Organized by the Neuroscience Graduate Program to recognize outstanding contributions of faculty and students
The Neuroscience Program Steering Committee is hosting the annual Neuroscience Community Awards Program! The awards recognize the efforts of faculty and trainees in teaching, mentorship, and commitment to diversity and inclusion, and winners are nominated by their peers.
Congratulations to the 2024
Neuroscience Community Award winners!
Award for Excellence in Teaching
Recognizing faculty members and trainees who have shown outstanding commitment to teaching in the neuroscience community.
Faculty Awardee
Steven Mennerick, PhD
WashU Psychiatry
STudent Awardee
Sabrina Clemens
Neuroscience PhD Program
Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Recognizing faculty members and trainees from the neuroscience community who have shown excellence in mentorship.
Faculty Awardee
Tamara Hershey, PhD
WashU Psychiatry
Student Awardee
Benjamin Boros
Neuroscience PhD Program
Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Recognizing faculty members and trainees in the neuroscience community who have shown a strong commitment to creating diverse and inclusive spaces, programs, or laboratories.
Faculty Awardee
Paul Taghert, PhD
WashU Neuroscience
Student Awardee
Emma Danhash
Neuroscience PhD Program
2024 Rules/Eligibility
- Students must be in the Neuroscience Program to be eligible for nomination; faculty may be in any department provided they are affiliated with the Neuroscience Graduate Program.
- Awardees cannot be nominated if they have won any Neuroscience Community Award in the past 3 years.
- If an individual wins in two categories, they will receive the award for the category in which they scored highest. The award for the other category will be given to the person with the second-highest score.
- Award Details: All winners will be gifted an award plaque with their name on it and the category in which they won. Students will also receive a one-time $500 bonus added to their stipend, while faculty do not receive a monetary award.
Previous winners of Neuroscience Community Awards
Award for Excellence in Teaching (Faculty)
- Bruce Carlson, PhD (WashU Biology)
Award for Excellence in Teaching (Trainees)
- Maria Gonzalez-Aponte (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Award for Excellence in Mentoring (Faculty)
- Deanna Barch, PhD (WashU Psychological & Brain Sciences)
Award for Excellence in Mentoring (Trainees)
- Simona Sarafinovska (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Faculty)
- Jim Skeath, PhD (WashU Genetics)
Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Trainees)
- Chayla Vazquez (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Award for Excellence in Teaching (Faculty)
- Larry Snyder, MD, PhD (WashU Neuroscience)
- Yehuda Ben-Shahar, PhD (WashU Biology)
Award for Excellence in Teaching (Trainees)
- Rosie Dutt (Imaging Science PhD Program)
- Adalee Lube (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Award for Excellence in Mentoring (Faculty)
- Celeste Karch, PhD (WashU Psychiatry)
- Aaron DiAntonio, MD, PhD (WashU Developmental Biology)
Award for Excellence in Mentoring (Trainees)
- Bridget Matikainen-Ankney, PhD (WashU Psychiatry)
- Igor Luzhansky (Materials Science & Engineering PhD Program)
Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Faculty)
- Tracey Hermanstyne (WashU Developmental Biology)
Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (Trainees)
- Jennifer Lawrence (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Award for Excellence in Teaching (Faculty)
- Martha Bagnall, PhD (WashU Neuroscience)
- Steven Mennerick, PhD (WashU Psychiatry)
Award for Excellence in Teaching (Students)
- Lorenzo Lones (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Award for Outstanding Mentorship (Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, Students)
- Joseph Dougherty, PhD (WashU Genetics)
Award for Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (Faculty)
- Erik Herzog, PhD (WashU Biology)
Award for Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (Students)
- Annie Zheng (Neuroscience PhD Program)
- Peppar Cyr, MPhil (Neuroscience PhD Program)
Questions? Contact Eleonora Bano, Oliver Krentzman, or Zahra Dhanerawala (Student Representatives, Neuroscience Program Steering Committee)