Congratulations to the 2024–2025 Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award winners. Each year, Ohio State undergraduate students nominate mentors for the Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award which honors individuals who have demonstrated success in mentoring undergraduates in their research and/or creative inquiry endeavors. This award is open to Ohio State faculty, lecturers, post-docs and graduate students who serve as undergraduate research mentors.
Dr. Amy Kulesza
Dr. Amy Kulesza is the Assistant Director of Education Research and Development in the Center for Life Sciences Education. Her research focuses on understanding factors that lead to increased student retention in STEM. Broadly, she is interested in how current policies (such as pre-requisites) and practices (such as the use of Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) or service learning) support student retention.
Dr. Kulesza was nominated by Rahima Ismail who shared, "Dr. Amy Kulesza’s mentorship has been a cornerstone of my academic and professional development, fostering not only my technical expertise but also my confidence as a collaborative researcher and future leader. Dr. Kulesza’s mentorship extends beyond academia; she genuinely cares about her students’ well-being. Her ability to listen without judgment and advocate for her students’ needs has instilled in me the importance of empathy in leadership."
Dr. Steven Stone-Sabali
Dr. Steven Stone-Sabali is an assistant professor in the Educational Studies Department within the College of Education and Human Ecology. His background in Counseling Psychology and his research focuses on the psychological and mental health experiences of individuals of color and factors that promote or hinder productive cross-racial relationships. Mentorship is a huge part of his identity. He feels extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to provide mentorship to (and to learn from) 15 undergraduates and a number of graduate students. To be able to provide a safe space for students to grow and flourish is like no other feeling for him.
Dr. Stone-Sabali was nominated by Regene Jarvis and Brielle Shorter who shared, "Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Stone-Sabali has created a research space where authenticity and inclusion thrive. As a Black student in predominantly white academic spaces, I have often felt unheard or overlooked in traditional classroom settings. However, in his research lab, I have never had to fight to be seen or prove that my experiences are valid. He has cultivated an environment where Black students, and students from all backgrounds, feel valued, supported, and empowered. With a lab full of underrepresented undergraduate researchers and even a high school student under his mentorship, Dr. Stone-Sabali ensures that each of us feels like we belong—not just in the lab, but in academia itself."
Dr. Ji Wang
Dr. Ji Wang is an Associate Professor at The Ohio State University, specializing in the detection of exoplanets-planets orbiting stars beyond our solar system. He leverages some of the world’s largest telescopes to uncover clues about the origins of exoplanets and develops cutting-edge technologies for future telescopes aimed at detecting signs of life in their atmospheres. His research is supported by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Ji Wang is also passionate about science outreach and actively promotes scientific knowledge to the general public.
Dr. Wang was nominated by Greg Costa who shared, "Under his mentorship, I was encouraged not only to contribute but to take ownership of my research. His guidance gave me the confidence to apply for and receive funding through URAP, allowing me to dedicate an entire summer to the project. Now, I am working toward completing a thesis based on my contributions to the project, something I never imagined when I first returned to OSU. Moreover, under his leadership, I have grown not just as a researcher but also as a mentor myself."
Dr. Michael Lisa
Dr. Michael Lisa is the Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor of Physics. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was awarded the Ohio State Distinguished Scholar award in 2020. He is a Fulbright Scholar whose research was done in Brazil. He is the head of the STAR Event Plane Detector, which is a detector system built here at Ohio State by students and postdocs, and which has been taking data at Brookhaven National Lab.
Dr. Lisa was nominated by Josie Rose who shared, " While it is not always easy to be a woman in physics, I have never felt unfairly treated in Prof. Lisa’s group, and he has made it clear while teaching and engaging with students that he cares about listening to women and making us feel like we belong and are respected equally in the field. He has been an incredible influence as a scientist and as a person, encouraging me to not be afraid of a challenge and to work hard to achieve my goals, and he is absolutely worthy of recognition."
Submissions for the 2025-2026 Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring award will begin in fall 2025. Continue to follow the Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry website for updates.