Each year at commencement we recognize our undergraduate students for their accomplishments in academics and in research.
The 2022 Chemistry & Biochemistry Undergraduate Commencement Awards were presented to our students at the department’s annual commencement ceremony. Congratulations to all the recipients!
We are incredibly grateful to our donors whose generous gifts make these awards possible!
ACS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Ashton Davis (Diaconescu group)
ACS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Alana Rose Meyer (García-Garibay group) and Garrett Kukier (Houk group)
ACS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SENIOR IN PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
Sasha Gill-Ljunghammer (Tolbert group)
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTS STUDENT AWARD
Hanxiao Sun
DANIEL ATKINSON & CHARLES WEST BIOCHEMISTRY UNDERGRADUATE PRIZE IN METABOLIC BIOCHEMISTRY
This award is named in honor of the second and third biochemists on the UCLA faculty, who taught generations of students over their forty-year careers and were largely responsible for the development of biochemistry within the department.
David Hansen
THE MARIA REBECCA AND MAUREEN BELLETTINI AWARDS
Established in 2019 by the Bellettini family, this award recognizes outstanding undergraduate students studying chemistry in the department.
Colleen Le, Alanis Colon, and Yining (Bethany) Ru
THE DOLORES CANNON SOUTHAM COMMENCEMENT AWARD
This award is named in memory of Dolores Cannon Southam, who as a UCLA undergraduate worked for Professor Chris Foote. In honor of Dolores, this award is given in recognition of outstanding achievement in research.
Chris La
CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY COMMENCEMENT AWARD IN RESEARCH & ACADEMICS
Awarded to students for outstanding achievement in research and academics during their undergraduate career at the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
Matthew Shammami (Diaconescu Group)
CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY COMMENCEMENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
Awarded to students for outstanding achievement in research during their undergraduate career at the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
Aaron Ahdoot
GEISSMAN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
This award honors Professor Theodore (Ted) Geissman, an organic chemistry faculty member who passed away in 1978. For thirty-five years Professor Geissman provided distinguished service to the University of California and UCLA. His teaching covered the span from elementary courses to the guidance of postdoctoral scholars, many from foreign lands.
Daniel Turner (Sletten group)
LEONARD GREINER COMMENCEMENT AWARD
This award was established by family and friends in 2007 to honor the memory of alumnus Dr. Leonard Greiner ’43, a successful chemist who worked for many years to develop technical solutions to global warming.
Tim Bondoc (S. Clarke group)
DR. MYUNG KI HONG UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT AWARD
This award honors alumnus Dr. Myung Ki Hong (’59 Chemistry), Founder of Dura Coat Products, Inc., and recipient of the department’s 2015 UCLA Chemistry & Biochemistry Alumni Award.
Scott Hale (Clubb group), Matthew Shammami (Diaconescu Group), and Shannan Zhuang (Feigon Group)
RAMSEY COMMENCEMENT AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
These awards honor Professor Emeritus James Blaine Ramsey (1892-1965) and is awarded to outstanding undergraduate students in the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
Clayton French (Kaner group), Sarah Ko (Tolbert group), and William Liu
RAMSEY COMMENCEMENT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH & ACADEMICS
These awards honor Professor Emeritus James Blaine Ramsey (1892-1965) and is awarded to outstanding undergraduate students in the UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry.
Nathalie Co (Diaconescu group)
RAYMOND AND DOROTHY WILSON COMMENCEMENT AWARD IN ACADEMICS
These awards were established by alumnus Raymond A. Wilson (’43) and his wife Dorothy as a tribute to the UCLA chemistry professors who, more than seventy years ago, had such a profound impact on Raymond when he was a bright young chemistry student.
Teagan Sloan Dean, Nathalie Co (Diaconescu group), and Tuo Hu (Houk group)
RAYMOND AND DOROTHY WILSON COMMENCEMENT AWARD IN RESEARCH & ACADEMICS
These awards were established by alumnus Raymond A. Wilson (’43) and his wife Dorothy as a tribute to the UCLA chemistry professors who, more than seventy years ago, had such a profound impact on Raymond when he was a bright young chemistry student.
Russell Nakasone (Bouchard group)
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.
