Class of 2023 Celebration

Greetings Seniors and Undergraduate Awardees,

The Department of Chemistry is pleased to be holding our 40th Annual Chemistry Undergraduate Awards Ceremony this year!  Please RSVP via the link below (preferably by May 9th, but late replies are also welcomed).

Where: Natural Sciences Complex 225

When:  Sunday May 21st, 12:00pm for Refreshments (a light lunch and desserts), with Ceremony to follow promprtly at 12:30pm.

On this page:

A Message from the Chair

Dear Honorees, Graduates, Parents, Relatives and Friends,

On behalf of the Faculty and Staff of the Department of Chemistry, it is my great pleasure to congratulate the 2023 graduating class, at the bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD levels! Additionally, I congratulate our outstanding junior, sophomore, and first-year undergraduate students who are receiving awards and scholarships in recognition of their superior performance in the 2022-2023 academic year.

At the College of Arts and Sciences’ undergraduate and graduate commencement ceremonies, and at the Department of Chemistry’s Undergraduate Awards Ceremony, we celebrate academic success – a culmination of hard work and continued efforts. Our students have met goals and, throughout the past several academic years, have overcome unprecedented challenges and have thrived despite the prevailing circumstances, UB’s altered mode of instruction, and the myriad changes to life on campus. My colleagues and I on the Chemistry faculty are proud of students’ remarkable accomplishments and perseverance. We are indeed delighted to honor the achievements of our students as we experience their success in our Chemistry program – Bravo!

Our graduates join a distinguished group of alumni with presence all over the world who received degrees from UB’s Department of Chemistry. Graduates, be assured that you have been provided a solid foundation to embrace the many challenges ahead of you. We are confident of it and feel pride in your pursuit of excellence as you move forward into new and challenging journeys. The world needs you and your talents now more than ever, and you are prepared to deliver!

Congratulations and Best Wishes

Javid Rzayev, Chair

Join Our Celebration!

Student Awards

Senior Awards

Ada Ho-Yee Chan
High Distinction

Byron Chen
High Distinction

Cooper Cohen
American Institute of Chemists

Angelina Consolazio
Jane C. Denton Award

Dalton Cozzetti
Highest Distinction

Thomas Richard Donovan
High Distinction

Zachary Gawronski
Distinction

Justin Joel Giannino
High Distinction

Natasha Gozali
Michael Detty UG Summer Research Award

Christopher D. Guevarra
High Distinction

Scott David Heldwein
Distinction

Trevor James Higgins
Highest Distinction

Ralph Thomas Januale
Priscilla B. Clarke PIONEER Award

Holly Marie Johnson
Distinction

Paige Kelly Keelty
Highest Distinction

Jaewoo Kim
Distinction

Brynn Nelson
Priscilla B. Clarke CHEMISTRY Award
Prior Awards: Jane C. Denton Award

Emilee Clare Nelson
Highest Distinction
WNY American Chemical Society Award
Joseph and Louise K. Tufariello Award
Prior Awards: Medicinal Chemistry Scholarship Award

Breanna L. Nelson
Distinction

Senior Awards (continued)

Samia Noor
Distinction

Cassandra Ohnmeiss
Hillig Student Assistance Fund

Nicholas Reilly
Albert Padwa Award

Erika C. Rizzo
Highest Distinction
ACS Organic Award

William Reginald Roberts
Highest Distinction
Prior Awards: WNY ACS Chemistry Award

Ian Shea
Distinction

Elliet Strang
Alan Cutler UG Scholarship

Meghan G. Sullivan
Highest Distinction
ACS Inorganic Award
CAS Dean’s Outstanding Senior Award
WNY American Chemical Society Award
Prior Awards: Peter T. Lansbury Award (Summer Research); ACS Analytical Chemistry Award

Owen Szeglowski
Sol J. Lederman UG Research Fellowship

Sinai P. Thomas
ACS Physical Award

Tristan Steele Vick
Distinction

Christopher Yau
High Distinction

Elifnur Yildiz
Distinction
Prior Awards: Michael Detty Undergraduate Summer Research Award; Hillig Student Assistance Fund Recipient (Summer Research)

Junior Awards

Katelyn Johnson
Medicinal Chemistry Scholarship

Jacky Lin
Peter T. Lansbury Award

Matthew Machelor
ACS Analytical Award

Sophomore Awards

Excellence in Organic Chemistry

Shawn Gupta
Paige Lammers
Victor Liu
Sofia Miller
Adhav Narayanan
Sunny Patel
Brianna Pham
Rocky Pinto
Owen Szeglowski
Abigail Udy
Connie Yap

First-Year Student Awards

Excellence in General Chemistry

Andrew Allen
Ravi Baindur
Will Bievenue
Andrew Chow
Reuben Du
Kayla Ferrigno
Michael Frimpong
Alexandra Gallo
Emma Gillebaard
Jackson Guinther
Aine Hoekstra
Timothy Hui
Walter Hui
Hong Jiang
Reed Lasker
Megan Lavis
Alexis Lichtenberger
Mick Mazur
Jason Mei
Ethan Minnella
Katarina Mueller
Neha Nattanmai
Nicholas Reilly
Linus Robideau
Aaliyah Sims
Chloe Wisniewski
Isabel Yu