Thanks to our generous donors, 19 talented undergraduates received departmental awards this year in recognition of their accomplishments in research and in academics.
The 2026 Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Departmental Awards were presented to our students at our annual Departmental Awards Ceremony on June 9, 2026. Congratulations to all the recipients listed below!
We are incredibly grateful to our donors whose generous gifts make these awards possible.
CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENTAL AWARD
![2026 CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY DEPARTMENTAL AWARD
[Picture of Flora Denton (Caram group), Vanessa Lee (Weidhaas group) and Itxhel Tenorio on a UCLA-themed background]](https://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Deptaward.png)
Flora Denton (Caram group), Vanessa Lee (Weidhaas group) and Itxhel Tenorio
ETHEL TERRY MCCOY AWARD
These academic awards honor chemists Dr. Ethel Terry McCoy and her husband Dr. Herbert Newby McCoy, who had successful careers at the University of Chicago and in industry.
![2026 ETHEL TERRY MCCOY AWARD
[Picture of Murphy Chuang (Aguilar-Carreno group), Chaewon Han, Hyemin Kim, Isabella Lugoj, Catherine Pei, Sahar Tanara, and Samaira Chaddah on a UCLA-themed background]](https://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Slide1.png)
Murphy Chuang (Aguilar-Carreno group), Chaewon Han, Hyemin Kim, Isabella Lugoj, Catherine Pei, Sahar Tanara, and Samaira Chaddah
HOSMER STONE AWARD
This academic award was established in 1970 to honor the late Professor Hosmer Stone, one of the department’s first faculty members.
![2026 HOSMER STONE AWARD
[Picture of Lisa Roekyen, Kate Dunham, and Haeun Jang on a UCLA-themed background]](https://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Slide2.png)
Lisa Roekyen, Kate Dunham, and Haeun Jang
MAX SHAW DUNN UNDERGRADUATE AWARD
This award honors the memory of Professor Max Shaw Dunn, UCLA’s first biochemistry faculty member, who joined the Southern Branch of the University of California in 1922. He was a strong and positive force in the development of UCLA until his retirement in 1962.
![2026 MAX SHAW DUNN UNDERGRADUATE AWARD
[Picture of Seena Amin-Sanayei (Darvish group), Siddharth Das (Schmitt group), Andrew Huang (Kaner group), Akshaj Tadiparthi (Eisenberg group), and Sujanaa Srinivasa Raghavan (Petrovic group) on a UCLA-themed background]](https://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Slide3.png)
Seena Amin-Sanayei (Darvish group), Siddharth Das (Schmitt group), Andrew Huang (Kaner group), Akshaj Tadiparthi (Eisenberg group), and Sujanaa Srinivasa Raghavan (Petrovic group)
UCLA CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND ACADEMICS AWARD
![2026 UCLA CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY RESEARCH AND ACADEMICS AWARD
[Picture of Rohan Thadwal (Athavale group) on a UCLA-themed background]](https://www.chemistry.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Slide19.png)
Rohan Thadwal (Athavale group)
The Department is extremely grateful to our generous donors and alumni whose support makes these many fellowship and award programs possible.
To learn how to contribute to our student departmental award funds or to establish a new named award or fellowship, please contact the Chair’s Office, cbchair@ucla.edu, (310) 825-3958. Your gift of any size will directly impact one of our world-class students and aspiring scientists!
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penjen@g.ucla.edu.
