SURA Presents 2025 MSI Graduate Awards to GSU and UCF Undergraduate Students

First introduced in 2024 by SURA, the MSI Graduate Awards Program encourages undergraduate students from SURA member MSIs to pursue STEM-related PhD education at a SURA member university. The program supports SURA’s commitment to help reduce barriers for students in higher education.

The three awardees have shown sustained educational excellence along with research, teaching, and outreach experience in their academic programs. Their dedication to using their education to shape the future in their respective fields was key in their selection for award. Gianella, Lee, and Stricklin will be honored at the SURA Annual Members Meeting in Washington, DC, in October.

Georgia State University student Anna Gianella earned her B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Psychology this summer. Inspired by a grandmother who stressed education as a privilege, Gianella’s passion for math began in high school, and developed into her goal to become a professor to help students with aversions to math enjoy the subject as she does. While at GSU, she spent her summers as an undergraduate researcher in the Gennady Cymbalyuk Lab, conducting computational neuroscience research. She was a tutor in the GSU STEM Tutoring Center. Her determination to become a math professor stems from her desire to inspire others to see the importance of the balance of subjectivity and objectivity in mathematics. Gianella was awarded Math Path Assistantships, Brain & Behavior Summer Research Assistantship, Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Scholars Fellowship, and Zell Miller Scholarship. She made numerous presentations at conferences and symposiums. Balancing out her academic life, Gianella, a skilled athlete, is president of the Georgia State Tennis Club, where she is honing her leadership, communication and management skills. Gianella will be attending the University of South Florida to begin her Mathematics PhD program in August.

University of Central Florida student Seohui Lee decided to major in chemistry when she saw how chemistry could open doors to the world and reach into multiple disciplines simultaneously. Thus, her plan to pursue a PhD in materials science and engineering where chemistry, engineering, and physics come together. Her research experiences include: Undergraduate Researcher, NanoScience Technology Center, and Inorganic Synthesis Lab. She served as a teaching assistant for a biochemistry course and a learning assistant for fundamental chemistry classes. Lee presented posters at the American Vacuum Society 70th International Symposium and Exhibition Conference and the NanoFlorida International Conference. She has been published in Chemistry – A European Journal and Nano Letters. She was awarded the AVS Dorothy M. and Earl S. Hoffman Travel Grant; Thomas and Yolanda Diasio Natural Sciences Scholarship Fund; and the NanoScience Technology Center Student Travel Award. Lee plans to graduate in May 2026, and pursue a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at a SURA member university.

Georgia State University student Margie Stricklin’s neuroscience courses taught her not only about the parts of the brain, but more importantly, the impact of scientific research on people’s lives. Bolstered by a research assistantship in the Bangasser Neuroendocrinology Lab, Stricklin’s resolve to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience solidified. Her work in the Lab earned her the Georgia Research Alliance Scholars Award and the 2024 National Institute on Drug Abuse Internship. Stricklin presented at the 2025 GSU Research Conference, 2024 Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium, NIDA Summer Intern Showcase, and GSU 2024 Symposium for Undergraduate Neuroscience. She was nominated for the GSU Neuroscience Undergraduate Award. In addition to being a member of Nu Rho Psi Honors Society, Black in Neuro, Association for Scientists of Color, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, and Collegiate Neuroscience Society, Stricklin volunteers in the community. Her volunteer work includes: Neuroscience Peer Mentor, Brighten A Day, GSU Panther Community Plunge, and Atlanta Science Fair. Stricklin plans to complete her undergraduate studies in May 2026, and pursue a PhD in Neuroscience at a SURA member university.

SURA MSI Committee Chair, Dr. M. Omar Faison, who is the Vice Provost for Research & Economic Development at Virginia State University, said “I am delighted to celebrate the achievements of Anna Gianella, Seohui Lee, and Margie Stricklin. The MSI Graduate Awards will help support their aspirations to pursue advanced STEM degrees and contribute to growth and innovation in our academic communities, nurturing the talent and vision that will shape the future of science and technology.”

SURA is a consortium of fifty-seven member universities that fosters collaborations which enhance members’ capabilities of undertaking significant, transformative scientific research projects that no single institution can handle independently.

Media Contact:
Marita Guliashvili
SURA Events and Office Coordinator
Email: mguliashvili@sura.org