2021
Read about our 2021 Aspire Award Recipients here.
2020
Arinzechukwu | Nwagbata | Staff and Faculty Choice Award |
Briana | Ortiz | Staff and Faculty Choice Award |
Dora | Gurfinkel | Staff and Faculty Choice Award |
Ashley | Ikwuagwu | Research Excellence Award |
Delisa | Ramos | Research Excellence Award |
Luis | Rivera | Research Excellence Award |
Zacharias | Escalantes | Research Excellence Award |
Briana | Ortiz | Leadership and Service Award |
Danielle | Maldonado | Leadership and Service Award |
Eloise | Taha | Leadership and Service Award |
Brianna | Middleton | Inspire Award |
Diana | Canas | Inspire Award |
Promise | Ufomadu | Inspire Award |
Jose | Ochoa | Community Engagement Award |
Mya | Mitchell | Community Engagement Award |
Athena | Owirodu | Dean's Choice Award |
Marquis | Ware | Dean's Choice Award |
2019
Chineye | Emeghara | Inspire Award |
Jose | Ochoa | Inspire Award |
Devin | Williams | Inspire Award |
Sara | Garcia | Professor's Choice Award |
Cullins | Nwaogu | Professor's Choice Award |
Michael | Owolabi | Professor's Choice Award |
Jacqueline | Gibson | Dean's Choice Award |
Briana | Ortiz | Dean's Choice Award |
Kayla | Eboreime | Dean's Choice Award |
Edwin | Umanzor | Research Excellence Award |
Alegria | Martinez | Research Excellence Award |
Isabel | Cachola | Research Excellence Award |
Emmanuel | Rayas | Leadership and Service Award |
Valorie | Marks | Leadership and Service Award |
Obiageliaku | Okafor | Leadership and Service Award |
2018
Juan | Acosta | Inspire Award |
David | Aghado | Inspire Award |
Jose | Aguilar | Leadership and Service Award |
Courtney | Austin | Impact Award |
Rodolfo | C. Rodriguez | Research Excellence Award |
Jenelle | Estrada | Professor's Choice Award |
Taylor | Gulley | Professor's Choice Award |
Elizabeth | Gutierrez | Research Excellence Award |
Ashlie | Martinez | Research Excellence Award |
Monica | N. Jimenez | Inspire Award |
Rachel | Obimah | Leadership and Service Award |
Jesus | Palos | Resilience Award |
Sofia | Rojas Ruiz | Professor's Choice Award |
Marquis | Ware | Leadership and Service Award |
2017
Timothy | Bediako | Research Excellence Award |
Janelle | Chavez | Leadership and Service Award |
Joe | Espinoza Jr. | Research Excellence Award |
Joe | Espinoza Jr. | Professor's Choice Award |
Fatima | Frausto | Inspire Award |
Jacqueline | Gibson | Leadership and Service Award |
Shadhi | Mansoori | Leadership and Service Award |
Ravyn | Middleton | Professor's Choice Award |
Daniel | Moran | Professor's Choice Award |
Sofia | Rojas | Research Excellence Award |
Tony | Sampson | Leadership and Service Award |
Celia | Valles | Research Excellence Award |
Celia | Valles | Professor's Choice Award |
2016
Sarina | Acevedo | Research Excellence Award |
Tahtiana | Caldwell | Professor's Choice Award |
Manuel | Diaz | Leadership and Service Award |
Francisco | Dominguez | Professor's Choice Award |
Ciara | Espinoza | Leadership and Service Award |
Alejandro | Gutierrez | Research Excellence Award |
Kadron | Johnson | Inspire Award |
Patricio | Lankenau | Research Excellence Award |
Ashlie | Martinez | Professor's Choice Award |
Christianah | Ogunleye | Professor's Choice Award |
Monika | Pyarali | Research Excellence Award |
Claudia | Samaniego | Leadership and Service Award |
Inemesit | Utin | Leadership and Service Award |
2015
Alexander | Beltran | Research Excellence Award |
Gerardo | Carrion | Inspire Award |
Korbin | Evans | Leadership and Service Award |
Rigo | Gutierrez | Leadership and Service Award |
Jamal | Ojeaga | Research Excellence Award |
Ashly | Okoli | Professor's Choice Award |
Jennifer | Perez | Leadership and Service Award |
Ramiro | Rodriguez | Leadership and Service Award |
Magaly | Solis-Baeza | Professor's Choice Award |
Luis | Valencia | Research Excellence Award |
Oscar | Villarreal | Professor's Choice Award |
Rachel | Walker | Professor's Choice Award |
2014
Francesca | Aloisio | Research Excellence Award |
Ashley | Armenta | Leadership and Service Award |
KayOnda | Bayo | Leadership and Service Award |
Rachel | Concha | Professor's Choice Award |
Jesus | De La O | Research Excellence Award |
Vivian | Esparza | Leadership and Service Award |
Tomas | Gonzalez | Professor's Choice Award |
Brenden | Herrera | Research Excellence Award |
Carlos | Ortiz | Inspire Award |
Esther | Osuji | Professor's Choice Award |
2013
Ruth | Ackah | Professor's Choice Award |
Santiago | Benavides | Research Excellence Award |
Mignote | Chamiso | Research Excellence Award |
Manuel | Diaz | Professor's Choice Award |
Prissilla | Escobar | Leadership and Service Award |
Maty | Gil | Leadership and Service Award |
Juan | Herrejon | Leadership and Service Award |
Trevon | Jones | Professor's Choice Award |
Joshua | Moore | Research Excellence Award |
Damilola | Olatayo | Inspire Award |
2012
Aditi | Allen | Leadership and Service Award |
Julio | Flores | Leadership and Service Award |
Ricardo | Garza Jr. | Professor's Choice Award |
Juan | Herrejon | Leadership and Service Award |
Melanie | Molina | Inspire Award |
Joshua | Moore | Research Excellence Award |
Kenechukwu | Nwankwo | Professor's Choice Award |
Christy | Portales | Research Excellence Award |
Jada | Uzosike | Research Excellence Award |
Virginia | Velez | Professor's Choice Award |
For more than a decade, the Aspire Awards have provided an occasion for faculty, staff and students to come together in order to celebrate undergraduate leaders in Natural Sciences. The event recognizes especially those students from populations currently underrepresented in the sciences as a means to:
- Honor the achievements of excellent individual undergraduates, who are making a mark in research, service and leadership; and
- Recognize groups of students who foster support and encouragement within their communities through networking, mentorship and peer support.
Held in the spring, the event is a collaboration between the college's Office of Undergraduate Education and the student-led Black and Latinx Advocacy Council.
See a list of previous Aspire Award winners here »
View an album of photos from the annual Aspire Awards »
CNS students can take full advantage of their time at UT!
Make the most of your second year... Don't miss these activities:
SPRING TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE CAREER FAIR
Natural Sciences Week
HEALTH PROFESSIONS FAIR
Staff Advisor:
Student Leadership:
Haley Brown and Destiny Afinni-Myles, BLAC Student Coordinators