Undergrad Research Spotlights


2017 MCB Commencement Honors

2017 Commencement
2017 Undergraduate Commencement

MCB Undergraduate Commencement Student Speaker: Samuel Polinsky
Polinsky is from Los Angeles, California and started his Berkeley story in the fall of 2013. He graduated with a degree emphasis in Cell and Developmental Biology, and a minor in history. His campus involvement stretched from working in ASUC Senate Offices, sitting on the Board of Directors at Berkeley Hillel, and assisting the football athletic trainers as part of the Cal Sports Medicine Program. During his time at Cal, he also volunteered at the Oakland Children's Hospital and in local elementary schools.

Molecular and Cell Biology Departmental Citation: Lucian DiPeso
The Departmental Citation was awarded to our top student graduating at the 2017 Spring Commencement ceremony. It represents the highest achievement in the MCB major, in terms of overall GPA, major coursework, quality of research, and promise of great success.

MCB Outstanding Scholar Award: Natalie Kucirek and Jowa (Zhuo) Shi
The MCB Outstanding Scholar Award represents high academic achievement and excellence in the major in terms of overall grade point average, major course work and promise of great success.

Outstanding Immunologist Award: Alexander Kim
This award goes to the graduating senior in the Immunology and Pathogenesis emphasis with high academic achievement, in terms of overall grade point average, major course work, quality of research, and promise of great success.

I. L. Chaikoff Memorial Awards
The I. L. Chaikoff awards are given in recognition of outstanding achievement and excellence in research in the emphases of Cell & Developmental Biology and Neurobiology.

CDB Chaikoff Awardees: Albert Xu, Heng-Yi Liu, Hasti Mazdeyasna, Lynna Yang, Aloukika Shah, and Kiarash Shamardani

NEU Chaikoff Awardees: Daniel Cardozo Pinto, Lena Egbert, Stella Chen, Rachel Prorok, Kyle Chan, and Seoiyoung "Sei" Ahn

2017 Commencement
2017 Undergraduate Commencement — celebrating with flare

Distinction in Academic Achievement in Immunology Award: Jessica (Jiaxi) Wang
This award goes to the graduating senior in the Immunology and Pathogenesis emphasis demonstrating overall academic excellence.

Excellence in Research in Immunology Award: Zachary Grimmett
This award is presented to the student who has distinguished themselves in research. The award is based on the students’ presentation of their research and completion of an honors thesis.

Jeffery A. Winer Memorial Prize: Stacie Ong
This award goes to the graduating senior in the Neurobiology emphasis who demonstrated high academic achievement and excellence of research in an honors project.

Paola S. Timiras Memorial Prize: Jessica Hong
This award goes to the graduating senior in the Cell and Developmental Biology emphasis who demonstrated excellence in academic achievement and high quality of research.

Kazuo Gerald Yanaba & Ting Jung Memorial Fund Award (BMB): Jordan Said
This award, made possible by the generosity of family, friends and associates of the late Kazuo Gerald Yanaba and Ting Jung, is presented based upon the student's exemplary presentation of their research at the annual Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Undergraduate Honors Research Symposium.

Grace Fimognari Memorial Award (BMB) - Outstanding Undergraduate Woman: Vy Ngo
The Grace Fimognari Memorial award was established in 1969 to be awarded to an outstanding graduating senior in the Biochemistry & Molecular biology emphasis.

2017 Commencement
Finally made it!

Jesse Rabinowitz Memorial Prize: Joel Sax
This prize, awarded to Sax in the summer of 2016 (when he was a junior), is made possible by the generosity of the family and friends of the late Jesse Rabinowitz. This award is given annually to the outstanding junior MCB major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. A stipend is given to support the student's research during the summer between junior and senior years.

Spencer W. Brown Award (GGD): Bonnie Su and Yuxiao Xu
This award is given to the students who have distinguished themselves in Genetics, Genomics and Development research. The award is based on the students' presentation of their research and completion of an honors thesis.

Edward Blount Award (GGD): Issy Lin
This prize, made possible by the generosity of the family and friends of Edward Blount, is awarded annually to the student with the highest academic achievement in Genetics, Genomics and Development.

The above list does not include all the MCB students who became members of the Phi Beta Kappa, the Prytanean Society, or the Honors Students Society — MCB applauds these students as well!


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