Amid the demands of running research programs and publishing papers, it's easy for researchers to overlook the hard work and dedication that got them to that point. That’s why each year I look forward to slowing down and celebrating their significant milestones with our researchers, appreciating how far they’ve come.
This year, we honored more than a hundred faculty members at three events. On September 18, we celebrated those who received career development awards or their first independent grants. Earlier, on September 4, we hosted a dinner for our new endowed chairs and Margolis scholar. And on June 26 we celebrated our faculty who are part of national honorific societies.
The recognition events honor our faculty at all stages of their careers. For those starting out, getting the first grant is hard. Getting the second is even harder. Celebrating these achievements with family, friends, colleagues, and leadership is important—not only to acknowledge the awardee but also to recognize the people who supported them along the way.
For our junior faculty who hold endowed positions it is an opportunity to celebrate alongside those who came before them, whose paths have shown them what is possible. And for our faculty who have been recognized with national honors for their sustained excellence, it is a time to celebrate those significant achievements over the course of their careers.
"The University of Utah has an incredibly supportive environment for junior faculty. It really does take a village to succeed in academia."
These events are particularly meaningful because, as researchers, University of Utah faculty are dedicated to making the world a better place—and they’re doing it right here from Salt Lake City. Research is more than a job, it’s an extension of their values.
On a beautiful end-of-summer evening, children raced around the Tracy Aviary while some of these amazing faculty enjoyed their achievements with loved ones and with one another. Mike Good, MD, our senior vice president of health sciences, captured the feeling, saying, “This group represents our future. Thank you, families, for sharing them with us.”
"Ultimately, this celebration reminds me of the larger purpose behind our work - to advance knowledge and potentially improve human health. It's humbling and inspiring to be part of that broader scientific endeavor."
Faculty Endowed Chairs and Margolis Scholars
| Justin Bosch, PhD | Human Genetics | Mario R. Capecchi, PhD Endowed Chair in Genetics and Biology |
| Amiko Uchida, MD | Gastroenterology | Gastroenterology and Microbiome Fund |
| Adam Spivak, MD | Infectious Diseases | Julia and Willard Dere Endowed Assistant Professorship |
| Valerie Vaughn, MD | General Medicine | The Bertram H. and Janet M. Schaap Presidential Endowed Chair |
| Nirupama Ramkumar, MD | Nephrology & Hypertension | DRF Endowed Assistant Professorship |
| Fergil Mills, PhD | Neurobiology | Margolis Scholar |
| Sabrina Malone Jenkins, MD | Neonatology | Gary M. Chan, MD Endowed Chair in Pediatric Neonatology |
| Ahmad Rayes, MD | Hematology/Oncology | John F. Bohnsack, MD Endowed Chair in Pediatrics |
| Nathan Adams, DMD | Dentistry | Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Endowed Chair holder |
Career Development Award and 1st Independent Grant Celebration
| Laith F. Al-Rabadi, MD | Nephrology & Hypertension | K23 |
| Benjamin S. Brooke, MD, PhD | Surgery | VA 1st Time Merit |
| Ryan Broxterman, PhD | Geriatrics | VA Career Development |
| Shannon M. Buckley, PhD | Hematology & Hematologic Malignancies / Huntsman Cancer Institute | R37 |
| Kanokwan (Mandy) Bunsawat, PhD | Geriatrics | VA Career Development |
| Amandine Chaix, PhD | Nutrition and Integrative Physiology | American Heart Association |
| Rebecca Kayla Delaney, PhD | Population Health Sciences | American Heart Association |
| Adrienne M. Dorrance, PhD | Oncology | R01 |
| Gregory Stuart Ducker, PhD | Biochemistry | American Cancer Society Inc |
| Sumati V. Gupta, MD | Internal Medicine / Huntsman Cancer Institute | VA First Time Merit |
| Brenda Heaton, PhD MPH | Dentistry | R01 |
| Jennifer Hampton Hill, PhD | Pathology | K99 |
| William Louis Holland, PhD | Nutrition and Integrative Physiology | American Heart Association |
| Lyen C. Huang, MD, MPH | Surgery, Surgical Oncology | K23 |
| J. Porter Hunt, PhD | Pediatrics | K99 |
| Eileen S. Hwang, MD, PhD | Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences | K08 |
| Eun-Kee Jeong, PhD | Radiology & Imaging Sciences | VA First Time Merit |
| Jarrod Sean Johnson, PhD | Pathology | R01 |
| Audrey Jones, PhD | Epidemiology | VA Career Development |
| Barbara E. Jones, MD, MSCI | Pulmonology | VA First Time Merit |
| Mick Jurynec, PhD | Orthopedics | R01 |
| Erin A. Kaufman, PhD | Psychiatry | K23 |
| Alan Taylor Kelley, MD, MPH, MSc | General Medicine | VA Career Development |
| Deanna Kepka, PhD, MPH | Nursing / Huntsman Cancer Institute | R01 |
| Amit Kumar, MPH, PhD | Physical Therapy & Athletic Training | R01 |
| Amy Lenz, PhD | Orthopaedics / Biomedical Engineering | R01 |
| Wan-Lin Lo, PhD | Pathology | R01 |
| April Mohanty, PhD | Epidemiology | VA First Time Merit |
| Radoslaw Omelianczyk, PhD | Human Genetics | American Heart Association |
| Chelsey R. Schlechter, PhD MPH | Population Health Sciences / Huntsman Cancer Institute | R01 |
| Andrew M. Skinner, MD | Infectious Diseases | VA Career Development |
| Aik Choon Tan, PhD | Oncological Sciences | R01 |
| Joseph Edward Tonna, MD, MS | Surgery | R01 |
| Daniel M. Witt, PharmD | Pharmacotherapy | R18 |
| Lisa Taylor-Swanson, PhD | Nursing | CDMRP |
| Sara Bybee, PhD | Nursing | R01 |
| Lauri Linder, PhD, APRN | Nursing | R01 |
Faculty who have earned national society memberships are featured on U of U Health Research Honors and Awards.