The Office of Undergraduate Research has awarded Dr. Ozge Gunaydin-Sen its 2021 Faculty Mentor of the
Dr. Ozge Guyandin-Sen
Year.
Since 2015, the Office of Undergraduate Research has bestowed the Faculty Mentor Award, a lifetime achievement award for excellence in leading undergraduate research projects and creative activity and for mentoring undergraduates in various programs at Â鶹ÊÓƵ.
This year eight faculty members were nominated for the prestigious award. The Advisory Board thoroughly evaluated the dossiers for evidence of undergraduate student mentoring, professional development of students mentored and for impact and student success. Gunaydin-Sen, associate professor and Interim chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has mentored many outstanding undergraduate students at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, including McNair Scholars, Office of Undergraduate Research scholarship recipients and Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows.
“This award reflects the high esteem which the Â鶹ÊÓƵ community has for Dr. Gunaydin-Sen, for her outstanding performance in shaping the lives and future of so many undergraduate students, and for her commitment to lead research projects of significance and impact in our undergraduate research and creative activity landscape, here at Â鶹ÊÓƵ,” said Cristian Bahrim, professor of physics and acting director of the Office of Undergraduate Research.
Between 2017-2020, Gunaydin-Sen’s students have placed first or second in the Annual Texas STEM Conferences, the Annual Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Exhibitions and the Annual Chemistry and Biochemistry Poster Competitions. Two of her students presented their works at the National American Chemical Society meeting, and one of her students presented at the Regional Conferences for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers conferences. One of her master’s students interned with Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students, which is a National Science Foundation and UNAVCO supported group in Colorado. Collaborative research with other Â鶹ÊÓƵ departments allowed one of Gunaydin-Sen’s students to be co-author on a peer-reviewed paper.
“Gunaydin-Sen’s continual support and pervasiveness in stewarding undergraduate and graduate research renders various collaborative research opportunities, advanced skills that are regarded in a professional setting and full-ride scholarship offers into highly ranked Ph.D.. programs,” said Bahrim. “We warmly congratulate Dr. Gunaydin-Sen who is so deserving of this distinction.”
Gunaydin-Sen received her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Florida State University and joined Â鶹ÊÓƵ in the fall of 2013. After she established her research laboratory at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gunaydin-Sen began publishing in some of the top science journals. Since joining Â鶹ÊÓƵ, she has published 13 peer-reviewed papers and presented at numerous conferences. Several of her publications are co-authored with undergraduates.
Gunaydin-Sen was recognized at the April 2021 Office of Undergraduate Research Expo. Dr. Xiangyang Sunny Lei, associate professor of chemistry and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences introduced Gunaydin-Sen, and students, Caitlyn Clark and Emily Ingram, honored her with flowers.
Gunaydin-Sen received her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Florida State University and joined Â鶹ÊÓƵ in the fall of 2013. After she established her research laboratory at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Gunaydin-Sen began publishing in some of the top science journals. Since joining Â鶹ÊÓƵ, she has published 13 peer-reviewed papers and presented at numerous conferences. Several of her publications are co-authored with undergraduates.