Meg Shieh’s award-winning dissertation develops new chemical strategies to detect, deliver, and understand reactive sulfur species in biological systems.

Sarah Christensen’s dissertation illuminates the intimate worlds of enslaved women and girls across the early Middle Ages, challenging historians to rethink what counts as evidence. She has been selected for the Joukowsky Outstanding Dissertation Prize in the social sciences.

Gray Babbs, a doctoral candidate in Health Services Research, has been awarded the Joukowsky Outstanding Dissertation Prize for his dissertation, Examining Disparities in Quality of Chronic Disease Care among Transgender and Cisgender Medicare Beneficiaries.

A doctoral candidate in English, Semilore Sobande is the 2026 winner of Brown University's Joukowsky Outstanding Dissertation Prize in the humanities.

The Graduate School is proud to announce that Michele Welindt, Program Coordinator for the Pathobiology Graduate Program, has been named the recipient of the 2026 Wilson-DeBlois Award. This award is honors a staff member who has made outstanding contributions to doctoral students and the Graduate School.

Horacio Espinosa '89 Sc.M., '90 Sc.M., '92 Ph.D. has spent his career finding answers that are reshaping how we understand materials, medicine, and the microscopic world. A three-time Brown graduate and world-leading researcher, Espinosa is the 2026 recipient of the Horace Mann Medal, the Brown Graduate School's highest honor for alumni who have made significant contributions in their field.

“Real teaching, the kind that actually leaves a mark on students' lives, is unglamorous, painstaking work,” says Alexander Hardan.

Katyayni Seth, a doctoral candidate in Anthropology, has been named a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching. Described by the Director of Graduate Studies, Parker VanValkenburgh, as “she has received plaudits from her students and colleagues alike for her innovative, student-centered approach to pedagogy.”

Hannah Shabtian is recognized for her thoughtful teaching, creative course design, and commitment to science education at Brown and beyond.

The Pathobiology scholar “dismantles complex topics” and converts them into accessible learning experiences. Kimberly Meza has been selected for the Graduate School Excellence in Teaching Award in the life sciences.

Daniel M. Harris, Associate Professor of Engineering, has received the Graduate School Faculty Award for Advising and Mentoring, an honor that reflects not only his accomplishments as a researcher and teacher, but also his deep commitment to students.

Erica Larschan, Professor of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, has been awarded the 2026 Graduate School Faculty Award for Advising and Mentoring in the life sciences, a recognition that speaks to decades of work that extends far beyond the laboratory.

From providing generous written feedback to never missing a student’s presentation at the American Academy of Religion conference, Stephen Bush, Professor and Chair of Religious Studies, demonstrates an exceptional ability to help scholars find their voices while navigating the complexities of academia.