CCS Students Receive Awards
Students receive recognition for their achievements and support for conducting research
As the academic year comes to a close and summer research begins, passionate and radically curious CCS students are recognized for their research and social endeavors. Here are some of the awards and fellowships our students received this spring.
Worster Awards
The UCSB Physics and UCSB Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology (EEMB) departments award undergraduate scientists and graduate student mentors Worster Fellowships—founded by the Worster family—to support summer research. In addition, the fellowship gives the mentor and mentee pair an opportunity to communicate their research at the Worster Symposium. This year seven CCS students received Worster awards, including
Gigi Minsky (CCS Biology ‘21), advised by EEMB Graduate Student Lisa Mesrop (Faculty Mentor: Todd Oakley)
Melissa Grim (CCS Biology ‘22), advised by EEMB Graduate Student Caroline Owens (Faculty Mentor: Hillary Young)
Marina Stoilova (CCS Biology ‘23), advised by EEMB Graduate Student Natasha Picciani (Faculty Mentor: Todd Oakley)
Alec Cao (CCS Physics ‘21), advised by Physics Graduate Student Roshan Sajjad (Faculty Mentor: David Weld)
Sarah Polizzotto (CCS Physics ‘21), advised by Physics Graduate Student Megan Newsome (Faculty Mentor: Crystal Martin)
David Wang (CCS Physics ‘21), advised by Physics Graduate Student Amara McCune (Faculty Mentor: Nathaniel Craig)
Sven Witthaus (CCS Physics ‘21), advised by Physics Graduate Student Raymond Adkins (Faculty Mentor: Zvonimir Dogic)
Schmidt Summer Research Mentorship Awards
Similar to the Worster Fellowship, the Schmidt Summer Research Mentorship Award pairs an undergraduate student with a graduate student acting as a mentor. This award is one of three funded by the Schmidt Family Foundation, in partnership with the UCSB Graduate Division. The awards are open to students in any department for research on projects with an application for environmental problem solving. Research will be presented at an environmental sciences open house in winter 2021.
Abraham Soto (CCS Biology ‘22), advised by EEMB Graduate Student Jasmine Childress
University Award of Distinction
The University Award of Distinction is given to students who have, through unselfish service to others, made an outstanding contribution to an area of UCSB student life.
Jarod Fedele (CCS Music Composition ‘20)
C.H. Muller Award for Excellence in Plant Sciences
The Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology department bestows the C.H. Muller Award for Excellence in Plant Sciences to one undergraduate student who shows excellence in plant sciences. The award was created to honor Dr. Cornelius H. Muller, an original UC Santa Barbara faculty member and internationally respected botanist.
Kristen Nordstjerne Klitgaard (CCS Biology ‘20)
Eddleman Fellowship
The newly established Eddleman Fellowship awards students a stipend to complete research with a mentor in the field of quantum science. Three CCS students received this award.
Asad Contractor (CCS Physics ‘21), with Professor Andrew Jayich
Jacob Miller (CCS Physics ‘21), with Professor Benjamin Mazin
Michael Straus (CCS Physics ‘21), with Professor Andrew Jayich
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund provides knowledge and resources for Hispanic Americans and Latino families, empowering them to complete a higher education.
Abraham Soto (CCS Biology ‘22)