Congratulations to Yaya Guo, Kahlil Walker, Tony Potchernikov, and Lydia Tarekegn, for their Yale Science and Engineering Association (YSEA) Senior of Distinction Award! The YSEA Senior of Distinction Award recognizes outstanding Yale College seniors who demonstrate excellence in Science, Applied Science, or Engineering majors.
Yaya Guo is earning a Bachelor of Science degree. She has achieved outstanding grades and has excelled in MB&B’s advanced seminar courses, which are small classes where students critically analyze scientific issues. Her performance has made her a favorite with MB&B faculty. Yaya has conducted independent research in the laboratory of Professor Yongli Zhang in the Department of Cell Biology at the Yale Medical Center, who also has a secondary appointment in MB&B. Yaya coauthored a paper on her research in the prestigious journal PNAS. Additionally, Yaya has participated in numerous extracurricular and service activities, including the Yale Community Kitchen.
Kahlil Walker is earning a BS/MS degree. Alongside his exceptional academic performance, he has conducted intensive research in Professor Kathryn Ferguson’s lab in the Department of Pharmacology at the Yale Medical Center. Kahlil will be pursuing his PhD at MIT. His service includes co-presidency of Christian Union Lux and an exemplary role as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant in an MB&B lab course.
Tony Potchernikov is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree. He has been recognized by numerous MB&B faculty members as one of our most engaged and high-achieving students in upper-level seminars. Tony was also awarded the prestigious Hahn Scholarship. Since his first year at Yale, he has conducted independent research with Professor Enrique De La Cruz, resulting in a coauthored paper in Nature Communications. Additionally, Tony has an impressive record of service, having served as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant, an Academic Strategies Mentor and STEM Navigator, and a FroCo.
Lydia Tarekegn is earning a Bachelor of Science degree. She has excelled in the classroom and has conducted research for several years in the lab of Caitlin Davis in the Chemistry Department, supported by Yale’s highly competitive STARS II research program. Lydia is a coauthor on a paper published in Chemical Communications and will soon coauthor another paper. She will be attending graduate school and has been accepted into several top graduate programs. Lydia has a strong record of service in multiple organizations, including serving as the Undergraduate Representative for Yale’s Chapter of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCCHE). She was awarded first place for her poster presentation in the computation and biophysics category at the 2023 NOBCCHE meeting and has presented her work at several other national scientific conferences.