Zarzar honored with Distinguished Faculty Mentoring Award
Lauren Zarzar, associate professor of chemistry and materials science and engineering, is one of three members of the Eberly College of Science to receive the Distinguished Faculty Mentoring Award in 2022. The award was created in 2019 to honor faculty members in the college for their outstanding work in mentoring students, postdocs, and faculty.
Zarzar was recognized for devoting extraordinary time, effort, and thought to mentoring her research trainees, including both graduate students and undergraduates. Despite the large size of her research group, she is dedicated to providing individualized mentoring to each of her students. She also works to cultivate creative thinking and communication strategies with her and students.
“These skills are among the most difficult to cultivate in trainees, but critical to future success in running an independent research program,” said one nominator. “Lauren’s commitment to addressing this challenge signals a great deal of care about the intellectual development of her students.”
Zarzar is also deeply committed to the growth of undergraduate students, who become fully integrated into her lab, working independently in terms of their research contributions.
“One could say that graduate student training is essential to attaining promotion and tenure, but undergraduate training is a gift on the part of the mentor; it is giving back to the scientific enterprise and really a selfless activity,” said one nominator. “Professor Zarzar’s investment in her undergraduates further reflects her deep and abiding commitment to service and mentoring.”
One of her students said that “she pushes us to improve our technical and intellectual research skills constantly and is always willing to make time for me and her other students. Lauren inspires me to be more passionate about research and do the best work I can.”
Other students added that her work ethic, candor, and commitment to research and the group inspires them to mentor younger students and to hold themselves to greater standards.
“I remain convinced that I won the adviser lottery in having Lauren Zarzar as my mentor,” added another student. “Lauren exemplifies what it means to be a top tier researcher, adviser, and mentor. She helps us through roadblocks, gives encouragement and praise when things go well, commiserates when things fail, and in general supports us throughout all aspects of our academic lives.”