Chemistry Department Awards and Scholarships for Spring and Summer 2021

LAWRENCE — The Department of Chemistry at the University of Kansas recently recognized the academic and research achievements of its students by awarding over $160,000 in awards and scholarships.  

Undergraduate scholarships and awards were presented to chemistry majors to recognize their remarkable academic and research achievements for academic year 2020-21.  

Chemistry graduate students also earned awards and scholarships to recognize their contributions to academics, research and/or teaching for academic year 2020-21.  

Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, the department was not able to host its annual spring graduation and recognition ceremony. However, department members were able to surprise their graduating seniors with mugs in the shape of beakers with the department logo. The Prize Patrol honored their seniors during Meredith Hartley’s CHEM 635 course on May 5. Faculty mentors also presented Jayhawk statues to seniors who earned an award.  

With over $160,000 in awards and scholarship support, this year surpassed last year’s amount by over $30,000. The chemistry department is able to offer these awards and scholarships due to the donations from alumni and friends, made through KU Endowment Association. 

2021 Undergraduate Awards & Scholarships

  • Jessica Bair, a chemistry major from Sharon Springs, recipient of the Adrienne Hiscox Mitchell Scholarship   
  • Anton Barybin, a chemistry major from Lawrence, recipient of the Chemistry Department Post Beckman Scholar Award  
  • Emma Cosner, a chemistry major from Overland Park, recipient of the Jacob Kleinberg Award and the Leland & Jill Weigel Scholarship  
  • Madeline Devries, a chemistry major from Olathe, recipient of the Steve & Susan Snyder Award  
  • Anh-Dao Do, a chemistry major from Kansas City, recipient of the Bijan & Mary Taylor Amini Scholarship  
  • Claire Dopp, a chemistry major from Olathe, recipient of the Kristina May Paquette Scholarship  
  • Spencer Einhaus, a chemistry major from Salina, recipient of the Roger Munsinger Scholarship  
  • Brian Faintich, a chemistry major from Lake Saint Louis, Missouri, recipient of the Owen W. Maloney Scholarship  
  • Thomas Finn, a chemistry major from Overland Park, recipient of the Keith & Dona Darlington Award  
  • Logan Forshee, a chemistry major from Kalamazoo, Michigan, recipient of the American Institute of Chemists Award, ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Award, and Departmental Honors 
  • Ben Fuller, a chemistry major from Bettendorf, Iowa, recipient of the Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship  
  • Lexi Gambill, a chemistry major from Lenexa, recipient of the Richard J. Bearman Chemistry Award  
  • Ashley Grande, a chemistry major from Colorado Springs, Colorado, recipient of the Frank Newby Physical Science Award  
  • Megan Hegarty, a chemistry major from Leawood, recipient of the Wakarusa Valley ACS Section Award  
  • Morgan Johannesen, a chemistry major from Overland Park, recipient of the Frank Newby Physical Science Award and ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award  
  • Caden Kussatz, a chemistry major from Gardner, recipient of the Kenyon Latham Opportunity Fund  
  • Christian McCoy, a chemistry major from Benton, recipient of the Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship  
  • Kaley Muir, a chemistry major from Shawnee, recipient of the Alpha Chi Sigma Award  
  • Thy Nguyen, a chemistry major from Wichita, recipient of the Frank Newby Physical Science Award  
  • Theresa Read, a chemistry major from Shawnee, recipient of the Walter Gubar Memorial Scholarship  
  • Hunter Schneider, a chemistry major from Pittsburg, recipient of the Walter Gubar Memorial Scholarship   
  • Riley Stegmaier, a chemistry major from Wichita, recipient of the Leland & Jill Weigel Scholarship and the KU Chemistry Department Scholar Award  
  • Jonah Stiel, a chemistry major from Topeka, recipient of the Floyd & Ruth Fassnacht Memorial Scholarship 
  • Cole VandeVelde, a chemistry major from Topeka, recipient of the K. Barbara Schowen Scholarship  
  • Josh Wade, a chemistry major from Lawrence, recipient of the Frank Newby Physical Science Award    
  • Rachel Walton, a chemistry major from Bloomington, Minnesota, recipient of the Frances Gayetta Hanna Lenser Scholarship  
  • Ambrosee Wilkinson, a chemistry major from Salina, recipient of the James P. & Sharon A. Elrod Scholarship   
  • Gavin Wolfmule, a chemistry major from Salina, recipient of the Leonard V. Sorg Scholarship  
  • Elaine Yeh, a chemistry major from Overland Park, recipient of the Gini Adams Research Award in Analytical Chemistry and the Ralph E. and Esther Weik Badgley Scholarship  

 

2021 Jack and Carolyn Landgrebe Summer Undergraduate Research Scholarship Recipient

  • Emma Cosner, a chemistry major from Overland Park, Landgrebe Summer Scholar 

 

2021 Graduate Awards & Scholarships

  • Uditha Athapattu, a doctoral student in chemistry from Kandy, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Ralph E. & Esther Weik Badgley Scholarship 
  • Ty Balduf, a doctoral student in chemistry from Davenport, Iowa, recipient of the Bijan & Mary (Taylor) Amini Scholarship 
  • Ashley Borkowski, a doctoral student in chemistry from Grayson, Georgia, recipient of the Cornelius McCollum Research Scholarship 
  • Galina Bulgakova, a doctoral student in chemistry from Moscow, recipient of the Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship 
  • Kristen Burns, a doctoral student in chemistry from Rocky Hill, Connecticut, recipient of the Kristina May Paquette Scholarship 
  • Chelsea Comadoll, a doctoral student in chemistry from Morganton, North Carolina, recipient of the Adrienne Hiscox Mitchell Scholarship 
  • Alex Davies, a doctoral student in chemistry from the United Kingdom, recipient of the Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship 
  • Miyuru De Silva, a doctoral student in chemistry from Piliyandala, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Charles & Beatrice Kulier Scholarship 
  • Oluwadamilola Fateru, a doctoral student in chemistry from Abeokuta, Nigeria, Dains Memorial Scholarship 
  • Ian Freed, a doctoral student in chemistry from Swansea, Illinois, recipient of the Cornelius McCollum Research Scholarship 
  • Sachindra Gamage, a doctoral student in chemistry from Maharagama, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Reynold T. Iwamoto Scholarship 
  • Liz Grotemeyer, doctoral student in chemistry from Orangevale, California, recipient of the Kristina May Paquette Scholarship 
  • Ebbin Joseph, a doctoral student in chemistry from Mananthavady, India, recipient of the Cornelius McCollum Research Scholarship  
  • Ankita Katiyar, a doctoral student in chemistry from Kanpur, India, recipient of the George Wilson Prize 
  • Amit Kumar, a doctoral student in chemistry from Badlapur, India, recipient of the Ernest & Marvel Griswold Award in Inorganic Chemistry 
  • Emily Kurfman, a doctoral student in chemistry from Greenville, South Carolina, recipient of the Charles & Beatrice Kulier Scholarship 
  • Julie (Hopkins) Leseberg, a doctoral student in chemistry from De Soto, recipient of the Thomas A. Milne Scholarship 
  • Ashley Litton, a doctoral student in chemistry from Fayette, Missouri, recipient of the Ray Q. Brewster Award 
  • Shrikant Londhe, a doctoral student in chemistry from Mumbai, India, recipient of the Richard & Sue Givens Scholarship 
  • Seth Martin, a doctoral student in chemistry from Tonganoxie, recipient of the Paul & Helen Gilles Award in Physical Chemistry  
  • Alex Meier, a doctoral student in chemistry from Newton, recipient of the Elmer McCollum Research Scholarship 
  • Nishama Mohotti, a doctoral student in chemistry from Colombo, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Charles & Beatrice Kulier Scholarship 
  • Abraham Opalade, a doctoral student in chemistry from Ibadan, Nigeria, recipient of the Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship 
  • Prabhavie Opallage, a doctoral student in chemistry from Heiyanthuduwa, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Charles & Beatrice Kulier Scholarship 
  • Thilanga Pahattuge, a doctoral student in chemistry from Palatuwa, Sri Lanka, recipient of the J.K. Lee Award in Analytical Chemistry
  • Zeke Piskulich, a doctoral student in chemistry from Rochester Hills, Michigan, recipient of the Takeru Higuchi Doctoral Progress Award 
  • Chathurika Rathnayaka, a doctoral student in chemistry from Horana, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Adrienne Hiscox Mitchell Scholarship 
  • Hasini Senanayake, a doctoral student in chemistry from Kurunegala, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Cornelius McCollum Research Scholarship 
  • Hibah Ullah, a chemistry master’s student from Wichita, recipient of the Charles & Beatrice Kulier Scholarship 
  • Chad Vietz, a doctoral student in chemistry from Lincoln, NE, recipient of the H.P. Cady Award 
  • Dhanushka Weerasekara, a doctoral student in chemistry from Marawila, Sri Lanka, recipient of the Burton & Cheryle MacKenzie Scholarship 
  • Pavel Yamanushkin, a doctoral student in chemistry from Khimki, Russia, recipient of the Frank B. Dains Award in Organic Chemistry 
  • Kaihua Zhang, a doctoral student in chemistry from Beijing, recipient of the Adrienne Hiscox Mitchell Scholarship 

 

2021 Chemistry Graduate Summer Scholars

This is a new program started in 2021 to recognize and honor outstanding graduate research in the Department of Chemistry. Scholars receive a generous summer stipend and tuition and fees paid by the fund. 

  • Galina Bulgakova, a doctoral student in chemistry from Moscow, Lee Summer Scholar 
  • Chelsea Comadoll, a doctoral student in chemistry from Morganton, North Carolina, Lee Summer Scholar 
  • Miyuru De Silva, a doctoral student in chemistry from Piliyandala, Sri Lanka, Marsi Summer Scholar 
  • Gihan Dissanayake, a doctoral student in chemistry from Gampaha, Sri Lanka, Landgrebe Summer Scholar 
  • Ian Freed, a doctoral student in chemistry from Swansea, Iliinois, Higuchi Summer Scholar 
  • Liz Grotemeyer, doctoral student in chemistry from Orangevale, California, Lee Summer Scholar
  • Ebbin Joseph, a doctoral student in chemistry from Mananthavady, India, Higuchi Summer Scholar 
  • Julie (Hopkins) Leseberg, a doctoral student in chemistry from De Soto, Marsi Summer Scholar 
  • Alex Meier, a doctoral student in chemistry from Newton, Lee Summer Scholar 
  • Nishama Mohotti, a doctoral student in chemistry from Colombo, Sri Lanka, Marsi Summer Scholar 
  • Prabhavie Opallage, a doctoral student in chemistry from Heiyanthuduwa, Sri Lanka, Marsi Summer Scholar 
  • Viena Thomas, a doctoral student in chemistry from Roseau, Dominca, Marsi Summer Scholar 
  • Kaihua Zhang, a doctoral student in chemistry from Beijing, Higuchi Summer Scholar.