CNS Honors
College Honors
The College of Natural Sciences honors members of our community at a ceremony each spring.
CNS Award Guidelines
Outstanding Teacher
- 2024 Michelle Facette, Biology; Caralyn Zehnder, Biology
- 2023 Sibongile Mafu, Plant Biology; Brokk Toggerson, Physics
- 2022 Adena Calden, Mathematics & Statistics; Margaret Riley, Biology
- 2021 John Bickford, Psychological & Brain Sciences; Donald Candela, Physics
- 2020 Lara Al-Hariri, Chemistry; Randall Phillis, Biology
- 2019 Erik Cheries, Psychological & Brain Sciences; Krista Gile, Mathematics & Statistics
- 2018 Daeyoung Kim, Mathematics & Statistics; Caleb Rounds, Biology
- 2017 Christiane Healey, Biology; Susan Han, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2016 Craig Albertson, Biology
- 2015 Lisa Harvey, Psychological and Brain Sciences
- 2014 Elsbeth L. Walker, Biology
- 2013 Panayotis (Panos) Kevrekidis, Mathematics & Statistics; Sheila Seaman, Geosciences
- 2012 David Gross, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Patricia Wadsworth, Biology
- 2011 Elizabeth Connor, Biology
- 2010 Heath Hatch, Physics; Jeffrey Podos, Biology
- 2009 Justin Fermann, Chemistry; Elizabeth Jakob, Psychology; Christopher Overtree, Psychology; Grant Wilson, Astronomy
- 2008 J. Zane Barlow, Biology; Tammy Rahhal, Psychology; Dhandapani Ventakaraman, Chemistry
- 2007 Guy Blaylock, Physics; Maureen Perry-Jenkins, Psychology
- 2006 Kathleen Arcaro, Veterinary & Animal Sciences; Scott Auerbach, Chemistry; Farshid Hajir, Mathematics & Statistics
- 2005 Bruce Byers, Biology; Susan Han, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences; Linda Isbell, Psychology
- 2004 Margery Coombs, Biology; Deborah Picking, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences
- 2003 William Vining, Chemistry; Patricia Vittum, Entomology; Elsbeth Walker, Biology
- 2002 Molly Fitzgerald-Hayes; Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Melinda Novak, Psychology
- 2001 Steve Goodwin, Microbiology; Mei-Chin Ku, Mathematics & Statistics; Lynne A. McLandsborough, Food Science; Thomas Mason, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2000 Jeffrey P. Erickson, Veterinary & Animal Sciences; Morton Harmatz, Psychology; Thomas G. Lessie, Microbiology; Peter Lillya, Chemistry; Richard O'Brien, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Stephen Schneider, Astronomy; Mark Tuominen, Physics
- 1999 Beatrice Botch, Chemistry; Elizabeth Connor, Biology; William E. Graves, Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Michael Williams, Geosciences
- 1998 Eric A. Decker, Food Science; Robert Feldman, Psychology; Sandra Petersen, Biology; Bruce Turkington, Mathematics & Statistics; Peter Uden, Chemistry
- 1997 Roberta Day, Chemistry; William Gerace, Physics; Arnold Well, Psychology
- 1996 Robert D. Childs, Jr., Entomology; Matthew J. Kelty, Forestry & Wildlife Management; Randy Phillis, Biology; Rich Yuretich, Geosciences; Bret Jackson, Chemistry
- 1995 Thomas Arny, Astronomy; Mark Leckie, Geosciences; Susan Whitbourne, Psychology
- 1994 Paul Lahti, Chemistry; Doris Stockton, Mathematics & Statistics
- 1993 Allen V. Barker, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences; Todd K. Fuller, Forestry & Wildlife Management; Steve Goodwin, Microbiology
- 1992 William J. Bramlage, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences
- 1991 Gail L. Schumann, Plant Pathology
Outstanding Research
- 2024 Mingxu You, Chemistry; Om Parkash Dhankher, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2023 Min Chen, Chemistry; Stephane Willocq, Physics
- 2022 Lillian Fritz-Laylin, Biology; Jianhan Chen, Chemistry
- 2021 Verena Martinez Outschoorn, Physics; Lynn Adler, Biology
- 2020 Li-Jun Ma, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Lila Gierasch, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2019 Luke Remage-Healey, Psychological & Brain Sciences; Richard Vachet, Chemistry
- 2018 Thomas Maresca, Biology (early career); Michele Cooke, Geosciences (senior)
- 2017 Peter Chien, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (early career); Narayanan Menon, Physics (senior)
- 2016 Todd Emrick, Polymer Science & Engineering
- 2015 Scott Garman, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2014 Duncan J. Irschick, Biology
- 2013 Alfred Crosby, Polymer Science & Engineering
- 2012 Alice Cheung, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Robert DeConto, Geosciences
- 2011 Brian Levine, Computer Science; Geert de Vries, Psychology
- 2010 D. Julian McClements, Food Science; Margaret "Peg" Riley, Biology
- 2009 Daniel Hebert, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Kevin McGarigal, Natural Resources Conservation (now Environmental Conservation); Michael Maroney, Chemistry; Nikolay Prokofiev & Boris Svistunov, Physics
- 2008 Patricia Wadsworth, Biology
- 2007 Paul Lahti, Chemistry
- 2006 Vincent Rotello, Chemistry; Christopher Woodcock, Biology
- 2005 John Clark, Veterinary & Animal Sciences; Bret Jackson, Chemistry; Raymond Bradley, Geosciences
- 2004 Murugappan Muthukumar, Polymer Science & Engineering; Barbara Osbourne, Veterinary & Animal Sciences
- 2003 Herbert Hultin, Food Science; Baoshan Xing, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences; Robert Zimmermann, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2002 Joe Elkinton, Entomology; Richard Ellis, Mathematics & Statistics; Rafael Fissore, Veterinary & Animal Sciences; Barry Holstein, Physics
- 2001 Louis Carpino, Chemistry
Outstanding Service and Engagement
- 2024 Dan Cooley, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2023 Shubha Tewari, Physics
- 2022 Lynmarie Thompson, Chemistry
- 2021 Annie Raymond, Mathematics & Statistics
- 2020 Janice Telfer, Veterinary & Animal Sciences
- 2019 Peter Schloerb, Astronomy
- 2018 Pat Wadsworth, Biology
- 2017 Scott Auerbach, Chemistry
- 2016 Simi Hoque, Environmental Conservation
- 2015 Allen Barker, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2014 Elizabeth R. Dumont, Biology
- 2013 Richard Yuretich, Geosciences
- 2012 George Avrunin, Mathematics & Statistics; Alexander Schreyer, Environmental Conservation
- 2011 Margaret Riley, Biology; Christopher Overtree, Psychology
- 2010 Sankaran "Thai" Thayumanavan, Chemistry; Lawrence "Larry" Schwartz, Biology
- 2009 Lori Clarke, Computer Science; David Gross, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Harold Grotevant, Psychology; Paul Lahti, Chemistry
- 2008 Elizabeth Connor, Biology
- 2006 Steven Brewer, Biology
- 2005 W. Bruce Croft, Computer Science; W. Brian O'Connor, Biology
- 2004 Jennifer Normanly, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2003 Anne Averill, Entomology; John Donoghue, Physics; Stephen Herbert, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences
- 2002 Lila Gierasch, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Mary Owen, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences; Hillary Sandler, Cranberry Station
Outstanding Advisor
- 2024 Deborah Henson, Environmental Sciences
- 2023 Erik Cheries, Psychological & Brain Sciences
- 2022 Ruthanne Paradise, Chemistry
- 2021 Meghan Gerson, Biology
- 2020 Sarah Berquist, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2019 Tony Dinsmore, Physics
- 2018 Lori Astheimer, Psychological & Brain Sciences
- 2017 Christina Metevier, Psychological & Brain Sciences
- 2016 John Gerber, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2015 Julie Pahl, Psychological and Brain Sciences
- 2014 Bruce E. Byers, Biology
- 2013 John Balise, Veterinary & Animal Sciences
- 2012 Shelley Thibodo, Microbiology
- 2011 Tamara Rahhal, Psychology; W. Brian O'Connor, Biology
- 2010 Karen O’Connor, Biology; Molly Fitzgerald-Hayes, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2009 Lynne McLandsborough, Food Science; Carolyn Safarik, Natural Resources Conservation (now Environmental Conservation)
- 2003 Deborah Picking, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences; Shelley McKemmie, Microbiology
- 2002 Eric A. Decker, Food Science; Sandra L. Barron, Environmental Sciences
- 2001 Martha G. Baker, Consumer Studies
- 2000 Susan Han, Plant, Soil & Insect Sciences
- 1998 Pavinee Chinachoti, Food Science
- 1996 George R. Howe, Veterinary & Animal Sciences
- 1995 Donald G. Arganbright, Forestry & Wildlife Management
- 1991 Ernest M. Buck, Food Science
- 1988 Shelley C. McKemmie; Microbiology
Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion
- 2024 Naicha Christophe, Psychological & Brain Sciences; Maria Galano, Psychological & Brain Sciences
- 2023 Madelaine Bartlett, Biology
- 2022 Tara Mandalaywala, Psychological and Brain Sciences; SACNAS team, CNS graduate students
- 2021 Karine Fénelon, Biology; Wayne Barnaby, PhD student, Neuroscience & Behavior
- 2020 Megan West, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Paige Warren, Environmental Conservation; BRIDGE, a student-led initiative at UMass Amherst to highlight scholars from a variety of backgrounds with exceptional broader impacts.
- 2019 Nilanjana 'Buju' Dasgupta, Psychological & Brain Sciences; Ana Pamela Torres Ocampo, Molecular and Cell Biology; Laura Lanier, Polymer Science and Engineering
- 2018 Gerald Downes, Biology; Christie L.C. Ellis, Chemistry; Raquel Bryant, Geosciences
Outstanding Staff
- 2024 Christopher Ertl, Physics; Michael Fahey, CNS Deans Office; Danielle Tatro, Biochemical & Molecular Biology
- 2023 Bill Jerome, Biology; Erin Flanagan, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
- 2022 Rebecca David, Chemistry; Chris Joyner, Greenhouse Superintendent, Dept. of Operations
- 2021 Sara Cooper, Physics; Darci Connor Maresca, School of Earth & Sustainability, Environmental Conservation; Robert "Bob" Sabola, Chemistry; Heather Lohr, Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment
- 2020 Anne Gaddy, College of Natural Sciences; Lisa Groth, Polymer Science & Engineering; Walter Pollard, Physics
- 2019 Vicki Hubby, Chemistry; Laura Looman, Veterinary & Animal Sciences; Cole Tucker, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Elizabeth Wiernasz, Stockbridge School of Agriculture
- 2018 John Maher, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chemistry; Ilona Trousdale, Mathematics & Statistics; Martha (Marty) Sylvia, Cranberry Station
- 2017 Sarah Weis, Stockbridge School of Agriculture; Erin Flanagan, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Mike McDermott, Psychological & Brain Sciences
- 2016 Brigette McKenna, Chemistry; Deby Lee, Food Science
- 2015 Laura Hall, Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment
- 2014 Ann E. Adams Cairl, Physics; Kelley Strickland, Microbiology
- 2013 Corliss Elizabeth, CNS Deans Office; Jack Hirsch, Polymer Science & Engineering; John Sweeney, Geosciences
- 2012 Karen Genereux, Psychology
- 2011 Kristine Reopell, Physics; Michael Keedy, Biology
- 2010 Carol Ryan, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Ruth Witkowsky, Food Science
- 2009 Carolyn Safarik, Environmental Conservation
- 2006 Sue Denis, Academic Programs; Maryanne Wells, Microbiology
- 2005 Jean Alamed, Food Science; Alice Newth, Veterinary & Animal Sciences
Outstanding Student Mentoring
- 2024 Linda Tropp, Psychological & Brain Sciences; Evelyn Mercado, Psychological & Brain Sciences
Outstanding Faculty Peer Mentoring
- 2024 Maryclare Griffin, Mathematics & Statistics