The department of pharmaceutical outcomes and policy has one of the longest standing graduate programs in pharmacoepidemiology. Training in the department focuses on developing students for success in critical scientific skills including research, leadership, and service. To acknowledge those students who display these qualities and who should be role models to their peers, POP faculty has instituted two new annual awards. For 2018, Ghadeer Dawwas, Ph.D. and Xinyi “Rose” Jiang, M.S. were recognized.
Dawwas received the “POP Graduate Student Publication Award” meant to recognize a graduate student who has displayed excellence in a single peer-reviewed article or a body of scientific work. Students competitively applied for the award by submitting their top articles and a description of why the work is deserving of the award. Dawwas submitted three articles for consideration for this award, which were all first-authored publications by Dawwas and published in high impact, clinically-focused journals such as Lancet Haematology. Dawwas specifically mentioned how the publishing process helped her critical thinking and writing skills and her overall growth as a scientist.
The faculty also envisioned the “Leadership Service Award,” or the “POP Star” award for a student who displays a passion for the department, for research, is a leader, and an overall good citizen. This award was selected by nomination by faculty and Xinyi was the unanimous choice. Xinyi was noted as being a positive influence in POP who always volunteers for events and is a student leader in scientific societies all the while maintaining excellence in her research as well.
Ghadeer and Xinyi were recognized during a reception with individual trophies, a $1,000 monetary award, and will be distinguished on a permanent plaque in the graduate student offices. Both students are mentored by Haesuk Park, Ph.D. and were presented their awards by Joshua Brown, Pharm.D., Ph.D., M.S.