Neuroscience Major, Jasmine Martin Honored with Prestigious CMNS Alumni Network Endowed Undergraduate Award

We are proud to announce that Neuroscience major, Jasmine Martin, has been named a recipient of the 2025 CMNS Alumni Network Endowed Undergraduate Award!

This highly competitive award is presented annually by the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS) Alumni Network to outstanding undergraduates pursuing academic and professional enrichment opportunities during the summer. The award helps students defray costs related to research, conference attendance, or internships—empowering Terps like Jasmine to further develop their scientific interests and career goals beyond the classroom.

Jasmine joins six other exceptional students receiving the award this year:

• Dhruv Agarwal, senior physics major

• Alex Emmert, senior computer science and linguistics double major

• Harikesh Kailad, senior computer science and mathematics major

• Hannah McCright, senior physics and astronomy dual-degree student

• Swathi Sevugan, senior biochemistry and biological sciences double major

• Cindy Wang, senior biological sciences major

We celebrate Jasmine for her dedication to advancing neuroscience through research and professional engagement. Her recognition reflects not only academic excellence but also a strong commitment to shaping the future of brain science.

To learn more about this year’s recipients and the impact of the CMNS Alumni Network Endowed Undergraduate Awards, visit: go.umd.edu/summerawards25

Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Fair '25 Poster Award Recipients

 

Congratulations! 

2025 NEUR Research Poster Award Recipients:

• Romina Fusha for their poster entitled " The Neural Responses in the Superior Colliculus of WT & FMR1 KO Mice Throughout Development"
  Full authorship: Ashley L. Russell, PhD, Gourav Sharma, PhD, Romina Fusha*, Karen G. Dixon, Jason W. Triplett, PhD
  

Advisor: Dr. Jason Triplett, PhD, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital, University of Maryland College Park

• Jasmine Saluja for their poster entitled, " Morphological Characterization of Ipsilaterally and Contralaterally- Innervated Neurons in the Mouse Superior Colliculus"
  Full authorship: Miguel Ezeiza-Ortega M.S, Jasmine Saluja*, Jason Triplett Ph.D3.

Advisor: Dr. Jason Triplett, PhD, Center for Neuroscience Research, Children's National Hospital 

• NeAva Zayas for their poster entitled " Impact of Early-Life Stress on Social Play and Drug-Taking Behavior "
  Full authorship:  NeAva Zayas*, Angela Harbeck*, Lily Fetterman*, Ben Lichten*, Makeda Paderewski*, Amelia Cuarenta, Yandres Cintron, Carmen Dressler, Debra A. Bangasser PhD, Mathieu E. Wimmer PhD  
  

Advisor: Dr. Mathieu Wimmer, Department of Psychology, Temple University

NEUROSCIENCE FIELD DAY

Calling all NEUR majors!! 

Join us for our Annual Neuroscience Field Day as we celebrate our amazing graduating seniors! 

There will be FREE pizza, games and awards including presentation of the 

"Dr. David Yager Undergraduate Neuroscience Award for Excellence in Research"!!

Whether you're walking the stage or just walking to your next class- all NEUR majors are welcome!! 

RSVP at go.umd.edu/NEURSP25FD

Congratulations to Neuroscience Major: Clara Abdelmalek, 2025 Goldwater Scholarship Recipient

 

UMD’s 2025 Goldwater Scholars are:

• Clara Abdelmalek, junior neuroscience major
• Harikesh Kailad, sophomore computer science and mathematics double major
• Luiz Mata Lopez, junior computer science and mathematics double major
• Benjamin Raufman, junior chemistry and mathematics double-degree student     

They are among 441 Goldwater Scholars selected from 1,350 nominees nationally. 

Goldwater Scholars receive one- or two-year scholarships that cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to $7,500 per year. 

Read more about: 

1. Four Science Terps Awarded 2025 Goldwater Scholarships
2. 
   

 HERE 

AWESOME award recipients: Dr. Chicoli and Dr. Navarro-Cebian

 

Dr. Amanda Chicoli and Dr. Ana Navarro-Cebian 

are recipients of the Awesome award!

The Awesome award was presented by Dr. Michael Dougherty, Psychology Department Chair.

 Dr. Dougherty is very proud to have both professors as colleagues and values both of them as truly amazing educators! 

The Undergraduate Major in Neuroscience is very proud of Dr. Chicoli and Dr. Navarro-Cebrian!

 When you see them on campus please congratulate them!  

Ariana Chalkias- Honors College Research Grant Recipient!

 

Neuroethics Essay Contest 2024

Call for Neuroethics Essays

The International Neuroethics Society (INS) and the International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA) are pleased to announce a call for submissions for the Neuroethics Essay Contest in 2024. Now in its 11th year, the contest promotes interest in neuroethics among students and trainees around the world.

To learn more about the contest details and the types of neuroethics topics that may inspire prospective authors, please refer to the call for essays available on our contest website. 

shareable resources 

Authors of winning submissions — a total of four (4) with one from each category — will receive a $500 prize. Authors with honorable mention submissions — which may be up to eight (8) from across the four categories — will receive a $250 prize. 

The contest aims to promote interest and curiosity in neuroethics and provides a platform for students and trainees to showcase their creativity and skills in four essay categories:

• Academic Essay
• General Audience Essay
• High School Essay
• Video Essay

The deadline for essay submissions is approaching soon, in early July. 

Scholarship & Award Applications NOW OPEN!!

 

2024 NEUR Research Poster Award Recipients: Sean Jameson, John Pisano and Matthew M. Williams

 

2024 NEUR Research Poster Award Recipients:

• Sean Jameson for his poster entitled " Kif18a Function in a Genetically Engineering Mouse (GEM) Model of Glioblastoma with Whole Genome Duplication"
  

• Authors: Matthew M. Williams, Natalie C. Tai  for their poster entitled " Social and Physical Environments Shape Alcohol Sensitivity in Crayfish"
  

• John Pisano for his poster entitled " Orientation Selectivity in the Mammalian Retina is Dependent on Widefield Amacrine Cell Orientation in Space "
  
  

              

Honorable Mention:  Noah Glaser for his poster entitled " Effects of Glia Cell Density in the Plasticity of Neuronal Astrocytic Co-cultures"

Dr. David Yager Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Recipient - Jonathan Dinh!

 Congratulations Jonathan Dinh! 

Jon was selected to receive the '24 Dr. David Yager Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Neuroscience Research. 

This award is given to a rising senior NEUR major who has shown excellence and great promise in neuroscience research. 

The award comes with $200 that may be use to support the recipient in their experiential learning endeavors. 

BSOS Senior Snapshots '24 (50 Days to Graduation)

      BSOS Senior Snapshots '24 (50 Days to Graduation) 

Wed., March 27, 2024 |  11 am - 2 pm

Feller Center- TYD 2118

RSVP for a Reminder

To celebrate the upcoming 50 days until graduation, the Feller Center in BSOS is hosting a Senior Snapshot session! Stop by to take your branded BSOS photo & pick up your "BSOS Graduation Mug" (while supplies last)! 

The Feller Center is providing a festive backdrop and props that you can choose from to share your post-graduation plans with your network. Just bring your phone so we can snap the photo for your use!

No prior registration is required. Questions? Contact the Feller Center's Career Planning team at bsoscareers@umd.edu. *Open to BSOS BA/BS students graduating May 2024.

 

Call for nominations: Social Justice Alliance awards The BSU-UMD Social Justice Alliance is looking for award nominations! All are welcome to nominate someone who is working for social and racial justice. Categories include: Instructor Impact Award Student Impact Award Excellence in Leadership Award SJA Member of the Year Award Nominate someone for a Social Justice Alliance award by Feb. 23.

OMSE Excellence in Service Awards

 

Call for nominations: OMSE Excellence in Service Awards

Do you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to multi-ethnic students on campus?

Our Office of Multi-ethnic Student Education (OMSE) unit invites the UMD community to submit award nominations for university faculty, staff, tutors and mentors who have made outstanding contributions to advancing the inclusive excellence of multi-ethnic students on campus. Nominees will be judged on their service to and involvement with multi-ethnic students in the areas of teaching, tutoring, mentoring, and staff support. 

Nominations are due March 8 at 11:59 PM.

Learn more and nominate someone for an OMSE Excellence in Service award

NEUR Fall '23 Graduation Celebration RSVP

We invite ALL Neuroscience majors to join us in celebrating our Fall 2023 Neuroscience Graduates! 

There will be a variety of refreshments for all, noteworthy remarks from our Director, Dr. Bierman, and a special gift distribution to all our graduates promptly at 3:30p.m. 

We look forward to seeing you there as we recognize our graduates for achieving such an important milestone. 

Event Date: Friday, December 8th, 2022 

Event Timing: 3:00-4:00p.m
Event Address: 1140 Psychology Seminar Rooms A and B 

Please RSVP by December 4th, 2023

Phillip Merrill Presidential Scholars Luncheon

 

Philip Merrill Award (Jennifer Li)

Philip Merrill Presidential Scholars Program

Congratulations Jennifer Li for being honored among the Top Students in Presidential Scholars Program along with your Mentor, Dr. Amanda Chicoli.

COLLEGE OF COMPUTER, MATHEMATICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES

Jennifer Li (Neuroscience, Information Science)

• Teacher Mentor: Jonathan Taylor, Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville, Md.
• Faculty Mentor: Amanda Chicoli, Department of Psychology

Dr. Hilary Bierman awarded Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty

 

We would like to congratulate the Director of the Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Dr. Hilary Bierman on being awarded the Provost’s Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty.

The Provost's Excellence Award for Professional Track Faculty honors consistent excellent contributions from full-time faculty who have served for at least five years and do not have nor are eligible for tenure. Honorees are recognized in one of the three core areas of academic activity: teaching, research and service. Dr. Bierman has been recognized for both her outstanding teaching and service. In addition to her role as Director, Dr. Bierman is also a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biology and the Course Director for NEUR405: Neuroscience Laboratory. The NEUR program has flourished under her leadership and we are thrilled to see her efforts recognized. Dr. Bierman will be honored at the 40th Annual Faculty and Staff Convocation on September 13, 2023.

Congrats to our 2023 CMNS Summer Awards recipients

 Congratulations to Nada Abouelseoud! 

Nada along with the seven undergraduates  received CMNS Alumni Network Summer Awards!

• Nada Abouelseoud, junior neuroscience major
  
• Emerson Hemley, senior mathematics major
• Daniel Klimes, junior biochemistry major
• Riya Kumari, senior computer science major
• Nicole Miko, senior biological sciences major
• Raina Morley, junior chemistry major
• Arya Teymourlouei, sophomore computer science major
  

The CMNS Alumni Network offers funding through the Undergraduate Summer Research, Travel, and Educational Enrichment Awards program to help undergraduates defray costs related to conducting research, attending conferences or interning.

Nadia also received the Dr. David Yager Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Neuroscience Research. This award is given to a NEUR student who has invested in, and excelled at neuroscience research. The intent of this award is to help support experiential learning opportunities for rising NEUR seniors involved in neuroscience research. Additionally, the award comes with $200 used to help support activities such as: conference attendance, visiting a lab, or graduate school applications.

NEUR Senior Marshals

Congratulations to NEUR Graduates 

Rakshita Balaji and Sarah Jain 

for being selected as Senior Marshals this year!!! 

The University of Maryland Senior Marshals this year represent graduating seniors who have demonstrated the highest levels of scholarship, service to the campus community, extracurricular involvement, and personal growth. 

Rakshita Balaji 

  

Sarah Jain 

2nd Annual Undergraduate Major in Neuroscience Field Day Celebration

HUGE Thank you to all the NEUR faculty, staff, and students that came out for our 2nd Annual Undergraduate Major in Neuroscience Field Day Celebration!! 

We had a great time celebrating our seniors, ambassadors,  faculty and staff!!