Anastasiya Lavell, a graduate student in the Benning lab, has won the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award.

Anastasiya was among the honorees recognized at the annual BMB Awards Banquet on April 11. The award is “given to a student for exceptional performance as a graduate teaching assistant during his or her graduate program.” It also provides the winner with $500 to support that person’s student career.

“I am incredibly thankful for receiving this award in particular,” Anastasiya says. “Teaching and mentoring are activities that I care about a great deal, and it’s an honor to be recognized for my efforts. Receiving this award further encourages me to work on becoming a better teacher and a better mentor.”

Anastasiya has been a Teaching Assistant for an Advanced Biochemistry Lab course (BMB471) and Cells and Molecules (BS161), an introductory biology course. In addition to TAing, she is currently working on obtaining a certification through the College of Natural Science which aims to train doctoral students in teaching math and science at the college level.

“Anastasiya Lavell is not only an outstanding scientist working on a challenging research project, she is also an amazing mentor of undergraduate students in the laboratory and instructor in the class room“, says Christoph Benning, her PhD thesis advisor. “This award is well deserved, and I am very happy for Anastasiya.”

Anastasiya started out her college career at a community college in MN, Anoka Ramsey Community College, where she obtained an Associates in Arts and Sciences degree. After transferring, she received her BS in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota. She currently is on track to defend her PhD this Fall 2019 at Michigan State University, where she is a recipient of a Plant Biotechnology for Health and Sustainability Fellowship.