentMajorYear Awarded
Jennifer LoNeuroscience2021
Leonardo MandujanoNeuroscience2021
Jillian TurnerNeuroscience2021
Yosef AwadNeuroscience2020
Jessica LimonPsychology2019
Toya DardenSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences2019
Aida MaldonadoSpeech, Language, and Hearing Sciences2019
Jeannie NghiemNeuroscience2019
Stephen WoodsPsychology2019
Raneem AlbosstaniNeuroscience2018

UT Dallas Student Government

View Students holding Leadership in UT Dallas Student Government
StudentMajorPositionYear Awarded
Kruthi KanduriCognitive SciencePresident2022-2023 Term