The Undergraduate Research Mentor Award recognizes faculty, postdoc, and graduate student mentors who support undergraduate students in having enriching research experiences. Organized by the Office of Undergraduate Research Scholars, this award provides an avenue for undergraduate students to recognize and nominate their outstanding research mentors.
Eligibility
- Any Mines faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students mentoring undergraduate students on a research projects are eligible to be nominated for the Undergraduate Research Mentor Award.
- Undergraduate students at Mines are eligible to submit nominations. Students can submit group nominations by including a list of additional nominators/contributors on the form.
Timeline
Nominations are closed for the 2025 Undergraduate Research Scholars Mentor Award.
Awardees receive a celebratory plaque and are recognized at the Undergraduate Research Symposium in April.
Prepare a Nomination
Explain how your mentor has excelled in the following:
- Training and Professional Development (200 word maximum)
- Ongoing Support (200 word maximum)
- Evaluation and Feedback (200 word maximum)
- Impact on Learning and Development (200 word maximum)
2025 Recipients
Faculty awardees
Bia Villas Bôas
Assistant Professor, Geophysics
“Dr. Villas Bôas has had a profound impact on my personal and professional development. [Her] commitment to provide opportunities to learn new and valuable skills is unparalleled. This commitment to personal, career, and academic development is inspiring, and its impacts on my own life will be felt for years to come. ”
Eve Mozur
Assistant Professor, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
“Dr. Mozur’s mentorship has transformed me academically, professionally, and personally. Under her guidance, I’ve developed into a confident researcher capable of solving complex synthesis problems and effectively communicating research to diverse audiences. This comprehensive support system has been fundamental to my success as an emerging researcher. ”
Tom Williams
Associate Professor, Computer Science
“Dr. Williams prioritizes [students’ professional development] and genuinely cares that his students gain value from their research experience and better define their future trajectories. [He] has consistently provided me with opportunities to develop new skills, work on new projects, and grow as a researcher. ”
Kamil Ciesielski
Research Assistant Professor, Physics
“Dr Ciesielski has been an integral part of my development as an aspiring researcher. His passion for discovery is contagious. He is passionate about mentoring students and has fostered a supportive learning environment. His ongoing support empowers us to develop our research skills, have continuous curiosity, and prepare us for future academic and professional aspirations!”
Graduate Student Awardees
Lauren Cisneros
Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering
“I have without a doubt learned a lot of through undergraduate research, but [Lauren’s mentorship] has caused me to develop personally and professionally the most. There have been multiple times where my research has progressed greatly due to her feedback. She is extremely dedicated to making sure that I am successful within the lab. ”
Adam Humpal
Graduate Student, Materials Science
“Adam has profoundly shaped my perception of research, self-confidence, and curiosity by fostering an encouraging and supportive environment. His ability to break down any complex idea into digestible yet thorough explanations, along with his genuine love for what he does, makes learning not only effective but exciting and memorable. ”
Adrian Mendonsa
Graduate Student, Chemical and Biological Engineering
“Adrian’s mentorship has had a profound impact on my personal, academic, and professional growth. He has made the lab a place where I feel supported, valued, and excited to learn. His dedication to my learning has not only helped me succeed in the lab but has also given me the confidence and desire to pursue research in my career. I am incredibly grateful for his mentorship. ”
2024 Recipients
faculty awardees
terry lowe
Research Professor, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
“Dr. Lowe has had a profound impact on my personal, professional, and academic life. He brought me on to his team as a first-year student and provided many opportunities for me to develop new skills and perform research. My self-confidence, ability to present findings, and competency in materials science have increased greatly since joining his research team.”
eileen martin
Assistant Professor, Geophysics and Applied Mathematics and Statistics
“The support [Dr. Martin] has offered has been instrumental in instilling confidence as I approach graduation, equipping me with a myriad of both soft and hard skills that I will carry with me throughout my career. Dr. Martin’s mentorship exemplifies the profound impact that a dedicated mentor can have on a student’s academic journey, and I am incredibly grateful to have her support as I strive to achieve my academic goals.”
scott strong
Teaching Professor, Applied Mathematics and Statistics
“I’m really grateful my first research experience was with Dr. Strong because he made it clear from the beginning that it’s okay and normal to struggle and feel like I’m not making progress for periods of time while doing research. I’ve gained confidence from this experience and I’ve grown as an independent learner.”
2024 postdoc Awardee
shilai Hao
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Civil & Environmental Engineering
“Working with Shilai has blown my expectations out of the water with respect to how much I have learned from working with him. Shilai is constantly teaching me new topics and laboratory procedures while continuously offering me the opportunity to learn about and participate in additional projects.It is always clear to me that Shilai’s goals for me are for me to learn as much as possible while working with him.”
Graduate Student Awardees
JULIA HYLTON
Graduate Student, Materials Science
“The amount of relevant research skills in the realm of analysis, technical writing, and career development I have learned from [Julia] has built a foundation of confidence for me to build a path of my own. Her enthusiasm keeps me excited and inspired to keep going with my work, even at times where work can seem slow or ineffective.”
molly o'halloran
Graduate Student, Geology
“Molly enjoys what she does and her enthusiasm is contagious. She assumes that everyone is capable of learning. Deciding to go into geosciences is something I joked about for a while, but Molly took me seriously, constantly encouraging me to push myself toward my goals. I would never have envisioned myself successfully doing the work I did during SURF, but with the guidance of Molly, I was pushed out of my comfort zone and built an entirely new skillset.”
elliese wright
Graduate Student, Civil & environmental engineering
“Elliese excels at teaching and has been essential to my ability to learn the systems in place. I am given the freedom to pursue excellence and the assistance to achieve it. I would be lost in the research world if not for Elliese and I feel empowered as a woman in STEM and research because of her incredible mentorship.”