Lauds and Laurels
Alumni Award Ceremony and Dinner


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2024

HYATT REGENCY IRVINE

This October we honored distinguished alumni who have made remarkable contributions to our university and the broader community.

Since 1971, the UC Irvine Alumni Association (UCIAA) and its board of directors has presented Lauds and Laurels, the association’s highest honor at the University of California, Irvine. Lauds and Laurels is one of the university’s oldest awards ceremony, a tradition that has recognized more than 800 members of the UC Irvine community for their service to the university, the community or their profession.
List of Past Recipients >

EXTRAORDINARIUS

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Sir David MacMillan, Ph.D. ’96

The UC Irvine Alumni Association will bestow its highest honor, the Extraordinarius award, on Sir David MacMillan, Ph.D. ’96, at the 2024 Lauds and Laurels ceremony on October 10. This event will recognize MacMillan as well as 21 other highly accomplished Anteaters and celebrate their significant contributions to the university and the broader community.

“UC Irvine changed, shaped and amplified my life in so many measurable and immeasurable ways,” says MacMillan. “It was the start of my research career, and I am honored to receive this recognition from the institution that played such a pivotal role in shaping my journey.”

MacMillan was also honored as a knight bachelor by Queen Elizabeth II as part of her 96th birthday celebration and platinum jubilee. He was acknowledged for his significant scientific contributions and influence, earning him the title Sir David MacMillan, Ph.D. ’96.

Read the full press release

DISTINGUISHED AWARDEES

Pamina Barkow ’03, MBA ’16

The Paul Merage School of Business

Tracy Carmichael ’03, Ph.D. ’13

School of Education

Jonathan H. Chen, Ph.D. ’09, M.D. ’11

Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

Sean Garcia-Leys, J.D. ’16

School of Law

Manu Gulati, M.S. ’95

The Henry Samueli School of Engineering

JohnRey Hassan ’10

Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing

Harry Herr, M.D. ’69

School of Medicine

David Israelsky ’03

School of Humanities

Sana U. Khan ’86

The Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences

Kelsey Morgan ’10, Ph.D. ’24

School of Social Ecology

Tony Ortiz ’98

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Susan L. Polan, Ph.D. ’94

Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health

Darcy Prevost, M.F.A. ’09

Claire Trevor School of the Arts

Jeffrey Thomson M.A. ’69, Ph.D. ’72

School of Physical Sciences

Shelley Thunen ’90, MBA ’92

School of Social Sciences

ADDITIONAL HONOREES

Bruce Endsley ’74

Outstanding Alumnus Athlete

Martha Morales Hernandez ’17, M.A. ’19, Ph.D. ’24

Outstanding Graduate Student

Allison Lim ’15

Distinguished Young Alumna 

Amy S. Ricks

Outstanding Staff Achievement

Hassan Shaikh

Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Toshiki Tajima, Ph.D. ’75

Outstanding Faculty Achievement

PAST 2023 AWARD RECIPIENTS

ExtraordinariusPaul Butterworth ’74, M.S. ’81 and Jo Butterworth ’75

Distinguished Alumni Awards — These awards recognize UC Irvine alumni whose personal or professional achievements bring honor and distinction to a particular school or discipline, UC Irvine and/or the UC Irvine Alumni Association.

  • Molly Lynch ’79, M.F.A. ’81 Claire Trevor School of the Arts
  • Tamera Hatfield ’87, ’88, M.D. ’04 – School of Biological Sciences 
  • Stella Zhang, MBA ’05 – The Paul Merage School of Business 
  • Chris Andersson ’22 – Division of Continuing Education 
  • Carolyn Brothers ’78 – School of Education 
  • Johnny Lincoln, M.S. ’04, Ph.D. ’07 – The Henry Samueli School of Engineering 
  • Patricia Dailey, M.A. ’93, Ph.D. ’02 – School of Humanities 
  • Steve Acterman ’86, MBA ’99 – Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences 
  • Jeffrey Wachs, J.D. ’12 – School of Law 
  • Geraldine Taplin, M.D. ’72 – School of Medicine 
  • Jeffrey Vu ’09, M.S.N. ’14 – Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing 
  • Monica Alfaro Welling ’84 – School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 
  • Nancy Evans ’74, M.S. ’84 – School of Physical Sciences 
  • Evelyn Gonzalez ’12 – Program in Public Health 
  • Hafsa Kaka ’04 – School of Social Ecology 
  • Michael Marckx ’87 – School of Social Sciences 

 

Additional honorees are:

  • Zainab Saadi ’06, M.D. ’13 – Distinguished Young Alumna 
  • Neel Grover ’92 – Outstanding Alumnus Athlete 
  • Barbara Finlayson-Pitts – Outstanding Faculty Achievement 
  • Andrea Wasserman – Outstanding Staff Achievement 
  • Steven Gong – Outstanding Undergraduate Student 
  • Megan Cole ’18, M.A. ’20 – Outstanding Graduate Student 

Joshua Swank — Outstanding Undergraduate Student

Angeline Dukes — Outstanding Graduate Student

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

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BLUE SPONSOR

Goran Matijasevic, M.S. '85, Ph.D. '91

BRONZE SPONSORS

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