Congratulations to Ph.D. student Chloë Hawkings as she received the 2018 Ethel Ashworth-Tsutsui Memorial Award for mentorship on Thursday, February 8 during the Ethel Ashworth-Tsutsui Memorial Lecture at the Engineering Technologies Building.
Hawkings is the first student in the Departmentt of Entomology that received this high honor, which recognizes the research and mentoring efforts of women on the Texas A&M campus. She was recognized for her efforts in mentoring both undergraduate and graduate women students into the field of entomology.
In 2017, Hawkings was one of the founders of the Aggie Women in Entomology, an organization created to enhance the professional community of women in entomology. Since its founding, the organization has hosted several Mentorship Panels during the fall semester where undergraduate students could answer questions about general entomology, the panelists’ research interests, and transitioning to graduate school.
Hawkings serves as the president of the Aggie Women in Entomology and serves as the Event Coordinator for the Entomology Graduate Student Organization. She also served as a graduate mentor for the College of Science’s learning communities program and served as a research mentor for undergraduate students Franchesca Rodriguez and Colin Roper in 2017. Both Rodriguez and Roper work in Dr. Cecilia Tamborindeguy’s lab.
During her college career, Hawkings has been involved in several outreach programs including Expand Your Horizons in December, the “Insects and Beyond! An Interactive Introduction to the Wonder-full World of Entomology” event for members of the North Bryan Community Center’s summer camp program, and for programs at various area schools and community events.
“I am very proud,” Hawkings’ advisor Dr. Cecilia Tamborindeguy said. “It is a great recognition for her work and leadership in this area. Chloe has been instrumental for developing and leading many mentoring efforts.”
Hawkings was very honored to have received the award.
“I am grateful the experiences and opportunities I have had in mentorship within the Department of Entomology, both through teaching and through the Aggie Women in Entomology Organization, she said. “Mentorship is something that is deeply important to me”
Sponsored by the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE), the award is given to honor women graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and research staff who take action to encourage and support women graduate students in the university.