From left to right: John S. Anderson, Dana Davis, Sandy Mand, Lori Nicol, Luiza Mendonça, Aryn Lipnicki, Emily Schilling, Michael Latham and Saara DeWalt. Not pictured: Trinity Hamilton, Allison Shaw and Jonathan Schilling
Now in its third year, the College of Biological Sciences gathered in May for the Faculty and Staff Celebration, an event focused on recognizing the impact made by members of the CBS community and honoring some of the standouts from the last year. This year’s CBS award recipients included:
Outstanding Staff Service Award
The award is presented to civil service, bargaining unit, and P&A staff members in recognition of exemplary contributions to CBS.
Sandy Mand, Director, CBS Instructional Labs
Sandy Mand coordinates the myriad lab courses offered by CBS each year, impacting thousands of students. She also works as a bridge between faculty, IT, facilities, and external vendors, expertly coordinating the complex logistics required to support a range of lab courses across both the St. Paul and East Bank campuses.
Lori Nicol, Departmental grants management administrator and accountant, Dean’s Office
Lori Nicol serves as a key grants manager for the College, ensuring grants are submitted accurately and on time. In her role, she helps faculty and other members of the College in their grant submission process and is vital to understanding changing timelines and requirements for grants and other accounting issues.
Emily Schilling; Associate Director, Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories
As Associate Director of Itasca, Emily Schilling helps coordinate operations and programming at the station. She has played a critical role in reinvigorating field course offerings and creating public programs, including the Science of Craft courses.
Excellence in Research and Innovation Award
This award recognizes an associate or full professor who has had an exceptional impact through their scholarship on their field, with an emphasis on the past three years
Trinity Hamilton, Professor, Plant and Microbial Biology
Trinity Hamilton’s research focuses on bridging microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and Earth systems science. Her research advances our understanding of climate change, specifically on how snow algae accelerate glacial melt and impact global freshwater resources. She has nearly 100 peer-reviewed publications and is a dedicated mentor to her students.
Rising Star in Research and Innovation Award
The Rising Star in Research and Innovation Award goes to an assistant professor or first-year associate professor who shows excellence in research and innovation.
Luiza Mendonça, Assistant Professor, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and BIophysics
Luiza Mendonça’s work focuses on structural biology, including redefining our understanding of HIV-1 transmission by capturing the first molecular-resolution 3D images of cell-to-cell transmission sites in their native states. She has also secured over $3 million in funding and led the acquisition of advanced cryoimaging technology that has established the University as a premier regional research hub.
Excellence in Graduate Student Education Award
This award recognizes a faculty member who has made a substantial contribution to graduate student education in one of the graduate degree programs associated with the College, including formal or informal teaching, graduate student mentoring or advising, or graduate program leadership.
Michael Latham, Associate Professor, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics
Michael Latham serves as Director of the Minnesota NMR Center and as the Director of Graduate Studies for the BMBB graduate program. As a graduate student mentor, 18 of his trainees were lead publishers on papers and many received prestigious fellowships. Beyond his instruction, Dr. Latham is recognized for his dedication to "the whole scientist," providing a culture of belonging that empowers students alike to become resilient, independent researchers.
Stanley Dagley-Samuel Kirkwood Undergraduate Teaching Award
This award acknowledges exceptional faculty contributions to undergraduate education, including classroom presentation, educational innovation, and curriculum development.
Dana Davis, Associate Professor, Microbiology and Immunology
Dana Davis serves as CBS Undergraduate Research Coordinator and an Honors advisor. He has helped restructure foundational courses to provide students with the essential tools and mentorship needed to launch successful research careers. His impact on CBS undergraduate includes decades of instruction of incoming students at Nature of Life, as well as creating a primary-literature-based Eukaryotic Microbiology course.
Allison Shaw, Associate Professor, Ecology, Evolution and Behavior
Allison Shaw’s impact on undergraduate education includes overhauling the core Ecology course (EEB 3407) with her co-instructor Dr. Daniel Stanton, shifting from traditional observation-based learning to a theory-integrated approach. She also replaced high-stakes testing with objective-based assessments and utilizing intuitive tools like R-based apps and graphical modeling, she has demystified math-heavy concepts for diverse learners. This data-driven approach allows for immediate intervention if students struggle with specific concepts.
John S. Anderson Leadership Award for Staff
This award recognizes staff who lift others up and lead with the kind of integrity that defines the CBS spirit.
Aryn Lipnicki, Assistant Director of Student Engagement, Student Services
As Assistant Director of Student Engagement, Aryn Lipnicki she has managed the Dean’s Scholars leadership development program and led student engagement programs, including the annual CBS Case Study Competition, which challenges participants to use biology to solve real-world problems. In addition to her work within CBS, she has served on the Welcome Week Committee, President’s Emerging Scholars advisory committee, and various strategic planning committees both internal and external to CBS.
John S. Anderson Leadership Award for Faculty
This award recognizes faculty members who lift others up and lead with the kind of integrity that defines the CBS spirit.
Jonathan Schilling, Professor, Plant and Microbial Biology and Director, Itasca Biological Station
Jonathan Schilling serves as director over the Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories, which has included a tripling in enrollment of field biology courses at the station as well as an increase in research permits during his tenure. He has fostered deep, authentic connections with the DNR, Itasca State Park staff, the surrounding communities, including the White Earth and Leech Lake tribal nations. He has created innovative programming, helped introduce countless students and visitors to the wonders of our Itasca Biological Station.