research news

11 UB students receive SUNY GREAT awards

Graduate Students working in the Clean Room in Davis Hall Photographer: Douglas Levere.

The SUNY Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) award provides $7,500 in funding that graduate students — like these working in the clean room in Davis Hall — can use for research expenses, related travel, professional development and stipend augmentation. Photo: Douglas Levere

By GRACE GERASS

Published March 21, 2025

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“These awards provide our students with the opportunity to leverage the funds to enhance their research and professional development. I am proud of the exceptional work being accomplished by our students. ”
Graham Hammill, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School

SUNY has presented 11 UB students with Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent (GREAT) awards.

The SUNY GREAT award provides $7,500 in funding from the SUNY Office of Research and Economic Development that students can use for research expenses, related travel, professional development and stipend augmentation.

“I would like to congratulate our students on this honor and express my gratitude to SUNY for supporting our graduate students’ success,” says Graham Hammill, vice provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School. “These awards provide our students with the opportunity to leverage the funds to enhance their research and professional development. I am proud of the exceptional work being accomplished by our students.”

The following students received SUNY GREAT awards:

  • Verenice Ascencio Gutierrez, Department of Psychology.
  • Riley Blasiak, Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering.
  • Mary D'Angelo, Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
  • David Goich, Department of Microbiology and Immunology.
  • Dayron Leyva Rodriguez, Department of Oral Biology.
  • Ariel Lighty, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.
  • Sarah MacDougall, Department of Psychology.
  • Zahid Manzar, Department of Biomedical Engineering.
  • Leah Maykish, Department of Engineering Education.
  • Brian Morreale, Cancer Sciences, Roswell Park Cancer Institute Graduate Division.
  • Steven Taddei, Department of Microbiology and Immunology.

Student abstracts can be found here.

All recipients of the SUNY GREAT award have been honored by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of Defense. SUNY presented the award to 37 students across the system.

UB students are encouraged to work with the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships when applying for nationally competitive scholarships, fellowships and awards.