Grad Student Awards

Robert H. Whittaker Award

The Robert H. Whittaker Award is given for the best oral presentation by a Cornell graduate student at the Graduate Student Association Symposium.

2025Jackson Phillips
2024Jackson Phillips
2023Ethan Duvall
2022David Frey
2021Tim Lambert
2020Olivia Graham
2019Maria Akopyan
2018Mia Howard
2017Henry Kunerth
Erin I. Larson
2016Cornelia Twining
2015Fiona Soper
2014Lauren D. Snyder
Allison M. Tracy
2013Nicholas A. Mason
2012Renee Petipas
2011Joseph L. Simonis
2010Erica L. Larson
Susan C. Cook
Cayelan C. Carey
2009Amanda N. Cass
2008Andrea K. Townsend
2007Julie C. Pett-Ridge
Dena M. Vallano
2006Charles J. Donlan, III
2005Peter B. McIntyre
Daniel K. Riskin
2004Mark Vellend
2003Richard P. Phillips
2002David A. Moeller
2001Peter M. Buston
2000David M. Post
1999Maydianne Andrade
Cami L. Holtmeier
1998Ruth A. Hufbauer
David A. Lytle
1997Michelle M. McClure
1996Corey R. Freeman-Gallant
William V. Sobczak
1995Carla E. Caceres
Laura A. Katz
1994Jordan M. West
1993David G. Haskell
1992Ulrich G. Mueller
Marion R. Preest
1991Karen J. McGlathery
Gretchen A. Meyer
1990Thomas M. Boyce
Christopher G. Murphy
1989Carol K. Yoon
1988Rebecca L. Schneider
Peter H. Wimberger
1987Carol C. Loeffler
Nathan L. Stephenson
1986Jeffrey K. Conner
1985Naomi R. Cappuccino
1984Catherine L. Craig
A. Johannus Damman
1983Lee Anne Martinez
1982Robert C. Lacy
Janet Wright

EEB Book Award

The Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Book Award is for the best paper given by an EEB Department/Field beginning (first- or second-year) graduate student at the Graduate Student Symposium.

2025Rachael Shippee
2024Moey Rojas
2023Sarah Arnold
Hannah Monti
2022Mario Molina
Cameron Coles
2021

Xuening Zhang

Kelley Slimon

Marie Ramirez

2020Xuening Zhang
2019Marisol Valverde
Megan Barkdull
2018Amelia-Juliette Demery
2017Maria Akopyan
Kara Andres
2016Tram Nguyen
2015Natlie R. Hofmeister
2014Elissa M. Goud
2013Michelle Y. Wong
2012Justin Proctor
Nicholas Mason
2011Renee Petipas
Benjamin G. Freeman
2010Marjorie G. Weber
2008Susan C. Cook
2006David J. Cerasale
2005Carmody K. McCalley
2004James T. Mandel
2003James R. Walters
2002Jeanne Robertson
2001Robert Harris
2000Peter B. McIntyre
1999Jennifer A. Fox
1998Daniel R. Ardia

Cole Award

The Cole Award is given for an outstanding paper by a graduate student of a Department faculty member or joint appointee. The paper must have been published or accepted for publication and be the result of research conducted while a student at Cornell. 

2025Bryce Robinson
2024Ethan Bass
2023Ethan Bass
2022Anyi Mazo-Vargas
2021

Xuening Zhang

Kelley Slimon

Marie Ramirez

2019

Marisol Valverde

Megan Barkdull

2018Anyi Mazo-Vargas
2017Cornelia W. Twining
2015C. Guilherme Becker
2014Benjamin G. Freeman
Joseph L. Simonis
2013Marjorie G. Weber
2011Anna E. Savage
2010Robert Quinn Thomas
2009Carmody K. McCalley
2008Daniel L. Rabosky
Catherine E. Wagner
2007Kathryn M. Flinn
Peter B. McIntyre
2006Dana M. Hawley
2005Shannon M. Murphy
2004Rebecca J. Safran
2003Mark Vellend
2002Andrew G. Zink
2001David M. Post
2000Nathan R. Lovejoy
1998Carla E. Caceres
1995Andrew V. Z. Brower
1994Gretchen A. Meyer
1992Benjamin B. Normark
1991Nathan L. Stephenson
Peter H. Wimberger
1990Thomas M. Boyce
1989Bart T. De Stasio, Jr.
1986R. Paul Detwiler
1985Donald H. Rhodes
1984Matthew A. Parker
1983Peter M. Kareiva
1979Mark D. Rausher
Stephen R. Sabo

CALS Graduate Teaching Assistant Award

The Department annually nominates one of its graduate students to receive an Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in recognition of superior teaching performance. Many EEB students win this prestigious award for their teaching performance in the Core Biology courses as well.

2025Kaci Zarek
2024Camille Blevins
2023Sudan Kariuki
Shirley Zhang
2022Young Ha Suh
2021Jonathan Hughes
Rachel Wilkins
Joseph Ruesch
2020Katherine Eisen
Dave Frey
Katherine Haviland
2019Caitlin McDonald
2018Katherine Siranni
2017Hidetoshi Inamine
2016Samuel Chamberlain
2015Christopher Dalton
2014Rayna C. Bell
2013Sarah M. Collins
2012Amanda N. Cass
2011Benjamin H. Hamilton
2010Catherine E. Wagner
2009Valentina Ferretti
2008Jesse L. Bellemare
2007J. Jesus Sigala-Rodriguez
2006Luana S. Maroja
2005Brian C. Barringer
2004Jennifer A. Fox
2003Rebecca J. Safran
2002David A. Moeller
2001Elias J. Kontanis
2000Timothy G. Carr
1999Cami L. Holtmeier
1998Anne W. Stork
1997James A. Wise, Jr.
1996Cynthia A. Wilczak
1995David G. Haskell
1994Karen Z. Reiss
1993Merrill A. Peterson
1992Rob Roy Ramey II
1991Timothy E. Crews
1990Karen J. McGlathery
1989Curtis C. Bohlen
1988Stephen A. Hauptman
1987Risa H. Rosenberg
1986David S. Gill
1985Daniel R. Gray III
1984Larry A. Greenberg
1983David F. Mitchell
1982Harold J. Weeks
1981Charles D. Canham
1980Janet Wright

University Excellence in Teaching Award

The Department nominates TAs for several competitive teaching awards administered by the College of Arts and Sciences. In addition, Cornell’s Center for Teaching Innovation awards just two Cornelia Ye Awards each year to recognize TAs who have demonstrated dedication and excellence in their teaching responsibilities.

2023 Kelley Slimon Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award
2021 Olivia Graham Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award
2020 Elizabeth Lombardi Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award
2019 Henry Kunerth Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award
2018 Stepfanie Aguillon Cornelia Ye Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
2017 Nicholas Fletcher Cornelia Ye Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award; Deanne Gebell Gitner ’66 and Family Prize for Teaching Assistants
2017 Nicholas Mason Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award
2015 Christopher Dalton Stephen and Margery Russell Distinguished Teaching Award
2015 Nicholas Mason Cornelia Ye Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
2015 Allison Tracy Deanne Gebell Gitner ’66 and Family Annual Prize for Teaching Assistants
2013 Morgan Mouchka Dean’s Prize for Distinguished Teaching
2007 Brian Barringer Dean’s Prize for Distinguished Teaching
2003 Gary Langham John M. and Emily B. Clark Award for Distinguished Teaching
1998 Anne Stork John M. and Emily B. Clark Award for Distinguished Teaching
1997 Michelle McClure John M. and Emily B. Clark Award for Distinguished Teaching
1990 Peter Wimberger John M. and Emily B. Clark Award for Distinguished Teaching

EEB Teaching Assistant Award

The Department presents its own EEB Teaching Assistant Award to a graduate student who has excelled as a teacher.

2024Hannah Monti
2023Ethan Bass
2022Colleen Miller
2021Henry Kunerth
2020Natalie Hofmeister
2019Allison Tracy
2018Renee Petipas
2017Katherine M. Marchetto
2016Nicholas Mason
2015Maya Lim
Fiona Soper
2014Kelly K. Hallinger
2013Anna M. Forsman
2012Sarah L. States
2011Krista A. Capps
2010Maria A. Davison
2009James R. Walters
2008Jill T. Anderson
2007Krystal L. Rypien
2006Jeanne M. Robertson
2005Shannon M. Murphy
2004Miranda V. Paton
2002Angela R. Lieverse
2001Bryon A. Daley
2000Matthew F. Wasson
1999M. Brian B. Traw
1998Charles L. Ross
1996Patricia Doak
1995John P. McCarty
1994Daniel F. Shapiro
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