Chemical engineering graduate student Génesis Ríos-Adorno received an Outstanding Mentor award during the C2 awards ceremony on April 28.
The goal of the C² program is to foster excellence in the chemical sciences at Illinois. Graduate and undergraduate chemical engineering and chemistry students are encouraged to participate. Monthly professional development workshops and networking events are combined with one-on-one peer mentorship. Graduate students serve as mentors to undergraduates, who are eligible to apply for Summer Research Scholarships sponsored by the 3M Corporation and competitive Travel Awards to present their research at national conferences.
Ríos-Adorno is a doctoral student in the lab of chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Brendan A. Harley. She is a mentor to ChBE undergraduate Stephenie Merchan, who nominated her for the award.
“She creates a space where people feel heard and encouraged," Merchan said. "Her kindness, honesty and willingness to share her experience make her an incredible mentor, and someone who genuinely deserves to be recognized for it.”
Alexander Gomez, a Ph.D. student in chemistry professor Christina White's research group, also received an Outstanding Mentor award for mentoring Omar Chavez, a chemistry undergraduate.
Seven undergraduates who participated in the C2 program were awarded Summer Research Scholarships. They are Francisco Larrea Matus, Makayla Murrell and Abike Sholeye in chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Abby Calixto, Omar Chavez, Janaye Jordan and Carlos Nava-Matadamas in chemistry.