University Awards

In the college, undergraduate students don’t just learn from textbooks—they actively contribute to new scientific knowledge through hands-on research. This experiential learning is a hallmark of a UC Davis education, especially in the life sciences.

For his outstanding commitment to ensuring undergraduate students have these meaningful and immersive research experiences, Chang‑il Hwang, an associate professor of microbiology and molecular genetics, has received a 2025 Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research.

Each year, the College of Biological Sciences honors its top undergraduates at a special awards ceremony attended by friends, family, mentors, and donors. The 2025 recipients were recognized for their academic excellence, commitment to building community, service to campus and peers, and exceptional achievements in research.

Four students from the College of Biological Sciences have been recognized with 2025 Norma J. Lang Prizes for Undergraduate Information Research, awarded annually by the UC Davis Library.

The prestigious award celebrates undergraduates who demonstrate exceptional skill in finding, evaluating, and synthesizing information to support original research. Now in its ninth year, the prize honors the legacy of the late Professor Emerita of Botany Norma J. Lang, a beloved UC Davis faculty member whose gift to the university continues to support and inspire student scholarship.

Only on annual visits to India was Avantika Gokulnatha able to help care for her now late grandfather as his health failed. But the San Jose resident endeavored to help others near her.

Gokulnatha did just that as she studied biological sciences, majored in genetics and genomics, and researched aging at the University of California, Davis. She volunteered with a local hospice, revived a student organization to help seniors with technology, and led other undergraduate volunteers at a clinic providing free medical care to uninsured and marginalized people.

Developmental biologist Alice Accorsi, an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, is the recipient of the 2025 UC Davis Early Career Faculty Award for Creativity and Innovation.

Meet the eight faculty members who comprise the newest class of Chancellor’s Fellows, given to early career academics doing exemplary work in their fields. One of the new fellows, Kassandra Ori-McKenney, is a an associate professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and four others are affiliated with the college's interdisciplinary graduate groups. 

Three members of the CBS faculty community have been named Center for the Advancement of Multicultural Perspectives on Science (CAMPOS) scholars. The prestigious honor provides mentorship, support and community to new faculty members.

The work of 12 early-career faculty members will get a boost as this year’s class of Hellman Fellows. They will receive grants ranging from $16,000 to $49,000, for a total of $330,000 awarded.

Their work covers a wide range of topics, from the educational experiences of Venezuelan immigrants to a wireless device that monitors for seizures.

Wolf Dietrich-Heyer, a Distinguished Professor and chair in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics was among three members of the UC Davis community recognized for their remarkable efforts to steward donors and raise the culture of philanthropy across the university. 

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations and the UC Davis Foundation presented the 2024 Faculty and Staff Stewardship Awards during a ceremony on Oct. 19. The recipients are:

Sam Arcement—Director of Graduate Academic Programs for the College of Biological Sciences, and the program coordinator for the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Physiology (MCIP) Graduate Group—has been honored with the 2024 Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator Award from the Office of Graduate Studies. This year saw a record number of nominations. “Sam tirelessly ensures that our needs and concerns are heard and addressed,” said one MCIP student, who praised Arcement’s dedication to student advocacy.