Outstanding Students: College of Science

The faculty of the College of Science recognize the following students for outstanding academic achievement and co-curricular involvement, such as leadership, community service, and undergraduate research.

Seniors

Actuarial Science

Luke Cooley
Actuarial Science Honors Applied Statistics and Minor in Management

Luke has passed four actuarial exams while earning an Honors Degree in Actuarial Science and Applied Statistics. He is a four-year member of the Actuarial Club and served as a panelist for a discussion that helped younger students learn about the different fields within actuarial science. Luke is also a member of the Circle Pines Cooperative. There he served as treasurer for four semesters. After completing three summer internships, Luke has gained knowledge of insurance sales, coding, data analysis, and actuarial modeling that will serve him well post-graduation. In July, Luke will move to Bloomington, IL to work as an actuarial analyst for State Farm.

Biological Sciences

Alexandra Ware
Biology and Minor in Russian, History, Chemistry, English

Alexandra has conducted research with Dr. Leifu Chang studying the molecular mechanism of large protein complexes since January 2021 and is completing a thesis this spring as part of the Biology Honors Research Program. With a major in Biology and minors in Russian, English, History and Chemistry, Alexandra is active in many corners of the University. She presented a thesis at Purdue’s Research Symposium on “Dostoevsky: Religious Duty and Russia’s Transition to Socialism” as supervised by Dr. Lyanda-Geller and her paper on “Vicious Discrimination” was published in “The Cornerstone Review” of CLA. Alexandra has been an RA since 2021 and serves on the Inclusive Excellence Committee for Hillenbrand Hall. She has completed summer research internships at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and the Ashrafi Lab at Washington University and works as a Clinical Analytics Intern at Cook Medical. She is looking forward to pursuing a research career.

Chemistry

Jianhan (Johnson) Zhou
Chemistry

Jianhan has been conducting research in total organic synthesis with Dr. Minji Dai and transition metal catalyzed asymmetric cyclopropanation with Dr. Christopher Uyeda. His efforts have resulted in two papers submitted for publication, and he will be completing a Departmental Honors Thesis on his research. Jianhan has been a tutor in the Chemistry Resource Room, a Teaching Assistant for General Chemistry, and is a member of is a member of the Phi Beta Phi honors society and the Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Chemistry fraternity. He has been awarded Semester’s honors and Dean’s List for each semester he has been at Purdue. Next year, Jianhan will continue his study of Chemistry by pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry at Harvard University.

Computer Science

Trung Dang
Computer Science, Minor in Psychology

Trung has been an outstanding student since his first year at Purdue. In his freshman year, faculty encourage him to take proficiency exams for half of the core CS courses, which he passed with distinction. This has enabled Trung to take many graduate level courses, which he has again excelled in. He has been an active member of Purdue’s Competitive Programming offerings. He has represented Purdue at ICPC World Finals in 2020, 2021, and 2022. At the ICPC World Finals in 2021, he achieved 20th place overall, 4th place among North American teams, and 3rd among US teams. Trung has hosted programming contests through the Codeforces platform and served as treasurer and head of development for the Purdue Competitive Programmers Union. He has been involved in research in theoretical computer science and problems in machine learning. Trung and Dr. Ninghui Li have a publication explaining their novel metric that is used to evaluate differentially private (DP) synthetic datasets and the design of their efficient algorithm to calculate this metric. Trung is also working with two other professors in areas of algorithms. He has been a TA for many CS courses, including taking on the role of lecturer for Competitive Programming sections and being an active teaching UTA for CS 381.

Earth Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences

John Herring
Geology & Geophysics, Planetary Science, Minor in Classical Studies

Since coming to Purdue in Fall 2019, John Herring has been on the Dean’s list and Semester Honors List every semester. As a double major in Geology and Geophysics and Planetary Science, John has worked on research projects with faculty in both fields as well as on personal research. Working with Dr. Marissa Tremblay, he has tackled problems of helium diffusion in the mineral quartz, which has applications in paleothermometry and paleoclimate studies. With Dr. Brandon Johnson and Melissa Cashion, he is researching planetary impact physics to learn why analytical and computational impact models diverge in their predictions of jet behavior. He has been a teaching assistant for EAPS 11100 for two semesters and participates in the Planetary Science Society of Purdue and the Purdue University Geological Society. John has been active in service and leadership roles at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue since the beginning of his Purdue career. He has been accepted to multiple Ph.D. programs to pursue fundamental research on Earth history and the evolution of life.

Mathematics

Colton Griffin
Physics Honors and Mathematics Honors

Colton is a math major studying mathematical physics in many contexts, from scattering theory to quantum computing. He began conducting math research in his sophomore year and has continued doing so ever since. He received the Goldwater scholarship his junior year for his work with Professor Shawn Cui in topological quantum computing. He served as President of the Purdue Society of Physics Students, as a student ambassador for the Physics and Mathematics departments, and vice president of the Purdue Math Club. Next fall he will pursue a mathematics PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in mathematical physics and string theory.

Physics and Astronomy

Grace Francis
Applied Physics Honors, Minor in Medical Humanities

Grace has a major in Applied Physics Honors with a specialization in medical physics. She also has a minor in Radiological Health Sciences and a certificate in Medical Humanities. For five semesters, she has done research on the relationship between MRI markers of brain metal levels and exposure to welding fumes under Dr. Dydak. During the summer of 2022, she did research through the American Association of Physicists in Medicine after being awarded their DREAM fellowship. For this project, she conducted her own research project on the composite dose for HDR brachytherapy treatment of gynecological patients. In addition to the DREAM fellowship, she has been awarded the Purdue Presidential Scholarship, the Honors College Student Pillar Award in Interdisciplinary Academics, the David G. Seiler Physics Scholarship, the Physics and Astronomy Department Scholarship, and a Research poster award for the College of Health and Human Sciences at the Purdue Undergraduate Research Conference. Grace plans to pursue a master’s degree in medical physics at either the University of Kentucky, Duke University, or Brown University, where she hopes to perform research in radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, or positron emission tomography.

Statistics

Elise Miller
Data Science - CS, Applied Statistics Minor in Mathematics and Spanish

Elise has been a member of the Data Mine since her first semester at Purdue, participating in the Data Mine seminar classes, the Statistics Cohort, and a corporate partnership with Kraft Heinz. Her final year in the Data Mine has culminated with her being a teaching assistant for a corporate partner project with the CDC PROTECT Initiative. Elise has also served as an Events and Planning Organizer for the CS organization LaunchPad since the spring of her freshman year. Elise started researching human-animal interaction at the Organization for Human-Animal Interaction and Education (OHAIRE) Lab in her sophomore year, helping with data management, wrangling and analysis. In the fall of her junior year, she was selected as the lead data-focused undergraduate research assistant at the lab and as her final year comes to a close, she has had the pleasure of mentoring students across 4 universities in various data projects. Her research has given her the opportunity to share findings with the community through peer-reviewed articles, research pitches and research posters. She has earned awards from the Office of Undergraduate Research for both the Undergraduate Research Pitch Competition and the Undergraduate Research Conference, and her research also contributed to her completion of the Learning Beyond the Classroom Certificate. Elise is eager to continue her studies as a Biostatistics PhD student in the fall.

Juniors

Actuarial Science	Heidi Marg
Biological Sciences	James Fazioli
Chemistry	Abigail Soliven
Computer Science	Riya Verma
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences	Sara Cuevas-Quinones
Mathematics	(Arianna) Meenakshi McNamara
Physics and Astronomy	Gabriel Goodwin
Statistics	Ethan Vaughn

Sophomores

Actuarial Science	Claire Lavoie
Biological Sciences	Katherine Veth
Chemistry	Ethan Lyon
Computer Science	Chi-Wei Lien (Willy)
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences	McKenna Eichenauer
Mathematics	Xiaoyu Liu
Physics and Astronomy	Marygrace Fagan
Statistics	Tong En Sim

First Year

Actuarial Science	Matthew Naugthon
Biological Sciences	Loahni Hernandez
Chemistry	Carmen Erickson
Computer Science	Sarthak Mangla
Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences	Lauren Johnson
Mathematics	William Lin
Physics and Astronomy	Spencer Walsh
Statistics	Joy Gao

Science Ambassadors Graduating Seniors

The Science Ambassadors are a select group of undergraduates who represent the College of Science and the undergraduate science experience to prospective students and families, and other entities, including the Dean’s Leadership Council and College of Science Alumni Board.

Michael Bellars - Actuarial Science
Dylan Clarke - Statistics
Nathan Cleveland - Chemistry
Connor Craig - Actuarial Science
Emily Duchine - Biology
Colton Griffin - Physics
Sofia Lalani - Actuarial Science
Clara Mauser - Chemistry
Kyle Morin - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Sam Muir - Actuarial Science
Bailey Mullen - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Stephanie Niemiec - Computer Science
Carolina Popoca - Biology
Mack Ulrey - Biology
Alex West - Biology
Macie Wheeler - Data Science

Science Data Managers Graduating Seniors

The Science Student Data Managers are a select group of undergraduates who represent the College of Science and the College of Science Data Manager in helping support and update reports for the college and its departments.

Gabrielle Kraus - Applied Statistics and Media & Mass Communication
Ishika Kamchetty - Computer Science and Data Science
Evan Yang - Computer Science

Purdue Science Student Council Graduating Seniors

The Purdue Science Student Council provides academically-oriented services and promotes professional growth opportunities to students in the College of Science.

Mae Shu - Biology
Priyanka Ranga - Biology
Bridget Kiley - Computer Science
Dithi Saxena - Computer Science
Conor Kuntz - Biology
Casey Ernest - Biology

Learning Beyond the Classroom Graduating Seniors

The Learning Beyond the Classroom Certificate Program is a way for students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations. Students learn to negotiate multiple cultures, develop confidence as professionals, view themselves in new ways, prioritize tasks, navigate the world and pursue life-long learning. The certificate is awarded when students complete activities in three categories (career and professional development, service, citizenship and leadership and experience with domestic and international diversity) and is noted on their official Purdue transcript.

Addy Messerly - Biology
Alyssa Maria Arreola - Interdisciplinary Science
Amy Yang - Biology
Cassandra Hannemann - Biology
Catherine Elizabeth Penquite - Computer Science
Chengyu Bi - Biology
Connor Anthony Kuntz - Biology
Conrad Maximillian Otterbacher - Biology
Delaney Margaret Winter - Biology
Elise Amanda Miller - Data Science, (Computer Science), Statistics
Emily Janette Morales Liddiard - Biology
Jason Alberto Zuniga - Biology
Karnika Soni - Computer Science
Katherine Rose Price - Biology
Kennedy A Harris - Biology
Madison Rose Wheeler - Biology
Natasha Das - Chemistry
Quyen Nguyen - Chemistry
Salaam Abla Batarseh - Biology
Samuel Lee Hartzler - Biology
Sarah Lee Eckrote - Biology
Sean Thomas Giltmier - Biology
Taylor Madison Raff - Biology
Tina Lin - Statistics
Vanessa Cardona - Biology
Zain Mariam Shkoukani - Biology

Bridging Cultures Award

The Bridging Cultures Award is presented to student leaders from the Global Science Partners Program – a program dedicated to helping students become interculturally competent. These students have demonstrated the ability to bridge cultural gaps between themselves and others – shifting perspectives, attuning emotions and adapting their behavior in respectful and appropriate ways.

Adam Munshi - Biology
Almina Cunanan - Actuarial Science
Esther Calvo Mayo - Computer Science
Madilyn Reid - Biological Sciences
Tina Lin - Statistics
Zoe Lackey - Computer Science

Championing Diversity Award

The Championing Diversity Award is given to students who have been active participants in the programs sponsored by the Science Diversity Office over several years of their career at Purdue. Through participation in these programs they have enriched the experience of their classmates by ensuring that all students have the opportunity to be educated in a more diverse environment. They have grown personally and professionally by taking leadership roles within the College of Science.

Alyssa M. Arreola - Interdisciplinary Science
Salaam A. Batarseh - Biology
Josie Bryant - Biology
Gillian E. Coultas - Chemistry
Bengisu Cuneyit - Computer Science
Cassandra J. Deckowitz - Computer Science
Keely R. Dehn - Biology
Riley E. Eder - Biology
Isabella L. Hampton - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Isha Jain - Computer Science
Emily E. Kolis - Biology
Amanda Y. Kuan - Computer Science
Sofia S. Lalani - Statistics
Tina Lin - Statistics
Madeline N. Mahoney - Biology
Sarah E. Manning - Biology
Kate M. McNulty - Biology
Addy E. Messerly - Biology
Christine O'Brien - Biology
Carolina Popoca Hernandez - Biology
Kavya Rachapalli - Computer Science
Radhika R. Rao - Statistics
Katie N. Reich - Biology
Carla D. Schwarz - Biology
Karnika Soni - Computer Science
Gayathri Sriram - Computer Science
Sahana L. Swaminathan - Computer Science
Ishika Vachali - Computer Science
Searre Hailemariam Abebe - Biology
Mariana Claudia Aguilar - Chemistry
Nicholas Alfonso Ballesteros - Computer Science
Gina Sofia Canino Quinones - Biology
Adam D Clay - Computer Science
Chyna D Davis - Biology
Aya Walid Elhag - Biology
Victor Gerardo Garcia Mosqueda - Earth, Atmopsheric, and Planetary Sciences
Rosa M Gomez - Biology
Sabrina M Hinojosa - Biology
Sahera Kayla Marie Howard - Biology
Keila Aika Keikilani Jellings - Biology
Emily Alexandra Johnson - Mathematics
Anna Marie Kragness - Mathematics
Grant Bradley Landes - Interdisciplinary Science
Imani Ttchelle Lawrence - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Sydney R Moeller - Biology
Emily Janette Morales Liddiard - Biology
Sebastian Ortega - Mathematics
Kennedy Alexis Outlaw - Chemistry
Victor Miguel Pacheco - Biology
Micky Daniel Santiago-Zayas - Computer Science
Diane Claire Santos - Chemistry
Melody A Shimba - Physics and Astronomy
Kaitlyn Elizabeth Sycko - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Campbell Madison Wagner - Biology
Madison Elizabeth Yates - Biology
Katherine L Yi - Computer Science

Faculty Awards

Top Undergraduate Teacher

Each year, science undergraduate students are polled by the Science Student Council to select a faculty member whose teaching has had the greatest impact on science majors.

Professor Andrew Freed - Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences

Student Success Stories

Selected by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education, these students exemplify the range of experiences and opportunities provided to undergraduate students in the College of Science. As graduating seniors, they share their stories to inspire and motivate others.

Alyzza Arreola, Interdisciplinary Science: Purdue helped me understand who I wanted to be in the world. An advocator, a communicator, a creative thinker, and a compassionate leader.

Dylan Clarke, Mathematics & Statistics: I conducted research on the distribution of diseases both domestically and abroad. I used the statistical methodology I learned in classes to make a concrete impact on the world.

Lainey Colglazier, Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences & Religious Studies: Be kind to yourself. I changed my major 3 times as I developed my passions, and was still able to take a year-long study abroad and graduate in 8 semesters. Don't come to college with a rigid idea of what you expect to get out of it.

Eli Coltin, Computer Science, Data Science & Economics: The opportunity to improve my community is why I spent 2 years conducting research on economically depressed neighborhoods in Lafayette. This real-world research showed me that every point in a data set is a person's life story, not just a number on a screen.

Natasha Das, Biochemistry: My work as an RA/REA has bee the most rewarding. I learned so many skills and developed close relationships with my peers and residents. This experience has prepared me to be come an empathetic, patient-first physician.

George Economou, Physics & Astronomy and Mathematics: Don't be intimidated or afraid to advocate for yourself. We're all humans here doing the best we can. Life happens, and if the time comes when you realize you're trying to do too much, there's no shame in cutting back.

Drew Kates, Computer Science & Data Sciencce: Serving in leadership positions at Purdue helped me develop essential skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving and has given me the confidence to pursue additional leadership roles in my career.

Quin Nguyen, Biochemistry: Don't be afraid of doing undergraduate research early on. It offers you many opportunities to get hands-on experiences and to apply your knowledge in class to real-life problems.

Frances O'Leary, Computer Science and Mathematics: Try everything! I really struggle with shyness, but forcing myself to try new things and meet new people has been one of the most rewarding things I've experienced here at Purdue.

Emily Otten, Biological Sciences: At Purdue I had the opportunity to engage in research, study abroad, inform the community through CARE, and find lifelong friends. Through the study abroad program, I realized the importance of cultural competence and non-verbal communication.

Sophia Patel, Biology: As a research assistant in the Interdisciplinary Women's Reproductive Health Collaborative, I was able to help implement campus-wide public health initiatives such as the Pharmacy Vending Machines. I was also able to study abroad in Florence, Italy.

Tommy Pavell, Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences: The most meaningful activity I've done at Purdue is Severe Storms Fieldwork over the summer. It was more than just chasing storms, it was a chance to better grasp classroom concepts in the field, to network and to make lifelong memories.

Lily Peck, Biological Sciences & Classical Studies: Being a team leader for Boiler Gold Rush International changed the trajectory of my time at Purdue and opened up my mind. I had the opportunity to facilitate international students' introduction to campus and college life. This introduced me to some of my best friends and I made lifelong connections with individuals around the world.

Jeremy Rura, Statistics and Spanish: I was selected as one of the first data analytics managers for the Purdue Baseball program. I was tasked with building the culture and framework of the analytics team to help our baseball program be successful, and it brought me one step closer to my dream career.

Mae Shu, Biological Sciences: Serving as a member of the Purdue Science Student Council and president, I have grown as a leader in practicing teamwork, problem-solving, and delegation. I am most proud of the rising leaders coming from this organization and seeing their ideas come to fruition.

Beatrice Williem, Computer Science: Being a lead organizer for the biggest freshman-only hackathon, Hello World, was made possible because I stopped questioning my capabilities and believed in myself. I learned not to underestimate myself, and to take any opportunity that comes my way, apply for it, and surprise myself with what I can achieve.

Katya Yegorova, Computer Science & Linguistics: I am really excited about the impact I can have on the field of natural language processing. The current state of our technology excludes groups of people due to the language they speak. I want to change this disparity and work to create better and more inclusive models in the NLP space.

Grace Zhang, Actuarial Science & Statistics: As an officer in the Purdue Actuarial Club, I served as a student representative for the Department of Statistics in a 5-year external review. I was able to be a voice for student concerns and work with leaders to create solutions.