Lauds and Laurels
Alumni Award Ceremony and Dinner
SAVE THE DATE
Friday, November 7, 2025
HYATT REGENCY IRVINE
About Lauds and Laurels
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 >
Recap of 2024 Recipients
2024 EXTRAORDINARIUS
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.
2024 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
Extraordinarius — Paul 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
BLUE SPONSOR
Goran Matijasevic, M.S. '85, Ph.D. '91
BRONZE SPONSORS
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