2025 BESE Student Award Winners

29 May, 2025

The BESE Division is proud to announce the recipients of the first BESE Student Achievement Awards. Following a competitive review process, graduate students were recognized for their outstanding contributions. These awards highlight the strength of their research, leadership, and professional achievement.

Congratulations to the 2025 award recipients:

Best Research Publication Awards
Recognizing high-impact, peer-reviewed research:

  • Andrea Gonzalez Munoz and Emile Cavalet-Giorsa
    “Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome”
  • Ammar Dan Azumi
    “Structural dynamics of DNA unwinding by a replicative helicase”
  • Huawen Zhong
    “Benchmarking cross-species single-cell RNA-seq data integration methods: Towards a cell type tree of life”
  • Abdullah Bu Khamsin
    “In Vivo Dynamics of Indole and Phenol Derived Plant Hormones: Long-term, Continuous, and Minimally Invasive Phytohormone Sensor”
Best Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration Award
  • Shahad Alotaiby
    Co-developed a redox-responsive nanocarrier for targeted drug delivery and imaging

Patent, Start-up, Impact and Innovation Award

  • Ahmed Ghouneimy
    For co-founding Optima Biosciences, a startup advancing decentralized CRISPR-based diagnostics
Outstanding Professional Development and Career Achievement Award
  • Lila Aldakheel
    Recognized for environmental microbiology research and international science outreach
Excellence in Graduate Student Leadership Awards
  • Damaris Alvarez Sosa
    Recognized for leadership and positive impact across the BESE community
  • Azari Bantan
    Demonstrated exceptional engagement in program and community initiatives
  • Alexandra Rodriguez Cardenas
    Celebrated for advancing collaboration and student representation within BESE
Directed Research Poster Awards
Recognizing originality, clarity, and research excellence:
  • Manal Alshamrani, Bioengineering
  • Yazeed Alroogi, Bioengineering
  • Juan Rosas Cabrera, Bioscience
  • Zhehao Zhang, Bioscience
  • Fatima Muhammad Fahim, Environmental Science and Engineering 
  • Xianglan Wen, Environmental Science and Engineering 
  • Xinghui Ma, Plant Science
  • Rim Masri, Plant Science

These students exemplify the creativity, rigor, and impact that define the BESE community. We’re proud to celebrate their achievements and the spirit of discovery that drives the BESE Division forward.