So many honors and recognitions to round up in Biology this season! See all the accomplishments of our community below!

Laura Quinche, Biology graduate student, has been featured and interviewed in the Journal of Experimental Biology's Early Career Researcher Spotlight! 

Hank Woolley, research scientist in the Sidor Lab, was awarded a 2026 UW Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award! Each year, UW Undergraduate Research Symposium presenters are given an opportunity to nominate their mentor for the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. Hank is recognized for his outstanding mentorship showcased through his efforts to support students in the pursuit of undergraduate research.

Iroro Tanshi, postdoctoral scholar in the Santana Lab, was honored with two prestigious awards:

• The Goldman Environmental Prize, in recognition of her extraordinary leadership in wildlife conservation and environmental advocacy.
• The National Geographic/Buffett Award for Leadership in Conservation for her outstanding dedication to protecting endangered wildlife, restoring critical habitats and inspiring public action to defend at-risk species.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍  ‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍  ​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍  ​‍  ‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍‍‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍  ‌‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍​‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍  ‌‍‌‌​‍‌‍​‌‌​​‌‍‍​‌‍‍‌‌‍​​‍‍‌‍  ‌​‍‌‍‌​‍  ‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍  ‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍  ‌‍‌‌‍  ‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​  ‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍  ‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​  ‌‌‍​‍​​​‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‍‌​‌​‌‍‌‌​‍​​‌​​‍‌​‌​​‌​​‌‍‌‌​‍‌​‍​​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‍​​‌​​‍​​​‌​​‌‌‍‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‍​​​‌​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​

Melanie Cham, Biology graduate student, is one of this year's GRFP recipients! The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and strength of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. Since 1952, the program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master's and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, including STEM education.

​‍‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‌‍​‌‍‌‌​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​Annie Colgan, Biology graduate student, was recently awarded a fellowship by the American Association of University Women (AAUW)! The AAUW empowers women and girls by championing their success in higher education and pushing for bold policy solutions to create lasting change.

Marie-Pier Poulin, Biology graduate student, has received a three-year NSERC fellowship.  This fellowship is similar to the NSF GRFP fellowship, issued by the Canadian Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

Biology graduate students Marie-Pier Poulin and Laura Quinche were recently awarded the International Research Fellowship from the UW Graduate School. Funded by the Chester Fritz and Boeing International endowments, these one-quarter grants provide support to UW graduate students doing research that takes place outside of the United States. 

Elissa Khodikian, Biology graduate student, was recently featured in the UW ISS International Student Spotlight as a graduate student from Canada who explores evolution, mentorship, and community as she strives to grow as a researcher at UW.

Maggie Fuqua, Biology graduate student, recently received an NIH F31 Grant! The NIH F31 is a prestigious grant provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support promising doctoral candidates who are performing dissertation research in scientific health-related fields.

Congratulations to all!