Texas A&M Announces 2020 Distinguished Graduate Student Award Recipients

Eighteen Aggies in doctoral programs have been named 2020 Distinguished Graduate Students by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies (OGAPS) and The Association of Former Students. Distinguished Graduate Students have earned one of Texas A&M’s highest levels of recognition for their extraordinary accomplishments in research or teaching.

“Graduate students enhance the intellectual spirit of our university, contribute to our research and teaching missions, and advance scholarship in their fields of study,” said Karen Butler-Purry, associate provost for Graduate and Professional Studies. “Thanks to The Association of Former Students’ support, we are able to recognize 18 of our most exemplary graduate students this year.”

President and CEO of The Association Porter S. Garner III ’79 agreed: “The admirable work of the graduate students recognized with this year’s Distinguished Graduate Student Award bring honor, prestige and recognition to Texas A&M,” Garner said. “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.”

Each award recipient will receive a framed certificate and custom gold watch from The Association. In lieu of a ceremony and reception to honor these students, OGAPS and The Association are planning alternate ways to celebrate their accomplishments.

The 2020 Distinguished Graduate Student research and teaching award recipients, along with their departments, colleges and faculty advisors, are as follows:

Research Awards

Brent Ryan Bielefeldt, Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering

Faculty Advisor: Darren Hartl

Liang Feng, Chemistry, College of Science

Faculty Advisor: Hong-Cai Zhou

Keshav Karki, Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Faculty Advisor: Steven H. Safe

Lauren A. Lewis, Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Faculty Advisor: Ivan Rusyn

Alyssa Myers, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences

Faculty Advisor: Sarah Hamer

Clayton Reed Mulvihill, Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering

Faculty Advisor: Eric L. Peterson

Prashanth Kumar Siddhamshetty, Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering

Faculty Advisor: Joseph Kwon

Hua Wang, Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering

Faculty Advisor: Xiaofeng Qian

Teaching Awards

Na Young Ahn, Health and Kinesiology, College of Education & Human Development

Faculty Advisor: George Cunningham

Chante Ajalon Anderson, Communication, College of Liberal Arts

Faculty Advisor: Kristan Poirot

Michaela Baca, English, College of Liberal Arts

Faculty Advisor: Nandra Perry

Jessica C. Benson, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Faculty Advisor: Jennifer Strong

Kimberly Clough, English, College of Liberal Arts

Faculty Advisor: Marian Eide

Suresh Joshi, Educational Psychology, College of Education & Human Development

Faculty Advisor: Steven Woltering

Hyunkyung Kwon, Teaching, Learning and Culture, College of Education & Human Development

Faculty Advisor: Robert Capraro

Lacey N. Roberts, Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences

Faculty Advisor: Tobin Redwine

Ellen Song, Chemistry, College of Science

Faculty Advisor: Kim Dunbar

Felicia York, Communication, College of Liberal Arts

Faculty Advisor: Lu Tang