Impact Award, Horizon Award recipients selected for 2020
Graduate students, recent graduate alumni within numerous programs earn honors for research benefiting North Carolina
Seventeen UNC-Chapel Hill graduate students and recent graduate alumni have been selected to receive The Graduate School’s 2020 Impact Awards and Horizon Awards.
These honors, presented at the Graduate Student Recognition Celebration each spring, recognize research benefiting North Carolina. Impact Awards, made possible through the generous support of the Graduate Education Advancement Board, recognize discoveries of direct benefit to the state. Horizon Awards recognize research likely to make a significant longer-term contribution to North Carolina.
“The 17 awardees represent an impressive 14 master’s and doctoral programs, and this demonstrates the depth and breadth of UNC-Chapel Hill research that is benefiting North Carolina,” said Jennifer Gerz-Escandón, associate dean for interdisciplinary education and fellowship programs within The Graduate School.
“The majority of our award recipients for 2020 are specializing in research toward improved health and environmental outcomes. Throughout the years, these awards have recognized the importance of graduate student research in helping North Carolina’s people and communities.”
The awardees and their academic programs are:
Mary Biggs, master’s student in geography, Horizon Award
Liz Chen, recent doctoral graduate in health behavior, Impact Award
Elizabeth Davidson, master’s student in health behavior, Impact Award
Yael-Natalie Escobar, doctoral student in toxicology and environmental medicine, Impact Award
Jody Feld, doctoral student in human movement science (who will be awarded her Ph.D. this month), Horizon Award
Kelsey Jesser, recent doctoral graduate in marine sciences, Impact Award
Matthew Kenworthy, recent doctoral graduate in environment, ecology and energy, Impact Award
Stacey L. Klaman, recent doctoral graduate in maternal and child health, Impact Award
Kathleen Knocke, doctoral student in health policy and management, Impact Award
Nicholas Lenze, master of public health student, Horizon Award
Libby McClure, doctoral student in epidemiology, Impact Award
Asher Schranz, recent master of public health graduate, Impact Award
Jessica Soldavini, doctoral student in nutrition, Impact Award
Kirsten Studer, doctoral student in environmental sciences and engineering, Impact Award
Megan Threats, doctoral student in information and library science, Horizon Award
Hanna Trzeciakiewicz, doctoral student in biochemistry and biophysics, Horizon Award
Shelby Ziegler, doctoral student in environment, ecology and energy, Horizon Award
In addition to receiving their awards at the Graduate Student Recognition Celebration on April 9, the honorees will participate in a research poster presentation directly after the ceremony. The Graduate School will feature information on their research closer to the April event.
News courtesy of the UNC Gradaute School