Grad Students Honored in 2025 Ceremony

The Department of Chemistry honored graduate students at its Annual Graduate Student Awards ceremony held Friday, May 23 with Erik Sorensen, Director of Graduate Studies, presiding.

The ceremony took place as part of the Princeton Chemistry Reunion program at Frick Lab.

By tradition, the awards fall into three categories: First-Year Academic Achievements for first-year students based on GPAs; Merit Awards, which are nominated by faculty; and Teaching Awards, also nominated by faculty. The winners and their labs appear below. Congratulations to all awardees.

First-Year Academic Achievement

These fellowships are gifted to the Department by alumni and provide summer support to first-year students in recognition of academic excellence.

The Norman G. and Elizabeth Brink Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Benjamin Curlee (Subotnik Lab)

The Stephen P.A. Fodor *85 Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Grace Fleury (Sorensen Lab)

The Stanley A. Lefkowitz *70 Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Amory Griffin (Stache Lab)

The David V. Milligan ’62 Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Darren Langer (Roque Lab)

The George B. Rathmann *51 Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Jang Mok Yoo (Hammes-Schiffer Lab)

The Nat C. Robertson *42 Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry

Emma Whittemore (Chang Lab)

Merit Awards

Ada and Myer Packer Memorial Fellowship: Provided by a donation from Dr. Andrew J. Packer ’72, this honorific is awarded to a student who shows significant promise in the field of physical chemistry and spectroscopy.

Gabriella Sonderegger (Kunin Lab)

The Arthur A. Patchett ’51 Graduate Fellowship in Chemistry: This award, provided by a donation from Dr. Arthur Patchett ’51, a former executive of Merck and Co. and an alumnus of Princeton, is granted to a senior organic student who has excelled at Princeton.

Diego Granados (Knowles Lab)

The BMS Endowed Graduate Fellowship in Synthetic Organic Chemistry: Awarded to a senior graduate student focused on organic synthesis, either methodology or natural product synthesis. The winner of this prize will give a seminar at a symposium hosted by BMS.

Jon Meinhardt (Knowles Lab)

The Third-Year Seminar Prize: This award is given to one or two 3rd year students in recognition of exceptional third-year seminar presentations, as judged by current 4th year students.

Ice Hu (Scholes Lab)

Vince Rinaolo (Kleiner Lab)

Teaching Awards

The Margaret & Herman Sokol Fellowship in Chemistry: This award recognizes outstanding work as teaching assistants for students interested in a career in teaching and research.

Lauren Harstad (MacMillan Lab)

Chuqi Zheng (Muir Lab)

The Hubert Alyea ’24 Teaching Award: Granted in memory of Hubert Alyea, a renowned chemist and beloved Princeton instructor, in recognition of outstanding dedication and enthusiasm for undergraduate teaching.

Marissa Abbott (Mo Lab)

Amy Benedetto (Sorensen Lab)

Pickering Teaching Awards: Named in honor of Miles Pickering, who served as Director of our Chemistry Undergraduate Labs from 1981 until his death in 1991, recognizing excellence in undergraduate teaching in precepts and in the lab.

For their work as lab TAs:

Chufan Jin (Hyster lab)

Alan Tong (Muir Lab)

Qiaolin Yan (Knowles Lab)

For their work as Precept TAs:

Katherine Moffa (Chirik Lab)

Chloe Wu (Hecht Lab)

Gabriella Sonderegger (Kunin Lab)