Waksman Undergraduate Researchers Honored

Five graduating seniors received awards and honors for their research accomplishments in Waksman labs.

Amira Lee (Genetics ’26) received a Henry Rutgers Scholar Award from the School of Arts and Sciences and a Howard C. Passmore Award for Distinguished Academic Achievement from the Department of Genetics for her thesis work entitled “SPC105R’s Structure and Function in Meiotic Kinetochores.” Amira performed her research in the McKim Lab.

Anni Yi (Molecular Biology and Biochemistry ’26) received a Henry Rutgers Scholar Award from the School of Arts and Sciences for her thesis work entitled “The Dynamics of Myosin Reorganization During Pupal Wing Expansion.” Anni performed her research in the Irvine Lab.

Johannes Stoeber (Molecular Biology and Biochemistry ’26) is an honors scholar with distinction for his thesis work entitled “Dissecting Photosynthesis: Examination of the Transformation of the 4-Flash Oxygen Formation Cycle of the Water Oxidizing Complex into a Bi-Cycle with Simple Co-Catalysts.” Johannes performed his research in the Dismukes Lab. 

Shambhavi Gupta (Cell Biology and Neuroscience ’26) received a Henry Rutgers Scholar Award from the School of Arts and Sciences for her thesis work entitled “Characterizing behavioral and molecular outcomes after traumatic brain injury in Drosophila melanogaster.” Shambhavi performed her research in the Barber Lab.

Zahra Mohammed (Genetics & Creative Writing ’26) received a Henry Rutgers Scholar Award from the School of Arts and Sciences as well as Duncan and Nancy MacMillan fellowship for research excellence for her thesis work entitled “Mitochondrial Regulation of Spermiogenesis in C. elegans.” Zahra performed her research in the Singson Lab.