Awards
Arnold Kent Balls Award
This award was established in 1969 to honor the memory of Professor A.K. Balls (1891-1966) whose scientific achievements and personal virtues have made biochemistry a richer discipline.
Eligibility:
Application criteria:
A current C.V. (including a complete list of publications, with journal impact factor and your role in the study)
An electronic copy of each published paper or submitted manuscript (if not yet published)
A one-page narrative describing the significance of your scientific contributions to your field and to the broader scientific community.
All documents combined into one pdf and uploaded here: AK Balls Upload
If selected:
Cash award
Student name engraved on plaque in BCHM 101
Recipient may be asked to present a talk at the BCHM research retreat in August
Recognition at BCHM Award Reception
A.K. Balls Award Recipients
- 2020 - Emma Lendy
- 2019 - Candy Mao
- 2018 - (Cindy) Zheng Xing
- 2017 - Chen Shao
Established in 2006 from the Beach Family Endowment. The award is given twice a year to a graduate student to help defray the costs of attending a scientific meeting.
Eligibility:
All BCHM graduate students (regardless of program affiliation)
Student must present research at a national meeting
Past winners may apply more than once. Higher priority will be given to applicants who have submitted or published papers since coming to Purdue and students who have passed their preliminary exam.
Application criteria:
Cover page located here: Beach Cover Page
Application approval by major professor
An essay of 200 words or less explaining the significance of your work to the participants of this conference and the goals you hope to achieve by attending the meeting
The meeting abstract including all authors in the official order
A current C.V. (not the annual graduate student progress report)
All documents combined into one pdf and uploaded here: Beach Travel Upload
If selected:
Beach Travel Award Recipients
- 2020 - Trevor Boram, Srishti Chakravorty
- 2019 - Allison Norvil, Emma Lendy
- 2018 - Erin Sorlien, Elia Farah
- 2017 - Cindy Xing, Ricky Wang, Funmilayo Adebesin
Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship
The College of Agriculture in conjunction with the Graduate School provides Bilsland Dissertation Fellowships to assist graduate students who are within the final year of completing their Ph.D. degree.
Eligibility:
BCHM grad student whose research has resulted in scholarly contributions to their respective fields in the form of one or more publications or manuscripts in press
BCHM graduate student within 12 months of completion of program
Application criteria:
Cover sheet located here: Bilsland Cover Page
Purdue graduate transcript
Current formal C.V. (not your progress report) that includes research publications, teaching activities (formal and informal), service and leadership, honors and awards and a short summary of research progress (250-300 words)
A brief statement addressing the need for the award.
Nomination letter from your major professor addressing your academic and scholarly achievements:Include an explanation for any U and/or I grade received, student’s performance over the duration of their grad career, student’s potential, need for the funding and indicate that student will attain degree at the end of the fellowship period
All documents combined into one pdf and uploaded here: Bilsland Upload
If selected:
The award provides funds for graduate support to be used in fall, spring or summer semesters
Recognition at BCHM Award Reception
Bisland Award Recipients
- 2020 - Eliana Torres-Zelada
- 2019 - Lee Stunkard & Fabiola Villanueva
- 2018 - Erin Sorlien
- 2017 - Chris Petell, Nina Serratore
Don Carlson Award
This award was established in 2011 and is made annually to a postdoctoral fellow, research associate or staff scientist who has recently made a significant contribution to a laboratory.
Eligibility:
All postdoctoral fellows, research associates, and staff scientists including Academic Professional staff
Contributions to scientific research papers can only be considered once a manuscript has been accepted for publication by a peer-reviewed journal.
Factors that will be taken into account when selecting an awardee based upon authorship of a paper will include to what extent the nominee has contributed to the work and how significant the findings of the paper are to the field of scientific study.
Additional factors that will be taken into account when selecting an awardee will include
1) evidence of impact of mentoring of grad/undergraduate students who contribute to a manuscript/poster
2) contribution to the instructional mission of the department
3) service to the department
Application criteria:
Letter of recommendation
A current C.V.
Supporting material (papers, abstracts, reports, manuscripts, etc)
All documents combined into one pdf and uploaded here: Don Carlson Upload
If selected:
Don Carlson Award Recipients
- 2020 - Iskander Ibrahim
- 2019 - Hana Hall
- 2018 - Joe Lynch
- 2017 - Jie Li
Established in 2008 by Dr. Bradley Sheares and his wife Adrienne Simmons to honor fellow Purdue Department of Biochemistry alumnus Dr. Henry Moses for his contributions to research, education and service. This award is given annually to a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry based on a scientific paper that the applicant has authored that demonstrates his/her productivity and excellence in scientific research.
Eligibility:
1) how early the student has published the paper during his/her doctoral training
2) to what extent the student has contributed to the work
3) how significant the findings of the paper are to the specific field of scientific study and to society at large
The basis of this award is to recognize a student for an early publication. Therefore, strong preference will be given to students who have published a paper in the early stages of their graduate careers and are first or co-first author.
It is expected that a student submit an application within one year following the date that a paper becomes eligible.
Once a student has been given this award, they are no longer eligible to apply. However, a student who submitted an application, but was not awarded may reapply once (the following year) with the same publication.
Please note that a student entering a nomination for the Henry Moses Award cannot be considered for the A.K. Balls award simultaneously. In addition, a student previously awarded the Balls Award will not be eligible for the Moses Award. Awards will only be given in years when a suitable applicant is identified.
Application criteria:
Copy of the published paper or paper in press
A current C.V. (not the annual graduate student progress report)
One-page statement that documents your contribution to the work as well as the significance of the findings. (In this statement, you should be certain to indicate your degree of involvement in the design of experiments, in the production of reagents and materials, in the generation of data used to produce the figures and tables, in the analysis of the data and in the writing of the manuscript.)
Please also include whether or not you have previously applied, but not received the award
All documents combined into one pdf and uploaded here: Henry Moses Upload
If selected:
Cash award
Student name engraved on plaque in BCHM 101
Recipient may be asked to present a talk at the research retreat in August
Recognition at BCHM Award Reception
Henry Moses Award Recipients
- 2020 - Steven McKenzie
- 2019 - Melaku Garsamo
- 2018 - Fengyi Mao
- 2017 - Allison Norvil
Outstanding TA (Teaching Academy Graduate Teaching Award)
This award honors graduate students with teaching responsibilities from across campus for their dedication to Purdue students and their outstanding teaching contributions. Recipients are selected by each academic department for their commitment to undergraduate education. Departments may select one recipient for every 50 graduate teaching assistants they support. The Graduate Teaching Award is sponsored by the Teaching Academy and the Office of the Provost and is given annually to recognize a student’s outstanding performance as a teaching assistant.
Applications criteria:
The selection process for the Teaching Academy Graduate Teaching Award occurs at the departmental level. The specific number of departmental awardees is based upon the number of graduate teaching appointments (TA) within a department. Each department selects its awardee(s) according to its own departmental procedures.
Outstanding TA Recipients
- 2021 - Rui (Gary) Gan
- 2020 - Trevor Boram
- 2019 - Kortany Baker
- 2018 - No winner
- 2017 - Tiffany Young
- 2016 - Nina Serratore
Ross-Lynn Research Scholar Fund (Former PRF Reasearch Grant)
The College of Agriculture in conjunction with the Office of the Vice President for Research provides the Purdue Research Foundation (PRF) Research Grant to the Department of Biochemistry. For each grant, successful candidates will have shown excellence in research. The primary criterion for the one (1) PRF Award allotted to the Department of Biochemistry will be that candidates will have shown excellence in research. The evaluation of research excellence will include the quantity and quality of published work the applicant’s role in published research and the quality of scholarship demonstrated in the written application. In close decisions, preference will be given to students who have also demonstrated a commitment to the Department of Biochemistry through service such as serving as a departmental teaching assistant.
Eligibility:
Graduate students who are appointed as a PRF Research Assistant must be in good standing (minimum GPA=3.0) and be actively working on their Ph. D. research (e.g. registered for credit in a departmental 699 graduate research course) and have passed their prelim. The PRF Research Grant is established with an initial June 1 - May 31 project period. An alternate start date can be requested, but it may not be earlier than June 1 and no later than September 1.
Application criteria:
Cover sheet located here: Ross-Lynn Research Scholar Fund Cover Page
A current C.V. (not the annual grad student progress report)
A one page statement of teaching philosophy that describes your teaching experience as well as your strategies for effectively engaging students in learning. (This is optional for the award based only on research.)
A one page research statement that briefly details your research accomplishments to date and what you plan to accomplish during the one year period of this award. As part of this statement, the significance of the research should be addressed. If you were previously awarded a PRF, please indicate what was accomplished during the last award period.
A statement of whether or not you have applied for a PRF (or SIRG) through any other department.
Documents should have 1in margins/Arial 12pt font and be combined in one pdf and uploaded here: Ross-Lynn Upload
If selected:
Each grant is a 7-month award that provides the salary for a grad student and funds to cover fringe benefits. The student who receives a grant will receive a remission of all tuition and fees except for the grad appointment and the repair & rehabilitation fees. The student is also eligible to participate in the grad staff insurance program.
Recognition at BCHM Award Reception
PRF Award Recipients
- 2020 - Emma Lendy
- 2019 - Eliana Torres-Zelada
- 2018 - Ruixin Wang
- 2017 - Erin Sorlien
Weiner Travel Award
Established in 2012 from the Weiner Family Endowment. The award is given twice a year to a graduate student to help defray the costs of attending a scientific meeting.
Eligibility:
All BCHM graduate students (regardless of program affiliation) and BCHM Postdocs
Student must present research at a national or international meeting either as an oral presentation or poster
Past winners may apply
Higher priority will be given to applicants who have submitted or published papers since coming to Purdue and students who have passed their preliminary exam. Applicants who have not fulfilled these criteria are welcome to apply and could be selected depending upon the depth of the applicant pool.
Application criteria:
Cover page located here: Weiner Cover Page
Application approval by major professor
An essay of 200 words or less explaining the significance of your work to the participants of this conference and the goals you hope to achieve by attending the meeting
The meeting abstract including all authors in the official order
A current C.V. (not the annual graduate student progress report)
All documents combined into one pdf and uploaded here: Weiner Travel Upload
If selected:
Weiner Travel Award Recipients
- 2020 - Kortany Baker, Saleem Dar
- 2019 - Candy Mao, Lee Stunkard
- 2018 - Benoit Boachon, Funmilayo Adebesin
- 2017 - Rachel Stegeman, Chuan-Chih Hsu