Biology Department Awards and TriBeta Induction Ceremony

Dr. Robert O'Donnell presents Sarah Eckl with the new Robert W. O'Donnell Award
Robert W. O'Donnell Award presented to Sarah Eckl by Dr. Robert O'Donnell
Biology News

On April 22, 2022, the Biology Department and TriBeta, the Biology Honor Society, hosted our annual awards and induction ceremony. The department was thrilled to meet in person for the first time in two years to celebrate our students in this way. The event featured Dr. Harold Hoops, a faculty member in the department for 34 years, as our keynote speaker. Dr. Hoops talk was entitled “What is a fact?”

The ceremony featured the announcement of student departmental award winners and included two new awards. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership in promoting a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive Biology Department and Geneseo campus community. The selected student is also dedicated to continuing to advance DEI in their future careers.

The Robert W. O’Donnell Award recognizes a Biology or Biochemistry major who has plans for a post-graduate career in a cancer or immunology related field and shows evidence of their interest and ability in this area.

The 2022 winners are: Guy A. Bailey Outstanding Biology Senior - Vincent Scalcione; Robert A. Greene Service Award - Robert Colbath; Leadership Award - Yannis Dimitroff; Dr. Mark Diamond Memorial Research Award: Oral Presentation - Brett Woodworth, Poster Presentation - Kaitlyn Gera and Hannah Smith; Larry King Plant Science Award - Payton Reese; Herman Forest Gaia Award - Ryan Bohen; A. Henry Latorella Genetics Award - Hannah Smith; Robert W. O'Donnell Award - Sarah Eckl; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award - Syndou Cisse.

In addition, 46 students were inducted into TriBeta, the Biology Honor society.