2011 Award Winners

Each year, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering honor their graduate students through the Graduate Student Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding graduate student achievement in areas such as academic performance, research, student leadership, community service and citizenship, and contributions to undergraduate education.

The winners for 2011 are as follows:

The Robert P. Guertin Student Leadership Award
Nicole Flynn (English)
Joanna Xylas (biomedical engineering)

The Rob Hollister Award for Community Service and Citizenship
Molly McCullagh (urban and environmental policy and planning)

Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award
Elizabeth Ammons (English)
Thomas Vandervelde (electrical and computer engineering)

The Award for Outstanding Academic Performance (master's level)*
David Molk (music)

The Award for Outstanding Academic Performance (doctoral level)*
April Jewell (chemistry)

The Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education*
Mirit Barzillai (child development)

The Award for Outstanding Graduate Contributor to Engineering Education**
Karen Kosinski (civil and environmental engineering)

The Award for Outstanding Graduate Researcher (master's level)**
Andrew Winslow (computer science)

The Award for Outstanding Graduate Researcher (doctoral level)**
Nan Yi (chemical and biological engineering)

The Gordon Institute Outstanding Student Award**
Matthew Toia

Mary Ann Mulcahy Service in Education Award
The Department of Education and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service created this award to honor a graduate student completing the M.A.T. middle and high school teacher licensure program who has demonstrated a strong commitment to both public service and effective classroom practice in the field experience portion of their program.

Dara K. Bayer
Laura Beth Hoguet

The Marjorie B. Greene Award in Occupational Therapy
This award is made to an occupational therapy graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in the areas of leadership and involvement in student and professional activities. Ms. Greene was one of the founders of the Boston School of Occupational Therapy in 1918. She was a pioneer in occupational therapy and a leader in OT state and national organizations.

Michelle Marques

Sarah Plummer Memorial Prize
The Sarah Plummer Memorial Prize is awarded annually to a graduate student or students who demonstrate a deep commitment to the field of classical archaeology or classical studies; to the Tufts University Department of Classics; and to the broader community.

Cara-Lynne Thomas
Hilary Wolkan

Rhonda Saad Graduate Prize
The Rhonda Saad Graduate Prize recognizes a graduating master's student in art history or art history/museum studies for outstanding academic excellence, as well as related achievement in teaching, research, museum work, or community involvement.  The award is established in memory of Rhonda Saad, G08, with the generous assistance of Rhonda's classmates.  A scholar of Islamic Art, pursuing a Ph.D. at the time of her death, Saad was a cherished student, teacher, colleague, and friend whose zest and optimism profoundly impacted the lives and work of all those around her.

Ayesha Fuentes

Professor Kalman A. Burnim Prize for Scholarly Excellence in Drama
The Professor Kalman A. Burnim Prize for Scholarly Excellence in Drama is awarded annually to a Ph.D. student in drama who has completed all the requirements for the degree except the dissertation; who has demonstrated distinction academically and in research; and who has contributed to the life of the program in an outstanding manner. The prize was established by alumni, colleagues, and friends in honor of Kalman A. Burnim, emeritus Fletcher Professor of Drama and Oratory and Tufts alumnus (A50), who created the Ph.D. program in drama. During his twenty-eight years at Tufts, Professor Burnim chaired the department for nine years and earned his reputation as a world-renowned scholar in theatre history.

Colleen Rua

The Eliot-Pearson Award for Research Practice Integration
The award is given to the student whose accomplishments in scholarship and applied work has demonstrated the most potential to foster the integration of research and practice.

Natalie Rusk

Graduate Student Council (GSC) Awards

Outstanding Faculty Contribution to Graduate Studies
Boris Hasselblatt (mathematics)
Robert D. White (mechanical engineering)

Outstanding Graduate Student Contribution to Undergraduate Studies
Megan Stahl (Drama)

Outstanding Graduate Student Organization
Tufts Organization for Graduate Students in Mathematics

Service Awards
Faculty: Sinaia Nathanson (psychology)
Student: Joanna Xylas (biomedical engineering)
Staff: Annie Wong (Campus Life financial office)

NAGS Awards (Northeast Association of Graduate Schools)
Patricia Allen (psychology) Master's Thesis Award
Professor M. Ann Easterbrooks (child development), Graduate Faculty Teaching Award

Research Grants-in-Aid Recipients
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering's Research Grants-in-Aid program helps support the research of graduate students by helping them pay for travel expenses in connection with their research, research tools, research participants, and publication expenses.

The program was launched in 2005, and since its inception over 100 graduate students have received research grants-in-aid.

Fall 2010 Recipients
Spring 2011 Recipients

Graduate Student Photo Contest
Each year, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering invites its graduate students to submit photos for the Graduate Student Life Photo Contest. View the winning photos by clicking here.

1st Prize- Gregory H. Meyerhoff (mechanical engineering)
2nd Prize- Konstantinos Metallinos (physics)
3rd Prize-Jennifer Mortensen (biology)

Graduate Alumni Awards: Outstanding Career Achievement Award
This award is given to a Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and/or School of Engineering graduate who has, with the help of his/her Tufts graduate education, excelled in his/her career of choice.

Raymond Nickerson, G65, psychology
Michelle Williams, EG86, civil engineering

Graduate Alumni Awards: Outstanding Service Award
This award recognizes a Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and/or School of Engineering graduate who has made exceptional contributions to Tufts since they have graduated.

Richard Henken, A80, G81, economics
Robert Haber, E79, E80, chemical engineering

More information about the annual Graduate Student Awards, can be found at http://gradstudy.tufts.edu/graduateawards.

*Awards for arts and sciences graduate students or faculty only
**Awards for engineering graduate students or faculty only