Texas A&M to Honor 15 Distinguished Graduate Students

The Texas A&M University Office of Graduate and Professional Studies and The Association of Former Students have named fifteen doctoral students as Distinguished Graduate Students for 2019. Students are recognized for exemplary accomplishments in one of two categories: Research and Teaching.

“Graduate students contribute to our research and teaching missions while advancing scholarship in their fields of study,” said Dr. Karen Butler-Purry, associate provost for graduate and professional studies. “Thanks to The Association of Former Students’ support for these awards, we are able to recognize 15 of our most exemplary graduate students this year.”

The 2019 recipients, along with their departments and faculty advisors, include:

Research Awards

• James K. Carrow, Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Akhilesh Gaharwar
• Lauren M. Cross, Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Akhilesh Gaharwar
• Connor Patrick Dolan, Veterinary Physiology & Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ken Muneoka
• Madeleine S. Durkee, Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kristen Maitland
• Mahdi Imani, Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Ulisses Braga-Neto
• Yoandy Cabrera Ortega, Hispanic Studies, College of Liberal Arts
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Hilaire Kallendorf
• Rajat Maji, Chemistry, College of Science
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Steven Wheeler
• Lauren Redmore, Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Amanda Stronza
• Minxiang Zeng, Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Zhengdong Cheng

For Teaching

• Shubhadeep Chakraborty, Statistics, College of Science
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Xianyang Zhang
• Varun Gejji, Biological & Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Sandun Fernando
• Agustin Millet, Chemistry, College of Science
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Kim Dunbar
• Adebayo Anthony Ogungbure, Philosophy & Humanities, College of Liberal Arts
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Tommy J. Curry
• Deanna Stover, English, College of Liberal Arts
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Claudia Nelson
• Gladys M. Walter, Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications
  Faculty Advisor: Dr. Billy McKim

“The admirable work of the graduate students being honored with this year’s Distinguished Graduate Student Award bring honor, prestige and recognition to Texas A&M,” said Porter S. Garner III ’79, President and CEO of The Association of Former Students. “Since the inception of this award in 1965, The Association of Former Students is proud to recognize graduate students’ excellence in research and teaching, as well as their embodiment of Texas A&M’s core values of Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect and Selfless Service.”

The recipients will be honored at 3:30 p.m. during the 2019 Distinguished Day programming April 29 in Rudder Forum. Each recipient will be presented a framed certificate and custom gold watch from The Association. The ceremony will follow the Distinguished Achievement Awards program scheduled for 1:30 p.m. that afternoon in Rudder Theatre. A reception honoring recipients of both award programs is set for 2:30 p.m. in Rudder Exhibit Hall.

Those who would like to attend should contact LaToya Morris in the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies, at ljmorris@exchange.tamu.edu or (979) 845-3631.