2025–2026 Microbiology & Plant Pathology Graduate Student Invited Lectureship and Awards Ceremony
The Department of Microbiology & Plant Pathology (MPP) hosted its 2025–2026 Graduate Student Invited Lectureship and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 12, 2026. The event brought together faculty, students, and staff to celebrate academic excellence and recognize graduate student achievements.
This year’s invited speaker was Romina Gazis, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Tropical Research and Education Center, University of Florida, who presented a seminar titled “Beyond One Crop: Building a Diverse Plant Pathology Program.”
Following the seminar, the department held an awards ceremony honoring graduate students for their exceptional research and contributions to the department. This year’s recipients included:
Edmond C. Calavan Memorial Scholarship Award: Sola Awoyemi
Microbiology Departmental Graduate Student Scholarship Award: Monique Quinn
Microbiology Award for Excellence in Mycology: Basubi Binti Zhilik
Peter and Pamela Tsao Endowed Graduate Student Scholarship Award: Lida Halilovic
Ta-Li Kuan Endowed Graduate Student Scholarship Award: Valentina Valencia Bernal
The MPP Department congratulates all awardees and extends gratitude to Dr. Gazis for sharing her expertise with the department.
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