Awards

The Pharmacology Undergraduate Excellence Award recognizes outstanding academic performance by Pharmacology Minor students based on Pharmacology coursework and research. 

Eligibility: Current Pharmacology Minor students who have completed 75% (9 credits) of the Pharmacology Minor curriculum, including 3 credits in Directed Research or Directed Studies (4994/4993), by the end of the spring term of the application year.

Process:  In March, students submit their transcript and an abstract (300-word) describing their Directed Research or Directed Studies project to the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The recipient is announced in April.

Amount: $250 award of unrestricted funds provided directly to the student account

The MPaT Academic Excellence Award recognizes exceptional academic achievement by students in the Master's Degree program, as assessed by performance in Pharmacology core coursework. 

Eligibility: Current First-year MS students in good standing in the Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) Graduate Program

Process: In April, the Director of Master's Studies selects the recipient based on input from Course Directors of MPaT courses. 

Amount: $500 award of unrestricted funds provided directly to the student account

The Ben G. Zimmerman Travel Award supports the participation (poster presentation) of advanced MPaT graduate students at scientific conferences.

Eligibility

• Current Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) Graduate Program PhD students (year 3 or beyond) or MS (year 2) students in good standing

• The recipient must present a scientific poster as first author at an external scientific conference

• Individuals can only receive one Ben G. Zimmerman Travel Award 

• This award cannot be used with a UMN Pharmacology Conference Fellowship or any other external travel award

Note: Postdoctoral trainees currently employed in Department of Pharmacology primary faculty research labs should apply for Professional Development Funds to cover travel costs

Deadline: Rolling 

Process: Candidates must email admin staff (Holly Streekstra) and provide formal documentation of acceptance of their first-author poster submission at an external scientific conference

Amount: up to $500 in reimbursement for conference expenses including registration fees for virtual conferences

The UMN Pharmacology Conference Fellowship Award supports the participation (oral research presentation) of advanced MPaT PhD and MS students at scientific conferences.

Eligibility

• Current Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) Graduate Program PhD students (year 3 or beyond) or MS (year 2) students in good standing

• The recipient must give and oral research presentation at an external scientific conference

• Individuals can only receive one UMN Pharmacology Conference Fellowship

• This award cannot be used with a Ben G. Zimmerman Travel Award or any other external travel award

Note: Postdoctoral trainees currently employed in Department of Pharmacology primary faculty research labs should apply for Professional Development Funds to cover travel costs

Deadline: Rolling 

Process: Candidates must email admin staff (Holly Streekstra) and provide formal documentation of acceptance of their oral research presentation at an external scientific conference

Amount: up to $500 in reimbursement for conference expenses

The Pharmacology Fellowship Award recognizes PhD students and postdoctoral trainees who receive a competitive research fellowship. 

Eligibility

• Currently registered Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) Graduate Program PhD students, and postdoctoral trainees currently employed in Department of Pharmacology primary faculty research labs

• The fellowship must  provide at least 50% stipend (students) or salary (postdoctoral) support for 1 or more years of training, as specified in a formal award letter.

• Examples of qualifying fellowship mechanisms include NIH F30/31/32, NIH K01 and K99, research foundation fellowships, and UMN Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships. NIH training grant (T32) appointments or fellowships secured on behalf of trainees (e.g. 3M Fellowships) do not qualify for this award.

Process: Candidates e-mail admin staff (Holly Streekstra) with a request for consideration and provide a formal fellowship award letter.

Amount: $1000 of unrestricted funds provided directly to the student account (graduate students) or paycheck (postdoctoral scholars)

The Frederick E. Shideman Student Leadership Award recognizes exemplary contributions to the Pharmacology community, made outside of the research lab, by a senior PhD student.

Eligibility: Current PhD student in the Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (MPaT) Graduate Program (Year 3 or above); individuals can only receive this award once

Process: MPaT graduate students select the recipient in April

Amount: $1500 of unrestricted funds provided directly to the student account

The UMN Pharmacology Faculty Impact Award recognizes faculty who make exceptional contributions to the MPaT graduate training community through their leadership, mentorship, teaching, or a combination of the above.

Eligibility: All MPaT faculty members; individuals can only receive this award up to three times

Process: MPaT graduate students select the recipient in April

Amount: $0 (the recipient receives a plaque commemorating the honor)

Pharmacology Undergraduate Excellence Award
Isabella Ward

MPaT Academic Excellence Award
Abbey Knight

Ben G. Zimmerman Travel Award
Cesar Iturerere Cyuzuzo
Pedro Silva
Sachi Tengse
Shivani Diwakar
Nandini Ramesh
Isabelle Finholm
Trudy Philips
Tanvi Mathur
Kaitlin Beel

UMN Pharmacology Conference Fellowship Award
Victor Coral

Pharmacology Research Fellowship Award
Jonathan Aguirre
Jason Jones, PhD
Luis Ramirez
Jordan Callies
Clare Keddy
Alexandra Mei Kuen Tang

Frederick E. Shideman Student Leadership Award
Jonathan Aguirre

UMN Pharmacology Faculty Impact Award
Ezequiel Marron, PhD

Pharmacology Undergraduate Excellence Award
Ava Hommerding

MPaT Academic Excellence Award - MS
Anuja Davare
Nandini Ramesh

MPaT Academic Excellence Award - PhD
Kaitlin Beel
Sachi Tengse

Ben G. Zimmerman Travel Award
Jordan Casby
Mark Schonfeld
Ajibola Opakunle
Michael Sausen
Siddhi Joshi
Aishwarya Bhowmik
Anna Carey
Jonathan Aguirre
Niraja Soman
Alex Welter
Daihyun Song
Mariana Lanz
Liliana Thron
Jiaxin Wei

Pharmacology Fellowship Award
Tingyuan Yang
Prateek Thenge
Alex Welter
Pedro Silva
Matthew McMahon
Maddi Moore
Asumi Hoshino
Fan Bu

Pharmacology Publication Award
Fan Bu
Jordan Casby
Amy Paulson
Alexandra Mei Kuen Tang
Shirley Luo
Ali Arafa, MD
Edith Herdandez
Megan Ludwig, PhD

Frederick E. Shideman Student Leadership Award
Klaiten Kermoade 

MPaT Academic Excellence Award - MS
Mariana Lanz
Amisha Undavia

MPaT Academic Excellence Award - PhD
Maddi Moore
Asumi Hoshino

Ben G. Zimmerman Travel Award
Anna Carey
Shuyu Meng
Ajibola Opakunle
Aishwarya Bhowmik
Sai Harshita Posani
Sanghoon Choi
Zhiyan Silvia Liu
Maddi Moore
Lukas Caye
Jennifer Tuokkola
Wannasiri Chiraphapphaiboon, PhD
Victor Corral
Matthew McMahon
Fan Bu
Fatima Hamid
Megan Ludwig, PhD
Yue Zhang
Fu-Chen Hsueh
Prateek Thenge
William Kanagy, PhD 

Pharmacology Fellowship Award
Fatima Hamid
Prateek Thenge
Yue Zhang
Ali Arafa, MD
Edith Hernandez
Klaiten Kermoade

Pharmacology Publication Award
Bhumika Rajoria
Asumi Hoshino
Daihyun Song
Qibin Geng, PhD
Zhiyan Silvia Liu
Abigail Brewer, PhD
Anna Carey
Gang Ye, PhD
Fu-Chen Hsueh

Frederick E. Shideman Student Leadership Award
Anna Carey

2026 3-Minute Thesis Competition - 1st Place
Olivia Kuckhahn

2026 Bacaner Award
Lili Thron

2026 Brandenburg Award
Maddi Moore

2026 Schmitt-Steer Award
Fan Bu

2025 Bacaner Award
Edith Hernandez

2024 Bacaner Award
Zhiyan Liu

2024 Brandenburg Award
Zhiyan Liu

2023 Bacaner Award
Dechen Wangmo

2023 J. Jacob Kaplan Award
Dechen Wangmo
​​​​​​​
2022 3-Minute Thesis Competition - 2nd Place
Apoorva Limaye 

2020 Bacaner Award
Ben Brian

2019 3-Minute Thesis Competition - 1st Place
Mariya Shapovalova

2025-2026 Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Asumi Hoshino
Fan Bu

2024-2025 Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Tingyuan Yang

2021-2022 Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
Dechen Wangmo

2019 Thomas Shevlin Fellowship
Eric Lake