Each year, the College of Biological Sciences recognizes a handful of alumni for achievement, leadership, and service. The CBS Alumni Achievement Award recognizes alums who graduated before 2010 with either a bachelor's or graduate degree and have made an impact in their field, community, and the world. The CBS Emerging Leader Award recognizes alums who graduated in the last 15 years and have demonstrated leadership in their work or community. The CBS Alumni Service Award recognizes our alums who have made a significant impact in their community through public or professional service.
Alumni Achievement Award
Rozina Bhimani (B.S., Biology, ’92)
An associate professor in the University of Minnesota School of Nursing, Dr. Bhimani is a renowned researcher focused on the experiences of patients with muscle spasticity, which prevents normal, fluid movement and often causes pain and other sensory issues. She also works as an advanced practice nurse, serving patients in a Twin Cities clinic. She earned both a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Ph.D. in nursing science from the University of Minnesota. She received the University’s Distinguished Teachers Graduate and Professional Award, and holds an endowed Long-Term Care Professorship in Nursing. One of her nominators described her impact as: "She is a beloved teacher, a caring clinician for the underserved, a leader in equity and justice, and an international scholar. I am proud to call her my friend and colleague.”
Richard Daly (B.S., Biology, ’78)
Dr. Daly is a professor of surgery in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Mayo Clinic. After receiving his undergraduate degree from CBS, he went on to Mayo Medical School to study general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, and heart and lung transplantation. Since joining the faculty in 1992, he has served in a variety of leadership roles, including as surgical director of heart transplantation, lung transplantation, and pediatric heart transplantation. He is a recipient of the Translational Research Award and Distinguished Clinician Award from the Mayo Clinic, and served as chair of the United Network for Organ Sharing Heart Committee. Dr. Daly has published nearly 400 manuscripts and 13 book chapters.
Emerging Leader Award
Bridget Duffy (B.S., Neuroscience, ’19)
After completing her undergraduate degree, Bridget Duffy went on to work on incarceration and health justice through a position with AmeriCorps at The Center for Health & Justice Transformation in Providence, RI. She earned a Master of Public Health degree from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health as a Bloomberg Fellow in the Addiction and Overdose Focus. She now serves as a senior research associate at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Her research focuses on overdose prevention, substance use disorder, and a range of violence-related issues impacting health and safety. Her work is driven by a commitment to advancing public health solutions that challenge stigma, addressing structural inequities, and creating safer, more supportive systems of care. One of her nominators described her impact as: “My fear in writing this nomination letter is that I will not be able to effectively capture what a special individual Ms. Duffy is and how deserving she is of this award. She is and will continue to be an alumna for whom you will always be proud.”
Alumni Service Award
Kenneth Bachofer (B.S., Biology, ’91)
Kenneth Bachofer enjoyed a successful career as a biomedical engineer with Medtronic before retiring in 2008. In addition to decades of work in this field, he has served as a Minnesota Master Naturalist since 2007, logging nearly 5,000 hours of volunteer time while also helping to train over 100 new naturalists in the state. An avid photographer, he also launched and led the Clearwater Photography Group, an organization focused on outdoor photography training. He continued sharing his passion for nature photography in the classroom, teaching courses on the subject at St. John’s Outdoor University and St. Cloud Community Education. Kenneth continues his volunteering by presenting his nature photographs, with interpretation, to residents throughout the senior living facility he calls home.