AABC Mensch Prize Award Winners

AABC is proud to award its first Mensch Prize in Astrobiology for graduate student Lilia Koelemay and undergraduate student Garret Wilson. This prestigious award  includes a certificate and a cash prize of $1,000 for outstanding contributions to the field of astrobiology. Congratulations to both!

Lilia Koelemay is a Ph.D. candidate with the Ziurys Research Group (Chemistry and Biochemistry) at UArizona. Lilia was selected for her work identifying organic and prebiotic molecules in circumstellar envelopes using radio astronomy. 

Garret Wilson was selected for his outstanding work on the project “Understanding the Differential Loss of Ancient Proteins” with Prof. Joanna Masel from the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department. Garret adds: “I’m a senior studying molecular and cellular biology and computer science. I was a military brat growing up and so I’ve lived in quite a few different places, but currently my family resides in San Antonio, Texas. Being selected for the Mensch Prize in Astrobiology is an honor! I am so grateful to receive recognition for my research and this award is a great boost in motivation and confidence.”