Student spotlights
Wayne State is proud of its world-class faculty, staff and students and we invite you to nominate yourself or spotlight fellow Warriors who are making a difference.
Andrea Batchev
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
School of Medicine
M.D./Ph.D. student Andrea Batchev, who is a research assistant in the Department of chemistry, has earned the NIH F30 award. The award, also known as the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award, supports the integrated research and clinical training of students pursuing a career as physician-scientists. Batchev’s research explores outersphere kinetic control over the oxidation of oxygen-sensitive MRI contrast agents for imaging hypoxia.
Taylor Takla
Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
School of Medicine
Taylor Takla, a Ph.D. candidate in translational neuroscience program, received a two-year, $96,812 F31 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health to study fear of falling in those with multiple sclerosis.
Anahita Zahertar
College of Engineering
Anahita Zahertar, a distinguished Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Wayne State University, was awarded first place in the student poster competition at the Great Lakes District meeting of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Zahertar's research focuses on the integration of bikeshare and transit systems in Detroit, a pivotal step toward equitable transportation solutions for the city.
Peter Dimitrion
School of Medicine
The Arnold P. Gold Foundation has named Peter Dimitrion a 2024 Gold Student Summer Fellow. The Gold Foundation offers fellowships annually to provide opportunities for medical students to deepen their understanding of health inequities, to advance culturally responsive care and to direct attention toward community health needs.
Mizumi Setia
School of Medicine
Doctoral candidate Mizumi Setia's research shined bright at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology Conference, the world’s largest eye and vision research organization. Setia won the Cora Verhagen Young Investigator Award in Ocular Immunology, given to the best poster or paper presented by a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow in the immunology session. She also was named the runner up for the organization’s Raniyah Ramadan Young Investigator Award in Microbiology.
Biyyiah Lee
College of Nursing
Jonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, announced that Ph.D. student Biyyiah Lee has been selected as a Jonas Scholar for the program’s 2024-2026 cohort. The program aims to improve health care by expanding the pool of Ph.D. and DNP-prepared nurses needed to educate the next generation of nurse leaders.
Taybah Hashmi
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
As a student employee with Learning Support Services, Taybah presented at a supplemental instruction (SI) conference in Baltimore. She has been recognized by the team for her dedication to student success and academic achievements.
‘…Taybah holds a passion for learning and helping individuals succeed, no matter their background or major. She has been an incredible role model for the Learning Support Services peer leaders and has created an impact in the entire department.”
-University Counselor Shaina Jansen
Nuha Ahmed
College of Engineering
Nuha was awarded the Michigan Council of Women in Technology scholarship. The award has inspired her to continue pursuing her passion for technology and computer science and to take advantage of the networking opportunities to connect with other women in the field.
Nina Goodwin
Mike Ilitch School of Business
Nina presented her research about marketing customer loyalty programs at the National Convention of Undergraduate Research.
Carissa Bennett
Irvin D. Reid Honors College
Carissa was named one of the 2023 American Council on Education’s Students of the Year. Bennett is a Marine Corps veteran and an aspiring pediatric neurologist, who has excelled in the classroom and in supporting the community through organizations dedicated to helping veterans, children and people with neurological disabilities.
Katrina Lewandowski
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Biological sciences Ph.D. student Katrina Lewandowski is a 2024 John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow, working as a coastal resilience specialist in the National Sea Grant office. She is currently working on her dissertation in Great Lakes ecology.
Biola Makinde-Odusola
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Biola Makinde-Odusola is the first student to complete the Dean of Students Office's Warrior Rewards path, designed to help students develop life-long friendships and connect with Wayne State. Makinde-Odusola participated in 68 events and experiences.
Daniel Grey
Student-Athlete, Tennis
Daniel Grey was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.
Abigail Fielder
School of Medicine
Abigail and her faculty mentor, Associate Professor Kristen Purrington, have secured Wayne State's first spot in the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship program. The pair's work investigating racial disparities in breast cancer survival rate aligns with the program's commitment to building a more inclusive scientific ecosystem.
Share your story
The Wayne State Newsroom serves as the hub for news, announcements, and information of interest to the campus community. We seek to share Wayne State’s story, with special emphasis on highlighting work that supports the 2022-2027 Strategic Plan, the Prosperity Agenda and other broader university initiatives. We also want to recognize the successes of Wayne State’s world-class faculty, staff and students and invite you to nominate yourself or spotlight fellow Warriors who are making a difference. Submissions will be considered for a variety of content forms. Please share your ideas below.