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PhD student Ryan Martinez and Assistant Professor Jake Brunkard have received the prestigious Gilliam Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI).
The HHMI Gilliam Fellows program supports pairs of graduate students and their dissertation advisors who are committed to building healthy academic ecosystems. The Gilliam program also seeks to ensure that students from groups that are historically underrepresented in science are prepared to be leaders in research and science education, and PhD students are selected as fellows based on their potential for scientific leadership.
Brunkard’s Genetics lab investigates how plant cells monitor their nutrient availability. As 2023 Gilliam fellows, Martinez and Brunkard will join a cohort engaged in outstanding scientific research and leadership. Student fellows attend the Gilliam Annual Meeting and participate in HHMI leadership training. Advisors named to the fellowship also participate in a year-long course on culturally aware mentorship.