The College of Sciences recognizes an alumnus who has offered outstanding contributions to UNLV and the community.

  • 2023— Douglas Sims, Class of 1995, 1997
  • 2022— Tricia Evens, Class of 2005
  • 2021 — Zane L. Marshall, Class of 1996, 2006
  • 2020 — Susan Corbett, Class of 1991
  • 2019 — Travis Huxman, Class of 2000
  • 2018 — Kenneth Bruce Jones, Class of 1995
  • 2017 — Theodore Garland, Jr., Class of 1978, 1980
  • 2016 — Amy Brock-Hon, Class of 2002, 2007
  • 2015 — Dr. Matthew Schwartz, Class of 1996
  • 2014 — Dr. Tony Alamo, Class of 1986
  • 2013 — Andrée Prigoda Reed, Class of 1970, 1978
  • 2009 — Dr. Ray Rawson, Class of 1964
  • 2008 — Hiba Risheg, Class of 1997
  • 2004 — Avnish Bhatnaghar, Class of 1989
  • 2000 — Elizabeth Donley, Class of 1994
  • 1999 — William Clark, Class of 1992
  • 1998 — Dr. Pamela Moore, Class of 1977
  • 1997 — Daniel Fischer, Class of 1979, 1990
  • 1996 — Dr. Ilene Morgan, Class of 1988, 1990

This award recognizes excellence in service to the department, college, university, profession, and/or community. The recipient must be a full-time faculty member within the college and must agree to be nominated. Nominations may come from faculty colleagues, classified staff, students, or members of the Las Vegas community. The committee is particularly interested in service that has had a significant impact.

  • 2023 — Boo Tseng, Life Sciences
  • 2022 — Ron Gary, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2021 — Brenda Buck, Geoscience
  • 2020 — Rohan Dalpatadu, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2019 — Helen Wing, Life Sciences
  • 2018 — Michael Pravica, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2017 — Kaushik Ghosh, Mathematical Sciences
    MaryKay Orgill, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2011 — Bryan Spangelo, Chemistry
  • 2010 — Carryn Bellomo, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2008 — Michelle Elekonich, Life Sciences
  • 2007 — Rod Metcalf, Geoscience
  • 2006 — Stephen Roberts, Life Sciences
  • 2005 — Paul Aizley, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2004 — Satish Bhatnaghar, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2003 — Kathleen Robins, Chemistry
  • 2002 — Roberta Williams, Biological Sciences
  • 2001 — Fred Bachhuber, Geoscience
  • 2000 — Boyd Earl, Chemistry
  • 1999 — David Emerson, Chemistry

This award recognizes outstanding tenured and tenure-track faculty or lecturers in the College of Sciences. Nominees must have completed a minimum of three years at UNLV, although the entire professional career of the nominee will be evaluated.

  • 2023 — Ganqing Jiang, Geoscience
  • 2022 — Matthew Lachniet, Geoscience
  • 2021 — Jichun Li, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2020 — Shichun Huang, Geoscience
    Rebecca Martin, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2019 — Balakrishnan Naduvalath, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2018 — Ernesto Abel-Santos, Chemistry and Biochemistry
    Laurel Raftery, Life Sciences
  • 2017 — Elizabeth Hausrath, Geoscience
    Zhaohuan Zhu, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2015 — Pengtao Sun, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2013 — Brian Hedlund, Life Sciences
  • 2012 — Brett Riddle, Life Sciences
  • 2011 — Kentaro Nagamine, Physics and Astronomy
    Jichun Li, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2010 — Dennis Bazylinski, Life Sciences
  • 2009 — Daniel Proga, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2008 — Bing Zhang, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2007 — Clemens Heske, Chemistry
  • 2006 — Balakrishnan Naduvalath, Chemistry
    Malcolm Nicol, Physics
  • 2005 — Carl Reiber, Biological Sciences
  • 2004 — David Costa, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2003 — Jean Cline, Geoscience
  • 2002 — Donna Weistrop, Physics
  • 2001 — Lawrence Walker, Biological Sciences
  • 2000 — Peter Shiue, Mathematical Sciences
  • 1999 — Eugene Smith, Geoscience
  • 1998 — Stephen Lepp, Physics
  • 1997 — Dennis Lindle, Chemistry
  • 1996 — Stan Smith, Biology

This award recognizes any instructor in the College of Sciences who demonstrates excellence in teaching undergraduate or graduate classes.

  • 2023 — Scott MacDonald, Mathematical Sciences
    Aleksei Talonov, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2022 — Michael Wells, Geoscience
  • 2021 — MaryKay Orgill, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2020 — Jennifer Guerra, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2019 — Wanda Taylor, Geoscience
  • 2018 — Jef Jeager, Life Sciences
  • 2017 — Gabriel Judkins, Geoscience
  • 2015 — Jenifer Utz, Life Sciences
  • 2013 — Michael Pravica, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2012 — Pradip Bhowmik, Chemistry
  • 2011 — Andrew Hanson, Geoscience
    Kathleen Robins, Chemistry
  • 2010 — Adam Simon, Geoscience
  • 2009 — Megan Lister, Life Sciences
  • 2008 — Steve Rowland, Geoscience
  • 2007 — MaryKay Orgill, Chemistry
  • 2006 — John Farley, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2005 — Boyd Earl, Chemistry
  • 2004 — Kathleen Robins, Chemistry
  • 2003 — Pradip Bhowmik, Chemistry
  • 2002 — Daniel Thompson, Biological Sciences
  • 2001 — Rodney Metcalf, Geoscience
  • 2000 — George Plopper, Biological Sciences
  • 1999 — Lloyd Stark, Biological Sciences
  • 1998 — Peter Shiue, Mathematical Sciences
  • 1993 — Ebrahim Salehi, Mathematical Sciences
  • 1989 — Peter Shiue, Mathematical Sciences
  • 1986 — Satish Bhatnager, Mathematical Sciences

This award recognizes excellence in service to the college, university, and community. The recipient must be a full-time staff member within the college. Nominations may come from faculty, staff, students, or members of the Las Vegas community.

  • 2023 — Carolyn Hatchett, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2022 — Peter Clancy, College of Sciences
  • 2021 — Katrina Switalski, College of Sciences
  • 2020 — Jung Jae Koh, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2019 — Martha Schumacher, College of Sciences
  • 2018 — Keala Kiko, College of Sciences
  • 2017 — William O'Donnell, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2010 — Aaron Payette, School of Life Sciences
  • 2009 — Janet Reiber, Advising Center

This award recognizes an employee who has performed above and beyond their assigned duties in the support of the college. The recipient must be a full-time staff member within the college. Nominations may come from faculty, staff, students, or members of the Las Vegas community.

  • 2023 — Alexander Skinner, Physics & Astronomy
  • 2022 — Stephanie Samson, Life Sciences
  • 2021 — Robin Grove, College of Sciences
  • 2020 — Whitney Kizer, Life Sciences
  • 2019 — Rychelle Tomlin, College of Sciences
  • 2018 – Bianca Rideout, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2017 – Casey Hall-Wheeler, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2015 — Mark Miyamoto, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2012 — Pat Hunt, Life Sciences
  • 2011 — Gail Michel-Parsons, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2009 — Erin McNamara, Mathematical Sciences
    Veronica Knight, Advising Center

This award honors an individual who has demonstrated a significant impact on mathematics and science education in Southern Nevada.

  • 2009 — Jhone Ebert, Clark County School District
  • 2008 — Patricia Mulroy, Southern Nevada Water Authority and Las Vegas Springs Preserve
  • 2006 — Stephen M. Rowland, Geoscience
  • 2005 — Jeffrey Shih, College of Education

This award honors and recognizes outstanding career contributions to the College of Sciences. It is presented to individuals who have made distinguished, sustained, and lasting contributions to the teaching and research mission of the College of Sciences. The award is named in honor of professor Donna Weistrop, who exemplifies the personal qualities, professional leadership, and dedicated service worthy of such tribute.

  • 2009 — David Emerson, Chemistry
  • 2007 — Boyd Earl, Chemistry
  • 2005 — Donna Weistrop, Physics

This award is presented to the outstanding dissertation submitted by a Ph.D. student in the College of Sciences, as selected by the faculty committee.

  • 2022 — Suzanne Mulligan, Geoscience

  • 2021 — Jeremy Smallwood, Life Sciences

  • 2020 — Rihui Lan, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2019 — Joshua Sackett, Life Sciences
  • 2018 — Tim Waters, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2017 — Sidney Shields, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2016 — Janelle Droessler, Radiochemistry
  • 2015 — Seth Gainey, Geoscience
  • 2014 — Christopher Adcock, Geoscience
  • 2013 — Jonathan Plaue, Radiochemistry
  • 2011 — Amanda Williams, Geoscience
  • 2010 — Alexi K. Nedeltchev, Chemistry
  • 2009 — Jun Yin, Geoscience
  • 2007 — Shen Xie, Life Sciences
  • 2006 — Jef Jaeger, Biosciences

This award is presented to the outstanding theses submitted by a master's student in the College of Sciences, as selected by the faculty committee.

  • 2022 — Evan O'Neal, Geoscience

  • 2021 — Cale Seymour, Life Sciences

  • 2020 — Lara Turello, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2019 — Rachel Rahib, Geoscience
  • 2018 — Jackie Phan, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2017 — Jeremy L. Smallwood, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2016 — Michael H. Steiner, Geoscience
  • 2015 — Jung Jae Koh, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2014 — Christopher Cline II, Geoscience
  • 2013 — Michael Kuhlmann, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2012 — Lindsey Clark, Geoscience
  • 2009 — Todd Arrowood, Geoscience
  • 2008 — Francisco Javier Virgili, Physics and Astronomy
  • 2007 — Shanna Goffman-Tighi, Water Resource Management
  • 2006 — Tandis Bidgoli, Geoscience

This award is presented to a graduate student that demonstrates a teaching philosophy and evidence that supports: active learning through innovative instructional activities; critical thinking and reasoning skills in students; teaching effectiveness; and classroom achievement.

  • 2022 — Md Nahid Hasan, Mathematical Sciences

  • 2021 — Suzanne Mulligan, Geoscience

  • 2020 — Rebecca Lim, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2019 — Bhagya De Silva, Chemistry and Biochemistry
  • 2018 — Joy Immak, Life Sciences
  • 2017 — Michael Isaacs, Life Sciences
  • 2016 — Sean Breckling, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2015 — Joy Immak, Life Sciences
  • 2014 — Moinak Bhaduri, Mathematical Sciences
  • 2012 — Thomas Bussey, Chemistry

This award is named in honor of David Emerson, professor emeritus of chemistry and an international figure in scientific teaching and research and a tireless advocate for advancing the role of science in our culture.

Recipients will have contributed to the discovery of new knowledge or the pioneering development of scientific techniques and methods; influenced others to explore and investigate science and its application to global problems; and will have inspired and elevated the public's interest in and appreciation of science through their advocacy and leadership. The recipient will be selected primarily on the basis of contributions to the sciences that impact our lives in significant and meaningful ways.

  • 2008 — Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, professor of chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison