Student Awards

We believe in our students and want to see them succeed.

We offer a number of award opportunities, for teaching and research alike, which encourage our students to Think and Do in even bigger and better ways.

Undergraduate Awards

Purpose: Recognize undergraduate plant biology student(s) for their outstanding scholarship
Award: $1500 Scholarship
Selection: The undergraduate committee reviews all current, continuing plant biology students each year that exhibit outstanding cumulative and major GPAs, as well as their participation in research and/or teaching. The committee then votes on the students.

Awardees

2023 – Thomas Morgan
2021 – Helen Nocito	2022 – Grace Herring
2019 – Logan Kallam	2020 – Isaiah McBryde
2017 – Meredith E. Hemphill	2018 – Benjamen O’Hallaron
2015 – Danielle Y. Young	2016 – Blake A. Oakley
2013 – Meredith Wojcik	2014 – Jake E. Haynes
2011 – David M. Higgins	2012 – Leah M. Elsea
2009 – Emma C. Lookabaugh	2010 – Rochelle D. Slrednak
2007 – Joslyn T. Curtis	2008 – Laura L. Sims
2005 – N/A	2006 – N/A
2003 – Emily E. Pulley	2004 – Elizabeth M. Meyer
2001 – Sandra Marie Straw	2002 – Jennifer M. Bradford
1999 – Rachel Earl Geary and Jennifer Noel Phelps	2000 – Stephanie Lynn Gupton and Jennifer Rains Jones
1997 – Laura J. Flint	1998 – N/A
1995 – Laura Jeanne Grignon	1996 – Gregory Alan Hunter
1993 – Elizabeth Ann Chesnut	1994 – Karyn Lois Dumas
1991 – Milo Pyne	1992 – Jeffery Daniel Compton

Purpose: Provide support to undergraduate students who are interested in becoming involved in research with a PMB faculty member.
Deadline: Varies (often in April)
Application: For more information on the application process please visit here.
Requirements: Students must be a rising sophomore, junior or senior interested in conducting research with a PMB faculty member. Students must secure the consent of a department faculty member to sponsor them. Students can be in any department, in any of the colleges at NC State. Recipients are expected to present the outcomes of their work at the PMB symposium or similar venue before they graduate.
Award: The Chilton Undergraduate Research Foundation will furnish funds up to $1500. Funds are available to the awardee as a stipend. The award may not be used to purchase research supplies or equipment. The award may be made for any two consecutive semesters, including summer semester. Under special circumstances the award may be renewed for a second year; however, students must reapply each year. The award may be divided among more than one recipient.
Selection: The Undergraduate Committee reviews all of the applications and selects students to be interviewed in person to discuss their applications. The committee then votes on a recipient of the award, which is announced at the annual Departmental Spring Ice Cream Social and Award Ceremony.

Recent Recipients

Student Recipient	PMB Faculty Sponsor
2023 – Namita Deshmukh	Dr. Manuel Kleiner
2022 – Abigail Korenek	Dr. Manuel Kleiner
2020 – Elizabeth Irvin	Dr. Mike Hyman
2019 – Aniko Verbrugge	Dr. Candace Haigler
2018 – Jessie Maier	Dr. Manuel Kleiner

Graduate Awards

The purpose of the Sebastian Award is to recognize outstanding plant biology graduate teaching assistants. Nominations are open to students who have taught multiple semesters (preferably multiple courses) and have excellent teaching evaluations. Awardees receive up to $500.

Recent Awardees

2023 – Kira Lindelof	2022 – Tallis Donnelly
2021 – David Felipe Rodriguez Mora	2020 – Brian Sullivan
2019 – Katherine E. Culatta	2018 – Nicole L. Lindor
2017 – Alexandria D. Szakacs	2016 – Michael Just
2015 – Andrew L. Pais	2014 – Stephanie N. Hollingsworth
2013 – Jared R. Locklear	2012 – Alice A. Broadhead
2011 – Kelly M. Hines	2010 – Rachel K. Clark
2009 – Elizabeth E. Rueschhoff	2008 – Steven M. Bernacki
2007 – Caitlin E. Elam	2005 – Kristen M. Rosenfeld
2004 – Larissa Knebel	2003 – Chad V. Jordan
2002 – Jeffrey S. Coker	2001 – Isaac S. Bruck
2000 – Susan K. Langley and Karen L. Staman	1998 – Catherine M. Clark
1997 – Heymayet Ullah	1996 – Mark Fletcher Austin
1994 – Mary E. Lehman	1992 – Larry W. Diener
1991 – Lisa Ann Kelly	1990 – Ademola L. Ejire
1989 – Deborah T. Everitt	1988 – Teresa C. Mularoni and John N. Sacco
1987 – Tracie L. Bradshaw and D. Wilson Freshwater	1986 – Leon Stacy Jernigan, Jr.
1985 – Stephen V. Byrne and George P. Johnson	1984 – Deogratias E. Artis
1983 – Candace L. Black	1982 – Mary E. Menetrez
1981 – Debby J. Lodge	1980 – Donna S. Fabric and Francis D. Watson
1979 – Jane S. Mullen	1978 – Mathew Brian Hargrove
1977 – E. Laverne Smith and W. Thomas Calhoun	1976 – Thomas H. Jones
1975 – William M. Knott, III	1974 – Henry V. Amerson
1973 – Michael J. Baranski	1972 – Kyle E. Brown
1971 – Beth C. Mullen	1970 – Martha Sue Sebastian
1969 – Stuart W. Akers	1968 – Gay M. Jividen

The purpose of the Susan R. Vitello Award is to recognize plant biology graduate students who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in terms of service.

Recent Recipients

2023 – Melina Keighron

2022 – Aurora Toennisson

2021 – Imani Madison

2020 – Anna Dye

2019 – Nathan Wilson

2018 – Catherine Doyle

2017 – Nicole Lindor

Purpose: To award teaching excellence by M.S. or Ph.D. students in any CALS department
Deadline: Late February
Nominations: Chair, plant biology awards committee
Criteria: Teaching effectiveness, academic scholarship, dedication, professional development
Application: Letters from faculty, teaching portfolio
Awards: Up to three (3) awards of $1,000 each
Selection: CALS graduate studies committee

Former Plant Biology Recipients

2015 – Stephanie Hollingsworth	2003 – Chad Jordan
2005 – Kristen Rosenfeld	2002 – Jeffrey Coker

The Kenneth R. Keller Award rewards outstanding research by a Ph.D. student from any CALS department.

Plant Biology Recipients

2022 – Imani Madison
2020 – Charlie Wagner
2019 – DurreShahwar Muhammad
2004 – Matt Parrow
2002 – Jill Stevenson
2000 – Steve Nagar

Visit the CALS website to learn more about the Kenneth R. Keller Thesis Research Award.

The CALS Professional Development Workshop is a three-day, off-site workshop to enhance the professional development of Ph.D. students

Deadline: End of May
Nominations: Ad hoc committee composed of the Department Head, Director of Graduate Programs and Chair of the Plant Biology Awards Committee
Criteria: Nominees must be Ph.D. students who have been on campus for at least one (1) year (preferably two (2) years), with at least one (1) year remaining before completion of their degrees.

Plant Biology Recipients

2006 – Megan Rothenberger, Sang Yoon Lee	2002 – Chad Jordan, Chuanzhu Fan
2005 – Robert Holmes, Elizabeth Rueschhoff	2001 – Larissa Knebel, Matt Parrow
2004 – Alexander Krings, Amanda Davis	2000 – Isaac Bruck, Ravisha Weerasinghe
2003 – Jeffrey Coker, Kristen Rosenfeld	1999 – Kirsten Nielsen, Alexa McKerrow

The NC State Graduate Student Association works with graduate faculty and administrators to recognize outstanding graduate student teachers.

Visit the Graduate Student Association website for more information.

Plant Biology Nominees and Recipients

2006 – Emily Habinck, Wenheng Zhang	2003 – Kristen Rosenfeld, Chuanzhu Fan
2005 – Chad Jordan, Kristen Rosenfeld, Kris Callis	2002 – Chad Jordan, Larissa Knebe
2004 – Jeffrey Coker, Chad Jordan	2001 – Issac Bruck, Jeffrey Coker

Purpose: Recognition for outstanding graduate student research benefiting North Carolina
Deadline: Varies (often in May)
Nominations: Through plant biology awards committee to college
Criteria: Research must have an impact on both the North Carolina economy and quality of life. Nominees must have received the degrees in the summer or fall of the previous year, or spring of the current year.
Awards: $1,000 for outstanding Ph.D. thesis, $500 for outstanding M.S. dissertation
Selection: NC State Graduate School selects from college nominees

Plant Biology Winners

2008 – Dr. Megan Rothenberger (Ph.D.)
2007 – Alexander Krings (Ph.D.), Wade Wall (M.S.)
2005 – Jeffrey Coker (Ph.D.), Kristen Rosenfeld (M.S.)

Purpose: Enhance NC environment
Criteria:
- Graduate student with high academic standing
- Demonstrates leadership capability, intellectual aptitude, independent thinking, civic-mindedness. strong communications skills, personal integrity, motivation and high moral character
- Be involved in research related to solving problems challenging North Carolina’s environmental health
- Full-time student
- Have at least one full year of study/research remaining at NC State University
- Be willing to participate in screening and interview process
- Have not previously been interviewed by the selection committee
- Be a U.S. citizen (preferably) and could remain in North Carolina to teach or work
- Be willing to be an environmental ambassador for North Carolina.
Award: $5,000 from NCCBF with $5,000 departmental matching

Plant Biology Recipients

2005 – Caitlin Elam
2001 – Larissa Knebel

Visit the NC Beautiful website for more information.

Purpose: To recognize graduate students who excel as teachers in the agricultural disciplines in classroom instruction.
Deadline: Early March
Nominations: By individual NACTA fellows or via Plant Biology Awards Committee
Criteria: Teaching philosophy; support from a faculty member; evaluations by students, faculty, administrators, and peers; be a graduate student in good standing; minimum of 1-year teaching experience; member of NACTA
Award: Invitation to the national meeting and a recognition plaque

Plant Biology Recipients

2003 – Jeffrey Coker
1997 – Mary Lehman

Visit the North American Colleges and Teachers website for more information.

Purpose: To recognize outstanding thesis and dissertation utilizing IT.
Deadline: End of September (for the previous academic year)
Nominations: Plant Biology Awards Committee submit a nominee to the Graduate School
Awards: $500 and a plaque
Selection by: The Graduate School sends NC State University nominee to CSGS who adjudicate