Professor Joanna Chiu, PREP director and and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, has received the 2024 Distinction in Student Mentoring Award from the Pacific Branch, Entomological Society of America (PBESA).

PREP alumni Maribel Anguiano and Kiya Jackson, and 2023 cohort member Cameron Vasquez, all former members of the Chiu lab, wrote a glowing letter in support of Joanna's nomination. They described the environment of a laboratory that is productive, fosters intellectual growth, contributes to students’ self-identities as scientists, and values them as individuals. Interactions with Joanna played a central role in their development as scientists.

Her respect, patience, and dedication to each of us set a strong foundation for us to thrive in science, and to this day are a major contributor for our continued involvement in scientific research.

Other PREP scholars offered effusive praise for Joanna's mentoring:

As a first year prep scholar, starting a new program at a R1 institution was intimidating, but Joanna Chiu's mentoring style was one of the major contributors to making me feel like I belong at UC Davis. Even through the chaos of grant and graduate applications, she has a reassuring energy that lets us know we are more than capable of succeeding.

Throughout my PREP journey, Joanna has served as an outstanding mentor. Her unwavering support and consistent encouragement have been instrumental in keeping me motivated, with frequent reminders that I am well-prepared for the challenges of graduate school. Joanna's influence has played a pivotal role in shaping my intellectual and scientific development as a researcher, and it is thanks to her guidance that I now possess the skills needed to thrive as a successful graduate student.

In addition to PREP scholars, Joanna has mentored undergraduates through a variety of UC Davis research programs. She accepts graduate students through Integrative Genetics and Genomics, BMCDB, Neuroscience, Animal Behavior, and Entomology.

Joanna will receive the mentoring award at the April 2024 meeting of the PBESA.

Congratulations, Joanna!