UCLA postdoctoral scholars were honored at the 2012 Postdoctoral Scholars Reception for their important contributions to the university's interrelated missions of research, teaching, and public service. The reception was held on May 10, 2012 at the California NanoSystems Institute.

Of the approximately 1093 registered UCLA postdoctoral scholars, 27 were nominated for the Chancellor’s Award for Postdoctoral Research. The nominees represent virtually every discipline at UCLA, from the basic and applied sciences to the professional schools, the social sciences, and the humanities.

2012 Nominees

• Jianwen Chen Electrical Engineering
• Lunjin Chen Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
• Sheng-Wei Chi Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Buhm Han Computer Science
• Wanjun Jiang Electrical Engineering
• Jeffrey J. Kim Dentistry
• Takashi Kudo Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
• Peter B. Lillehoj Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Sijie Lin Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology
• Peng Liu Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Sam Mavandadi Electrical Engineering
• Aik Ooi Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology
• Giacomo Po Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Harish Rajagopalan Electrical Engineering
• Bridget M. Reynolds Psychology
• Catherine DeCarlo Santiago Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences
• Mirjam Schenk Dermatology
• Hilke Schlichting Earth and Space Science
• Mahavir Singh Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Nelly Tan Radiological Sciences
• Abtine Tavassoli Neurobiology
• Soban Umar Anesthesiology
• David T. Uminsky Mathematics
• Claudio J. Villanueva Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
• Jingbi You Materials Science and Engineering
• Yuebing Zheng California NanoSystems Institute
• Qinghui Zhou Medicine

Six of the 27 nominees were selected to receive the Chancellor's Award for Postdoctoral Research -- a $4,000 prize -- for their research accomplishments that show clear potential to have meaningful and enduring implications in their field.

2012 Awardees

• Buhm Han Computer Science
• Wanjun Jiang Electrical Engineering
• Peng Liu Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Mirjam Schenk Dermatology
• Hilke Schlichting Earth and Space Science
• David T. Uminsky Mathematics

The awards and reception were co-hosted and funded by the Office of the Chancellor, Graduate Division, Office of Research Administration, David Geffen School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, Fielding School of Public Health, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, Humanities-College of Letters and Science, Life Sciences-College of Letters and Science, Physical Sciences-College of Letters and Science, and Social Sciences-College of Letters and Science.

Watch a video of the 2012 Chancellor's Award for Postdoctoral Research awards ceremony.

2012 Reception Photo Gallery