Dr. Shari Yvon-Lewis, head of the Texas A&M Department of Oceanography, proudly presented annual department awards for outstanding teaching and research to two graduate students on March 25.

Prajvala Kurtakoti, a doctoral student working with Dr. Achim Stössel, won the ‘John Wormuth Memorial Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching’, in recognition of exceptional teaching in undergraduate courses, including Oceanography Laboratory class.

Kurtakoti is interested in studying large scale ocean circulation and open ocean convection in high-resolution numerical models as they are an important mechanism of heat and momentum transfer. Her research is on the preconditioning, formation, and impact of Maud Rise and Weddell Sea Polynyas in a high-resolution Earth System Model.  

“I would like to thank the Department of Oceanography, College of Geosciences, and Texas A&M University for the award and for the financial support during my PhD. I would also like to thank my collaborators at Los Alamos National Laboratory for funding my research and my advisor, Dr. Achim Stössel for encouraging me to pursue academic research experience working at a National Laboratory.” said Kurtakoti.

 “The teaching experience I have gained at Texas A&M University has helped me balance my academic life, made me a better researcher and educator. My teaching philosophy has always been about providing a safe learning environment, listening to every student and figuring out their needs. I adapt my teaching style to fit their needs because that’s the best way to make sure every student makes the most of my knowledge.”

Laramie Jensen, a doctoral student working with Dr. Jessica Fitzsimmons, won the ‘Chapman Award for Graduate Research’, in recognition of exceptional oceanographic research contributed by a graduate student.

Jensen’s research is mainly focused on dissolved and colloidal trace metals, such as iron and zinc, in the Artic Ocean as a part of the international collaboration program called GEOTRACES. Recently, Jensen published her first-author article in ‘Global Biogeochemical Cycles’, examining the biogeochemical cycling of dissolved zinc, an important micronutrient for photosynthesizing phytoplankton, in the Arctic Ocean.

“I would like to acknowledge my advisor, Dr. Jessica Fitzsimmons, for her support in completing each stage of this work, and my lab mates and friends who have always encouraged me,” Jensen said. “I have also received financial support from the Department of Oceanography, College of Geosciences, and Texas A&M University that has made my degree possible. This GEOTRACES collaboration is funded by the National Science Foundation through the Ocean Sciences division.”

By Bumsoo Kim