GWIMS honors supporters; grad student earns fellowship

Published on Monday, April 12, 2021

GWIMS awards honor women’s medical, scientific supporters

The Medical Center’s chapter of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS) has honored outstanding faculty and students in its 2020-21 awards program.

Award winners were selected from among distinguished women and men in the UMMC community who were nominated for demonstrating remarkable support for the advancement of women’ careers in medicine and science.

Nominees for the awards included:

LouAnn Woodward M.D. Authentic Leadership Award

Recipient: Dr. Nita Maihle, professor of cell and molecular biology and associate director of basic science research

Helen B. Barnes M.D. Diversity and Inclusion Award

Recipient: Dr. Michelle Owens, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and medical director of maternal-fetal medicine

Other nominees: Molly Brasfield, chief human resources officer; Dr. Natalie Gaughf, associate dean for student affairs and interim dean, John D. Bower School of Population Health; Dr. Mohadetheh Moulana, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior and director of curriculum development

Innovation Award

Recipient: Dr. Mohadetheh Moulana

Other nominees: Dr. Gina Jefferson, professor of otolaryngology and head and neck surgery; Dr. Risa Moriarity, executive vice chair of Emergency Medicine. 

Resilient Spirit Award

Recipient: Dr. Bhagyashri Navalkele, assistant professor of infectious diseases and medical director of Infectious Diseases

Other nominees: Megha Satpathy, graduate research assistant and doctoral candidate in Biomedical Materials Science, School of Dentistry

Emerging Star Award

Recipient: Megha Satpathy

Other nominees: Dr. Pamela Brownlee, Surgery resident; Dr. Hansini Laharwani, Pathology resident; Dr. Lily Landry, Pediatrics resident; Kesley Morgan, School of Medicine student; Leslie Musshafen, executive director of research in Research and Sponsored Programs; Dr. Mary Nittala, postdoctoral research fellow in Radiation Oncology; Shirley Pandolfi, cultural competency and education manager in Diversity and Inclusion; Dr. Alexandra Sibley, Psychiatry and Human Behavior resident.

Rising Star Award

Recipient: Dr. Caroline Compretta, assistant professor of preventive medicine and co-director of the Community Engaged Research Core

Other nominees: Dr. Kristen Alston, assistant professor of family medicine; Dr. Anita Dhanrajani, assistant professor of pediatrics; Dr. Alaina Herrington, director of the Clinical Skills Assessment Center; Dr. Pegah Hosseini-Carroll, assistant professor of digestive diseases

 Shining Star Award

Recipient: Dr. Crystal Lim, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior and director of the Psychology Internship Program

Other nominees: Dr. Kellan Ashley, associate professor of cardiovascular diseases; Dr. Yuanyuan Duan, associate professor of biomedical materials science; Dr. Ingrid Espinoza, associate professor of preventive medicine; Dr. Sara Gleason, professor of psychiatry and human behavior; Dr. Shannon Moore Pittman, professor and chair of family medicine; Dr. Risa Moriarity; Dr. Anju Sukumaran, associate professor of pediatrics; Dr. Kedra Wallace, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology

Trailblazer Award

Recipient: Dr. Vikas Majithia, professor and chief of the Division of Rheumatology

Other nominees: Dr. Christopher Anderson, James D. Hardy Professor and Chair of Surgery; Dr. Benjamin McIntyre, associate professor of surgery; Dr. Jefferson Parker, professor and division chief of psychiatry and Human Behavior; and Dr. Robin Rockhold, professor of health sciences and deputy chief academic officer

Trainee Recognition Award

Recipient: Dr. Mary Nittala

Other nominee: Megha Satpathy

NSF awards research fellowship to microbiology grad student

Mary Carr, a second-year PhD student in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, received a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.

The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions.

The five-year fellowship encompasses three years of financial support, including an annual stipend of $34,000 and a cost of education allowance of $12,000 to the institution.

Carr’s research focuses on substrate specificity and the role of bacterial proteases in infection. Originally from Marietta, Georgia, Carr is a 2019 graduate of the Mississippi University for Women. Her faculty advisor is Dr. Mary Marquart, UMMC professor of microbiology and immunology.