Awards for Career Exploration Past Awardees
Please note: Award eligibility changes year to year as the program evolves; please be sure to check the current eligibility requirements before submitting your proposal.
Epiphany Adams
Social Welfare
Association of Social Work Boards licensing exam.
Sanjyot Amritkar
Data Science
Attendance at the Grace Hopper Celebration 2025.
Maanav Anand Kumar
Computer Science
AWS Cloud Practitioner foundational level exam and certification.
Mohammadreza Bakhtiari
Electrical and Computer Engineering
NeurIPS 2025 Industry Workshops and Competitions.
Chao-Chih Chen
Music
Enrollment in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to learn techniques for fundamental mindfulness practices and stress reduction.
Fnu Gayatri
Electrical and Computer Engineering
LeetCode Subscription for Advanced Algorithmic Implementation.
Emma Gebauer
Biochemistry and Structural Biology
Enrollment in a patent bar preparation course.
Disha Ghoshal
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Yoga teacher training certification.
Mayi Gnofam
Public Health
Participation in the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists course Essentials in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery.
Taylor Grandfield
Geosciences
Registration to take the ASBOG Fundamentals of Geology Exam for NYS.
Rutika Avinash Kadam
Applied Math and Statistics
Attendance at the Grace Hopper Celebration 2025.
Chelsea Kirkland
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
Participation in the SMDP MedTech conference, a professional development program that connects early-career scientist with industry mentors and training in leadership, communication, and career advancement within the medical technology field.
Cindy Li
Applied Math and Statistics
INFORMS Analytics+ conference.
Priyanka Pradip More
Computer Engineering
Attendance at the Grace Hopper Celebration 2025.
Katie Mudd
IACS
Participation in Advanced Ceramics, to create ceramic visualizations of research results related to network structures.
Pau Ortells Faci
Psychology
A data science course on the practical application of supervised machine learning techniques to the study of psychological phenomena and big data.
Ashanti Palmer
Ecology and Evolution
Drone flight lessons.
Deanna Peperno
Cancer Center
Attendance at the annual Medical Science Liaison (MSL) Conference.
Sakshi Shah
Data Science
AWS Developer Associate certification training and exam.
Hashmath Shaik
Computer Engineering
Alif x Replit Hackathon, a fast paced innovation event where participants build and pitch working prototypes within a limited time.
Antonio Torlentino
Physiology and Biophysics
Wysebridge’s Patent Bar online study course.
Wangshu Wen
Chemistry
Registration and travel expenses for the Night Science Train-the-Trainer Workshop.
Hui Xu
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Attendance at the Agentic AI Summit hosted by Berkeley Center for Responsible Decentralized Intelligence.
Huyi Zhang
Marine Science
Enrollment in Coursera consulting course: Management Consulting Specialization.
Nicholas Anderson
Ecology and Evolution
Preparation and registration for the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Remote Pilots Certification.
Kate Blackwell
Ecology and Evolution
Participation in Physalia’s “Assembly and Annotation of Genomes” that provided hands-on training in de novo genome assembly and annotation along with opportunities to network with leaders in the field who are using genetics for conservation policy.
Lyanne Delgado
Public Health
Completion of a communication leadership course.
Xueting Deng
Mechanical Engineering
Registration for Robotics Software Engineering online course in Udacity.
Justin Dollman
Political Science
Attendance at EAGxCDMX 2025, an Effective Altruism conference focused on artificial intelligence (AI) safety.
Hafza Girdap
Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Attendance at the PJSA (Peace and Justice Studies Association) conference, forging critical alliances to advance gender and racial equity, justice, and lasting societal change.
Mayi Gnofam
Public Health
Registration for the US Institute of Diplomacy and Human Rights 2024 Gala, a professional event to network with other experts and activists dedicated to shaping the future of human rights.
Lichun He
Applied Mathematics and Statistics
Registration for Society of Actuaries (SOA) exam to expand career path in actuarial science.
Kamini Jain
Economics
Enrollment in a Coursera course on Python for Data Analytics.
Ming Suet (Isabelle) Kwan
Chemistry
Travel expenses to attend a pharmaceutical industry networking event.
Zhu Liang
Economics
Participation in the GitHub Certification Program, a comprehensive certification focused on coding proficiency and the application of general AI, tailored for Economics professionals and Data Science.
Kajol Patel
Sociology
Travel expenses to intern with the United Nations Operations and Crisis Centre’s Research & Liaison Unit at the Secretariat.
Brooke Peritore
Geosciences
Enrollment in the OSHA 40-Hour HAZWOPER Training course.
Mohammad Pourmatin
Technology, Policy, and Innovation
Tuition fees for the Data Science and Machine Learning: Making Data-Driven Decisions program by MIT IDSS.
Mariella Quispe-Carbajal
Biochemistry
Participation in a hands-on Rosetta software workshop to expand computational skills.
Micaela Ribeiro
Chemistry
Participation in a continuing education program, "Formulating with Pigmented Emulsions," offered by Society Cosmetic Chemists to enhance knowledge of specialty ingredients in the cosmetic industry.
Beatriz Solla Villas
Hispanic Languages and Literature
Develop memoir writing skills by participating in the course Endless Fluidity: Coming-of-Age Stories in Transgender Memoir.
Leela Sotsky
Chemical and Molecular Engineering
Professional development in process safety for industry roles.
Chamathka Thotamuna Wijewardhana
Physics
Travel to a conference focused on developing data science and analytics skills that translate across sectors.
Ran (Grace) Tian
Clinical Psychology
Skill development in multilingual project management and community engagement to advance health equity in immigrant populations.
Kangqiao Wen
Chemistry
Registration for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) level 2 certificate exam.
Lingshuang Wu
Biochemistry and Structural Biology
Enrollment in the NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC) program.
Zhezhen Yu
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Enrollment in Coursera machine learning specialization.
Miriam Ambrosino
Philosophy
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 supported Ambrosino's participation in the Embodied Social Justice Certificate program, an educational program focused on the intersections of social injustice, somatic practices, and theoretical models of trauma healing.
Clare Beatty
Clinical Psychology
PhD Works ACE Fall 2024 supported Clare’s registration for a course in Behavioral Design for Health Tech.
Vahid Danesh
College of Engineering and Applied Sciences-Mechanical Engineering
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 will support Danesh in enrolling in a comprehensive computer vision course on Udacity.
Gino Elia
Philosophy
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 supported Elia's travel and registration for the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA.
Amy Kahng
Art History
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 supported Kahng's curatorial preparation for her exhibition, Mis/Communication: Language and Power in Contemporary Art at the Dorsky Museum of Art.
Omar Lbadessi
Hispanic Languages & Literatures
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 supported Lbadessi's attendance in the "Preparation Program for Arabic Exams at the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas in Spain," aimed at equipping Arabic language educators with the essential skills for the Arabic Exams.
Jacob Martin
Political Science
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 supported Martin's registration for a Tableau training and certification course to expand his data visualization skills.
Nicolas Wiggenhauser
IDPAS
PhD Works ACE Spring 2024 supported Wiggenhauser's aims to continue perfecting his analytical and interviewing skills in the field of Life Sciences Consulting and expanding his professional network.
Botond Antal
Biomedical Engineering
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Botond’s participation in the AI in Healthcare & Pharma Summit, a two-day professional event focused on the vital role of AI in addressing healthcare needs.
Maede Boroji
Mechanical Engineering
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Maede’s registration for a Udacity course in Robotics Software Engineering.
Michelle Chen
Teaching English
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Michelle’s tuition and registration fees for the Stanford University Continuing Studies Live Online Course: NVL 37 — Write a Novel in 30 Days: No Critics, No Fear with Samina Ali.
Haoyan Fang
Materials Science & Engineering
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Haoyan’s registration fee for the CFA Institute’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) certificate exam.
Xiao Han
Genetics
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Xiao's registration for a Coursera course on how to use R to analyze basic single cell RNA, preparing her for a career as a data analyst in industry.
Omar Lbadessi
Hispanic Languages & Literatures
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Omar’s participation in an immersive course for teachers of Arabic as a foreign language in Morocco.
Mokhwa Lee
Applied Mathematics & Statistics
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Mokhwa’s registration and travel expenses for the NeurIPS Conference Career Fair.
Nikita Soni
Computer Science
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Nikita’s commuting expenses to Manhattan for her internship at Bloomberg.
Ellora Vilkin
Clinical Psychology
PhD Works ACE Fall 2023 supported Ellora’s course fee for an 8-week writing sprint workshop offered by Sackett Street Writers.
Farzana Z Ali
Biomedical Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Farzana’s enrollment in an online certification course on medical leadership and management to develop essential skills for her future role as a physician leader in a health center.
Timothy Alland
Mathematics
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Timothy's registration for a data science certification with a focus on data visualization and machine learning with Python.
Elise Armani
Art History and Criticism
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Elise’s enrollment in a month-long summer course on financial management for the arts.
Chuankai Chen
Genetics
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Chuankai’s registration in data analysis training, which prepared him to be a competitive candidate for pharmaceutical and biotech companies and a well-rounded entrepreneur.
Caitlin Duffy
English
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Caitlin’s membership in a professional editorial association, which will help her to build a network and develop editing skills through the society’s various members-only workshops and training sessions.
Katherine Kling
Anthropological Sciences
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Katherine’s participation in a workshop on science and nature writing for kids and teens that offered an opportunity to expand her science communication skills, work with published authors for young audiences, and gain exposure to the literary market.
Zahra Maleki Shahraki
Civil Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Zahra’s enrollment in a data science course to learn structured query language (SQL).
Morgan Manifacier
Music
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Morgan’s attendance to an intensive program focusing on the exploration of science-based vocal pedagogy and acoustics.
Jacob A. Martin
Political Science
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Jacob’s registration to a virtual workshop on responsive survey design and survey research techniques.
Samia Mohammed
Molecular and Cellular Biology
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Samia’s registration to a virtual biotech course focusing on transitioning to jobs in the pharmaceutical industry.
Ramon Dillon Perez
Microbiology and Immunology
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Ramon’s registration to an online certification training program in the fundamentals of equity research in order to expand his skillset to pursue a career as an equity research analyst focusing on the biotechnological and pharmaceutical sectors.
Charuta Pethe
Computer Science
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Charuta’s travel expenses to intern for Facebook in Seattle. She learned up-to-date best practices to develop and implement scalable machine learning models, which has helped her diversify her knowledge in diverse computing applications.
Genesis Renderos
Chemistry
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Genesis’s registration to the Cheeky Scientist Interdisciplinary PhD Guild. She is taking advantage of this membership by getting information about transitioning into a variety of industry careers, developing and improving transferable skills, and networking with a variety of professionals and peers alike.
Xiaoqiang Xu
Mechanical Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Xiaoqiang’s registration to an online training program aimed at strengthening his knowledge and skills on data structures and algorithms, thus paving the way for his future career development as a data scientist.
Erika Deppenschmidt
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Erika’s access to an online platform offering her knowledge in consulting practices, interview preparation, and resume bootcamps to assist her in a successful and efficient transition from academia to life sciences consulting upon graduation.
Gaurav Guleria
Mechanical Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Gaurav’s registration to an online course on computer vision and deep learning used by self-driving cars, which allowed him to gain skills to transition to the automotive industry.
Vamiq Mustahsan
Mechanical Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Vamiq’s certification in autonomous driving that will help him develop skills in Computer Vision, Control theory, Artificial Neural Networks, and Machine Learning to develop a self-driving car application.
Nicolás G. Wiggenhauser
Anthropological Sciences
PhD Works ACE 2021 supported Nicolas’s training to apply useful knowledge and gather concrete programming experience in Python.
Bruno De Carvalho
Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Bruno’s enrollment in an association that facilitates the transition from academia to management consulting jobs, a training that is relevant to prepare for business case interviews in his capacity as the president of the SBU Consulting Club.
Lindsey Pelucacci
English
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Lindsey’s participation in an online course on documentary filmmaking and social activism.
Caleb Ward
Philosophy
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Caleb's membership in a publishing and editorial association, which allowed him to gain contacts in the field of publishing and develop his skills as a copyeditor through online, members-only workshops.
Yun Zhang
Public Health
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Yun's enrollment in a live online SQL Bootcamp, a three-day training program that covers beginner, intermediate and advanced levels of SQL knowledge.
Julie Bettke
Molecular and Cellular Biology
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Julie’s enrollment in an online certification course on Writing in the Sciences to expand her skillset to pursue a career in science writing and editing.
Daniene Byrne
Technology, Policy, and Innovation
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Daniene's registration for a Regulatory Group training, which provide her with foundational experiences including exposure to real world regulatory challenges and the guidance and techniques that future rulemakers must understand to operate effectively.
Zoey Shu-Yi Chu
Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Zoey's enrollment in an online Japanese proficiency workshop to prepare for the JLPT certificate, diversify her language skills, and open up career options in the international relations field related to public policies, transnational diplomacy, and global social work.
Jay Deitcher
Creative Writing and Literature
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Jay's registration to an eight-week online course on Building a Writing Career on the Internet that teaches how to build a writer's platform, find their audience, stay organized, promote their brand, and work with editors.
Emily Gillcrist
Cultural Analysis and Theory
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Emily's participation in two months of one-on-one feedback sessions about her artwork and guidance for her professional practices through NYC Crit Club's Independent Study Program.
Vaughn Greene
Biomedical Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Vaughn's participation in 3D bioprinting projects at the Feinstein Institute at Northwell Health.
Sheed Itaman
Neurobiology and Behavior
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Sheed's registration to a New York Academy of Sciences course on how molecular modeling tools are used to aid in drug discovery and design.
John Klecker
Chemistry
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported John's attendance to the 2020 Science Alliance Leadership Training, a 5-day program organized by New York Academy of Science that provides the opportunity to develop leadership, communication and management skills and connect with a robust network.
Michael Lenmark
Sociology
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Michael's registration to a virtual workshop on innovative techniques in Responsive Survey Design offered by the University of Michigan's Summer Institute in Survey Research Techniques.
Sergey Madaminov
Computer Science
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Sergey's access to a platform to gain knowledge in managing software development processes and improve his skills operating in a cloud environment.
Valeria Montoya
Microbiology and Immunology
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Valeria's registration to an online specialization course on data science using R offered by Johns Hopkins University.
Shrish Patel
Materials Science and Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Shrish's attendance to the 2020 Science Alliance Leadership Training, a 5-day program organized by New York Academy of Science that provides the opportunity to develop leadership, communication and management skills and connect with a robust network.
Shen Tu
Geosciences
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Shen's registration to a certification in applied data science with python focusing on data cleaning, data mining and visualization.
Feng Zhang
Materials Science and Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2020 supported Feng's attendance to the 2020 Science Alliance Leadership Training, a 5-day program organized by New York Academy of Science that provides the opportunity to develop leadership, communication and management skills and connect with a robust network.
Xiaoqing Zhang
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
PhD Works ACE 2020 partially supported Xiaoqing's participation in an online data bootcamp that helped her master the most relevant advanced data analysis skills to further strengthen her career profile.
Ignacio Arellano Torres
Department of Hispanic Languages and Literature
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Ignacio's professional certification in English-Spanish Translation, which is preparing him for a possible future outside academia.
Nabil Haque
PhD in Technology, Policy and Innovation, Department of Technology and Society
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Nabil's enrollment in an online certificate course on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory, offered by the GHG Management Institute, to broaden his career options in the policy field as well as the corporate sustainability sector.
Chaudhry Raza Hassan
Department of Biomedical Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Chaudhry's membership fee to join the Regulatory Affairs Professionals (RAP) and get preparation for the medical device regulatory affairs certification exam.
Yi Yang
Department of Chemistry
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Yi's enrollment in an online specialization on Data Science, so she can gain fundamental knowledge of data science and databases, and learn new programming languages to analyze data and solve problems.
Yun Zhang
PhD in Population Health and Clinical Outcomes Research, Program in Public Health
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Yun's participation in a workshop for job hunting and career advancement, which offered her strategies in career networking and individual professional branding.
Fernando Amador II
Department of History
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported the travel expenses for Fernando's internship at the Reinvestment Fund, an organization aimed at helping low-income neighborhoods, as a spatial and policy research assistant.
Alex Borowicz
Department of Ecology and Evolution
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Alex's participation at the KDD19 Workshop on Data Mining and AI for Conservation. This event brings together conservation scientists, non-profits, and data scientists to build collaborations and learn new techniques.
Arielle Bryan
Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Arielle's attendance to the Scientista Symposium. This event is geared toward early career women in STEM fields and allows for networking with top recruiters and cultivation of a professional network, which can create the foundation for a successful career.
Laraib Iqbal Malik
Department of Computer Science
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Laraib's travel expenses to participate in a summer internship in computational biology at Genentech, a major biotechnology corporation.
Renee Schofield
Department of Geosciences
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Renee's certification course in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). This certification will improve her teaching abilities and communication efficiency
Stephanie Taboada
Department of Chemical and Molecular Engineering
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported the cost of Stephanie's attendance to the Women in STEM Leadership Program. This program equips current and future women in STEM with practical tools and connections, so they can unlock their potential and take charge of their career in industry.
Malwina Tuman
Department of Psychology
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Malwina's enrollment in Cheeky Scientist, an association that promotes transition from academia to industry jobs for Ph.D. recipients
Abigail Tyrell
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Abigail's attendance to a week-long Geographic Information Systems bootcamp. The bootcamp focuses on mapping technology, which will make participants competitive applicant for environmental conservation jobs.
Shiyu Yue
Department of Chemistry
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported Shiyu's registration to the Chartered Financial Analyst exam, Level II, in order to gain financial knowledge and connect scientific research with real commercialization.
Xiaoqing Zhang
School of Health Technology and Management
PhD Works ACE 2019 supported part of the lodging costs for Xiaoqing's internship with the Stony Brook’s Office of Federal Relations in Washington DC.