Outstanding Graduate Student Award

Winner of the 2009 Outstanding Graduate Student Award:

Caiyong Chen

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources was truly fortunate to recruit a graduate student of Caiyong Chen’s talent and ability. After earning his B.S. in Animal Husbandry and M.S. in Animal Nutrition from Nanjing Agricultural University in China, Caiyong wished to strengthen his knowledge in the molecular basis of animal nutrition. Therefore, in the fall of 2003 Caiyong joined the Ph.D program in Animal Sciences and began work in Dr. Iqbal Hamza’s lab.

Dr. Hamza’s lab was only ten months old when Caiyong joined the graduate program and Dr. Hamza credits Caiyong in being a key player assisting with the set-up. The lab researches the nutrient heme transport pathways in animals. Iron defieciency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world and is often compounded by parasitic worms. Caiyong was drawn to the labs focus because not only do parasites cause enormous economical losses in agriculture each year, but in Caiyong’s home nation of China, parasitic infections still afflict a large human population as well. Caiyong’s work focused on the simple round worm C. elegans and with his help Dr. Hamza was able to establish a new model system using C. elegans. The data Caiyong was able to generate using the new system directly helped Dr. Hamza obtain funding from the NIH and March of Dimes.

However, Caiyong’s excellence does not end there. Despite his non-molecular background upon arriving at the University of Maryland, he quickly made up all cell and molecular biology courses in his first two years while simultaneously fulfilling all Animal Science graduate program requirements. In addition, he pushed himself to take advanced biochemical kinetics courses outside of his requirements in order to strengthen his biochemistry knowledge. In a class of biochemistry graduate students, Caiyong emerged as the top student. He has maintained a perfect GPA of 4.0 throughout his rigorous coursework and is truly an exceptional scholar.

Caiyong has also served as an outstanding T.A. in for courses in comparative animal nutrition, animal physiology, and a recombinant DNA lab. The recombinant DNA lab was the first offered by AGNR and despite complicated logistics, Caiyong received rave reviews from graduate students enrolled in the course. Caiyong’s achievements have earned him several awards including the University Block Fellowship from 2003-2005 and the Oustanding Ph.D student award from the Animal Sciences department in 2006.

Award Details

This recognition is given to a graduate student who has: Demonstrated excellence in conducting research in pursuit of an advanced degree; Exhibited excellence in teaching as related to discipline area and research; Demonstrated leadership and/or service to the department, college and/or university; Maintained high standards of scholarship, citizenship, fellowship; and Conducted themselves in a manner which reflects positively on their fellow students, the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the University of Maryland System Each academic program is asked to make a nomination supported by record of the student's activities and achievements.

Each department, program, or unit in AGNR is encouraged to make at least one nomination for the Outstanding Graduate Student Award.

Nominations from non-university sources are also encouraged

Nominating packets should include:

1-2 page nominating letter

1-2 page narrative of accomplishments

Contact information for nominee and nominator including – phone, email, and mailing address.

Student resume and transcript

Total package not to exceed 6 pages

Nominations are due by February 16

5 copies of the nominating packet should be submitted to Gail Yeiser, 1104 Symons Hall, College Park, MD 20742.

Previous Recipients...

For more information, contact Gail Yeiser

Last updated: 01/29/2010