On Friday, May 1, the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry held its annual awards ceremony to honor the exceptional achievements of both undergraduate and Master of Science students. Recipients were selected through a rigorous nomination process led by faculty members, with final selections determined by the departmental awards committee: Drs. Joseph Johnson, Ahmed Heikal, Eve Metto, and Viktor Zhdankin.
The accolades ranged from monetary prizes to professional memberships in the American Institute of Chemists and the American Chemical Society. In a lighthearted departmental tradition, students honored with the "Excellence in General Chemistry Award" walked away with the highly coveted chemistry beaker mug.
A focal point of the ceremony was the presentation of the Casmir Ilenda Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Research. Named for a distinguished UMD alumnus, the award honors the legacy of Dr. Ilenda, who conducted research under Professor Emeritus Ron Caple before a successful career at Rohm and Haas. Dr. Ilenda generously endowed this award to support burgeoning researchers within the department. This year’s candidates presented their findings at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 24, where they were evaluated by a faculty panel on the technical merit and clarity of their oral presentations.
This year’s ceremony recognized the accomplishments of 44 individual students, serving as a testament to the vibrance and dedication of the UMD chemistry community. Congratulations to all award recipients, graduating seniors, and M.S. graduates on their remarkable success.