Accolades is an occasional News Center feature that highlights recent accomplishments of UT Dallas faculty and students. To submit items for consideration, contact your school’s communication manager.
Budding Scientist Receives Sarber Award from Microbiology Society
Karthik Hullahalli
Karthik Hullahalli, a senior in biological sciences, has received a Raymond W. Sarber Award from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).
The annual award, given to one undergraduate and one graduate student nationwide, recognizes students’ research excellence and potential.
“The Sarber award is extremely prestigious and competitive, and many past winners have gone on to have successful independent careers,” said Dr. Stephen Spiro, head of the biological sciences department and C.L. and Amelia A. Lundell Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences.
Hullahalli has been conducting research on antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria since his senior year of high school, and he has participated in the Anson L. Clark Summer Research Program as both an incoming freshman and a peer advisor. His recent research with mentor Dr. Kelli Palmer, assistant professor of biological sciences, has focused on engineering novel strategies to eliminate antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including “rewiring” bacterial immune systems.
In summer 2016, Hullahalli was an undergraduate researcher in the Amgen Scholars Program at the University of California, Berkeley, where he helped develop small microchips filled with fluid, which could eventually be used to discover new antibiotics. In May 2016, he earned a scholarship from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, a national honor that supports students who want to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering.
“Karthik is an exceptional young scientist with immense potential to make transformative discoveries,” Palmer said. “I congratulate him on receiving the Sarber award and look forward to his future successes.”
The ASM is the largest single life science professional society, with more than 50,000 members worldwide.
Public Affairs Grad Student Named NASPAA Emerging Scholar
Rashmi Chordiya
Rashmi Chordiya, a public affairs PhD candidate, has been selected as a 2017 Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Emerging Scholar.
NASPAA will present the award, which includes a cash prize, on Thursday, Oct. 12, at its annual conference in Washington. Chordiya will have the opportunity to give a 10-minute presentation about her research as part of a panel discussion.
“This award comes as no surprise to me; Rashmi has already shown great dedication to the profession through her research, teaching and service,” said Dr. Meghna Sabharwal, Chordiya’s PhD advisor, and associate professor of public and nonprofit management. “I am confident she will continue to make meaningful contributions to the field of public administration.”
Chordiya expects to receive her PhD in 2018 from the Public and Nonprofit Management program in the School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences. Her research focuses on studying public administration and management issues from a cross-national comparative perspective.
“I’m quite excited about the award,” Chordiya said. “This will be a wonderful opportunity to showcase and discuss my research with senior scholars in the field of public affairs, policy and administration.”