Newswise — Reston, Va.; December 10, 2014 — The Society of Toxicology (SOT) — the world’s largest and preeminent association representing the field of toxicology — is honoring dozens of students, educators, and scientists from around the world today through the announcement of the 2015 SOT Awards that focus on education and diversity.

Recognizing the value of supporting training and mentoring of future leaders in toxicology, SOT annually honors top educators who are providing students and postdoctoral trainees with a solid foundation in the field. The 2015 honorees are:

  • Mindy F. Reynolds, PhD, Washington College, who is receiving the 2015 SOT Undergraduate Educator Award. Sponsored by the SOT Endowment Fund, this award recognizes a SOT member who has made outstanding contributions to the teaching of undergraduate students in toxicology and toxicology-related areas. Dr. Reynolds helped establish toxicology curriculum at Washington College, encourages her undergraduates to participate in science conferences, and has been a leader in SOT education activities.
  • Theodore Slotkin, PhD, Duke University Medical Center, who is being awarded the 2015 SOT Education Award. This award honors an individual who teaches and trains toxicologists and who has made significant contributions to education in the field of toxicology. Dr. Slotkin has been teaching and mentoring future toxicologists at Duke University for more than 40 years, with many SOT members receiving tutelage under him.

“The Society believes strongly in supporting the development and growth of toxicology’s next generation of researchers, and serving on the frontline in this effort are the toxicologists who have dedicated themselves to not only the profession, but to mentoring budding scientists in the possibilities of the field. Drs. Reynolds and Slotkin are excellent scientists, but potentially more importantly, they are inspirations to their students,” says Norbert E. Kaminski, PhD, SOT President 2014–2015.

Each year, SOT also provides support for toxicology students through a number of awards and programs.

  • 2015 SOT Syngenta Fellowship Award in Human Health Applications of New Technologies: This award provides mode-of-action research funding to a third-year (or later) graduate student or postdoctoral trainee. The 2015 recipient is Alok Ranjan, BS, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
  • 2015 Pfizer SOT Undergraduate Student Travel Award: SOT and Pfizer recognize top undergraduates who are presenting research at the Society’s Annual Meeting & ToxExpo, which is being held March 22–26, 2015, in San Diego, California. This award provides travel support for the meeting and pairs the recipients with Pfizer-provided mentors during the Annual Meeting.2015 RecipientsAlexander Jones (Purdue University)Anna Wojcicki (University of Minnesota)Emily Daniel (William Jewell College)Kathryn Fulda (Washington College)Latisha Pryor (Fort Valley State College)Megan M. Koenecke (Kenyon College)Nicole Sidebotham (Oregon State University)Royce Nichols (King University)Samantha Hall (Duke University)Scott Freeburg (Kenyon College)Sloane K. Miller (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)Weelic Chong (Oberlin College )Yssa Rodriguez (St. Mary’s University)Zuania I. Cordero Badillo (University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras)
  • 2015 SOT Graduate Student Travel Support: This award provides graduate students with funding support to attend and present research at the Society’s Annual Meeting & ToxExpo.2015 RecipientsAlessandro Venosa (Rutgers University)Alexandra Turley (Michigan State University)Allison Isola (Rutgers University)Alok Ranjan (Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center)Amy Mihalchik (West Virginia University)Andrée-Anne Hudon Thibeault (INRS University, Canada)Anika Dzierlenga (University of Arizona)Antonio Ward (Mississippi State University)Charisse Holmes (North Carolina State University)Dana Lauterstein (New York University)Dana Walsh (University of North Carolina)Deirdre Tucker (University of North Carolina)Durr-e-shahwar Malik (Imperial College London, United Kingdom)Dushani Palliyaguru (University of Pittsburgh)Dwayne Carter (University of Texas Medical Branch)Elissa Wong (University of Rochester Medical Center)Elizabeth Stanford (Boston University)Élyse Caron-Beaudoin (INRS University, Canada)Emma Bowers (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)Eric Ward (Purdue University)Evan Frank (University of Cincinnati)Georgina Harris (Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing)Gopi Gadupudi (The University of Iowa)Gregory Smith (University of Connecticut)Hassan Althurwi (University of Alberta, Canada)Jayson Chen (Rutgers University)Jinyoung Lee (Purdue University)Josephin Nerling Rashida Gnanaprakasam (Cinvestav, Mexico)Julieta Martino (University of Southern Maine)Kathy Xue (University of Georgia)Kaushal Joshi (St John’s University)Kerry Belton (Penn State University)Kpobari Nkpaa (University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria)Leah Wehmas (Oregon State University)Maria Alvarado (Cinvestav, Mexico)Marianna Stamou (University of California-Davis)Mary Francis (Rutgers University)Michael Osborne (Imperial College London, United Kingdom)Minsu Kang (University of Georgia)Mónica Jiménez-Córdova (Cinvestav, Mexico)Monique Williams (University of California-Riverside)Natalie Scholpa (University of Georgia)Nathaniel Girer (Penn State University)Nikita Joshi (Michigan State University)Osama Elshenawy (University of Alberta, Canada)Pankajini Mallick (University of Houston)Patrick Hannon (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign)Phillip Wages (University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill)Prathap Kumar Mahalingaiah (Texas Tech University)Rachel Behar (University of California-Riverside)Ravikumar Sitapara (St John’s University)Roseline Omiwole (University of Ibadan, Nigeria)Ross Osgood (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus)Ruoyun Ma (Purdue University)Sabbir Khan (National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, India)Sage Begolly (University of Rochester)Sanjay Dholakiya (St. John’s University)Sara Wirbisky (Purdue University)Saurabh Vispute (St John’s University)Stefanie O’Neal (Purdue University)Suvarthi Das (University of South Carolina)Tara Raftery (University of South Carolina)Vicente Escamilla-Rivera (Cinvestav, Mexico)Vijaykumar Kale (Penn State University)Vivek Lawana (Iowa State University)Wen Xin Koh (The University of Iowa)William Klaren (The University of Iowa)Xiao Zheng (University of Florida)Xing Xin (University of Iowa)Zeynep Agim (Purdue University)
  • 2015 SOT Committee on Diversity Undergraduate Travel Awards: SOT provides promising undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds an introduction to toxicology and encourages their pursuit of graduate studies in the field by supporting travel and participation in the SOT Undergraduate Education Program at the Society’s Annual Meeting & ToxExpo. Through this award, SOT also provides travel funding for faculty advisors to attend the Annual Meeting.2015 Undergraduate RecipientsAdriana A. Torres (St. Mary’s University)Alejandro I. Ramirez (Rio Hondo College)Anna V. Wojcicki (Paine College)Avis Francis (University of Massachusetts)Ayeshia Morris (Rider University)Brittany Nixon (North Carolina Central University)Brittany S. Lynch (North Carolina Central University)Charlene N. Rivera (University of Puerto Rico-Cayey)Gabriela G. Atsepoyi (Spelman College)Gifty Dominah (Oberlin College)Hannah Lust (University of Maine-Farmington)Jahaira C. Vera (University of Arizona)Joan Tran Texas (Southern University)Jonathan Tyson (Rider University)Kaylin M. White (Spelman College)La’Naisha Proctor (Paine College)Leonardo D. Gonzalez Parrilla (University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences)Lizbeth Perez-Castro (University of Puerto Rico-Cayey)Madalyn T. Bryant (Fort Valley State University)Maya Stephens (Paine College)Melbaliz Velez Afanador (University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo)Nancy C. Urbano (St. Mary’s University)Samantha J. Cardoza (US Coast Guard Academy)Scott Freeburg (Kenyon College)Stephanie Moreno-Lopez (University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences)Tamara M. Spikes (Spelman College)Tiani C. Calip (University of California-Davis)Tyler J. Wishard (University of California-San Diego)Victoria R. Stephens (Albany State University)Yessenia Lopez (John Jay College of Criminal Justice)Zuania I. Cordero Badillo (University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras)2015 Faculty Advisor RecipientsFelicia Jefferson (Spelman College)Gisela Spieler-Persad (Rio Hondo College)Gunnar Kwakye (Oberlin College)Koscielski Lukasz Koscielski (University of Puerto Rico-Cayey)Momoh Yakubu (Texas Southern University)
  • 2015 SOT Undergraduate Intern Travel Award: Knowing that experience in a research laboratory is the best way to encourage undergraduate students to pursue graduate education, SOT supports summer internships and then provides travel support for some of the interns to present their research at the Society’s Annual Meeting & ToxExpo.2015 RecipientsHillary Markey (Central Michigan University)Royce Nichols (King University)

“Toxicological concerns are not limited to one segment of the population or one area of the globe, which is why the Society welcomes members from around the world. In order to ensure that toxicology is being spread across geographic and ethnic boundaries, the SOT Awards program supports the inclusion of diverse scientists in many ways,” says Dr. Kaminski.

  • 2015 SOT Global Senior Scholar Exchange Program: To increase toxicology capacity in developing countries, SOT funds two mid-career to senior scholar toxicologists from developing countries to attend the SOT Annual Meeting & ToxExpo and spend about four weeks with one or more SOT member hosts from established toxicology programs The host will in turn visit the scholar’s institution. 2015 Scholars and HostsScholar: Sunisa Chaiklieng, Dr Biol Hum, Khon Kaen University, Thailand; Host: Norbert E. Kaminski, PhD, Michigan State UniversityScholar: Deepak Dhakal, MS, Tribhuvan University, Nepal; Host: Aaron Barchowsky, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
  • 2015 SOT/AstraZeneca/SOT Endowment Fund/IUTOX Travel Awards: This award supports the travel of senior scientists from countries where toxicology is underrepresented to the Society’s Annual Meeting & ToxExpo.2015 RecipientsAmos O. Abolaji, PhD (University of Ibadan, Nigeria)Carine J. Marks, MSc (Tygerberg Hospital Poison Centre, Stellenbosch University, South Africa)Davaadorj Rendoo, MD (National Institute for Public Health, Mongolia)Huawei Duan, PhD (National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, China)Jin Hongtao, PhD (New Drug Safety Evaluation Center of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, China)Khaled Abdou, PhD (Beni Suef University, Egypt)Motunrayo G. Akande, PhD (University of Abuja, Nigeria)Palanisamy Sankar, PhD (Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India)Patient Guedenon, PhD (University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin)Tawit Suriyo, PhD (Chulabhorn Research Institute, Thailand)
  • 2015 SOT Perry J. Gehring Diversity Student Travel Award: Supported by the SOT Endowment Fund, this award recognizes a previous SOT Undergraduate Education Program participant who is from a racial/ethnic group underrepresented in toxicology and is presenting a paper at the Society’s Annual Meeting & ToxExpo. The 2015 recipient is Latisha Pryor, Fort Valley State University, who will be presenting a paper titled “An Analysis of Varskin 5 Radiation Dosimetry Software.”

The field of toxicology and toxicologists are responsible for aiding human, animal, and environmental health and safety through the study of the adverse effects of chemicals and other biological agents.

All 2015 SOT Award recipients will be honored at the Society’s 54th Annual Meeting & ToxExpo in San Diego, California, from March 22–26, 2015.

Additional recipients of 2015 SOT Awards, including more top scientists, will be announced tomorrow. Previously announced award recipients are:

  • 2015 SOT Achievement Award: Vishal S. Vaidya, PhD, Harvard Medical School.
  • 2015 SOT Arnold J. Lehman Award: Richard A. Becker, PhD, DABT, American Chemistry Council.
  • 2015 SOT Distinguished Toxicology Scholar Award: Ian Kimber, OBE, PhD, FSB, FBTS, ATS, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
  • 2015 SOT Enhancement of Animal Welfare Award: Marcel Leist, PhD, University of Konstanz, Germany.
  • 2015 SOT Merit Award: Günter Oberdörster, DVM, PhD, University of Rochester Medical Center.
  • 2015 SOT Public Communications Award: Andrew D. Maynard, PhD, University of Michigan Department of Environmental Health Sciences.
  • 2015 SOT Translational Impact Award: Jeff Burgess, MD, University of Arizona.
  • 2015 SOT Colgate-Palmolive Grant for Alternative Research: Alfredo Miranda de Goes, PhD, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, and Lei Li Kerr, Miami University.
  • 2015 SOT Colgate-Palmolive Postdoctoral Fellowship Award in In Vitro Toxicology: Fabian A. Grimm, PhD, Texas A&M University.
  • 2015 SOT Colgate-Palmolive Award for Student Research Training in Alternative Methods: Prajakta Shimpi, MS, University of Rhode Island.

# # #

About SOT Awards & HonorsThe Society of Toxicology (SOT) Awards program recognizes and assists distinguished toxicologists and students each year based on merit — if a worthy recipient is not identified for a given award in a year, the prize will not be awarded that year. In 1962, the Society inducted its first honorary members, establishing its honors program. In 1965, the SOT Awards program was created with the establishment of two awards, the SOT Merit Award and the SOT Achievement Award, to support “the furtherance of the science of toxicology.” Today, the Society presents more than 20 awards that recognize achievement, facilitate travel for senior and budding scientists, and further toxicological research. The SOT Awards program supports the Society’s mission to create a safer and healthier world by advancing the science of toxicology. Hashtag: #SOTAwards

About SOTFounded in 1961, the Society of Toxicology (SOT) is a professional and scholarly organization of more than 7,800 scientists from academic institutions, government, and industry representing the great variety of individuals who practice toxicology in the US and abroad. SOT is committed to creating a safer and healthier world by advancing the science of toxicology. The Society promotes the acquisition and utilization of knowledge in toxicology, aids in the protection of public health, and has a strong commitment to education in toxicology and to the recruitment of students and new members into the profession. For more information about SOT and toxicology, visit the Society online at www.toxicology.org, follow us on Twitter @SOToxicology, and like us on Facebook.