Thank you for your interest in the RISE Undergraduate program. After 45 years, and hundreds of undergraduates trained and launched into amazing scientific careers as doctoral level scientists, the RISE program has ended. We celebrate our students and their accomplishments and will continue to seek out ways to support the highly talented and dedicated future scientists at UT San Antonio.

2024 RISE UG Student Awards

Luis Flores

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

Enrique Piedra

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

2022 RISE UG Student Awards

Tanya Cruz

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

2021 RISE UG Student Awards

Naomi Alyafei

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention

Cynthia Perez

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

Kaitlyn Varela

  • Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship Award
  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

2020 RISE UG Student Awards

Naomi Alyafei

  • Goldwater Scholarship

Elizabeth Cervantes

  • First Place 3-Minute Thesis Presentation Award (Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase)

Samantha Eaton

  • Third Place Poster Presentation Award (Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase)

Amanda Gomez

  • Life Sciences, Cell/Molecular Biology Presentation Award (SACNAS)

David Hall

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

Linh Tram

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention

Sara Valdes

  • Second Place 3-Minute Thesis Presentation Award (Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase)

Maria Carmen Varela

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

2019 RISE UG Student Awards

Paola Montufar Soria

  • Psychology Presentation Award (SACNAS)

Jessica O'Berry

  • Life Sciences, Microbiology Presentation Award (SACNAS)

Cynthia Perez

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention

2018 RISE UG Student Awards

Alexis Catala

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

Sean Tritley

  • Neuroscience Presentation Award (ABRCMS)

Maria Carmen Varela

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention

2016 RISE UG Student Awards

Jessica Burch

  • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Award

America Ruiz

  • Goldwater Scholarship
  • Best in Show (Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase)

Maria Carmen Varela

  • Best Undergraduate Student Poster-Neurobiology (COS Research Conference)

Jennifer Watts

  • Best in Show (Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry Showcase)

2015 RISE UG Student Awards

Melina Acosta

  • Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation-Mathematics and Statistics (COS Research Conference)

2014 RISE UG Student Awards

Zeliene Brown

  • Rising Researcher's Award

Trisha Hinojosa

  • First Place Undergraduate Poster Presentation Award (COLFA Spring Conference)

Ana Maldonado

  • Rising Researcher's Award

Mayra Pedraza

  • Best Undergraduate Student Poster-Chemistry & Biochemistry (COS Research Conference)

Edgar Sherman

  • Selected for NIH INRO Program
  • Received Postbacc Offers from Two NIH Labs

Marissa Wechsler

  • Best Undergraduate Student Poster-Regenerative and Molecular Medicine (COS Research Conference)

2013 RISE UG Student Awards

Stephanie Ikediobi

  • Selected for Dean's Student Council

2012 RISE UG Student Awards

Alexis Catala-Pepo

  • Honors College Scholarship
  • Presidential Scholarship
  • SACNAS Travel Award

2010 RISE UG Student Awards

Stephanie Ikediobi

  • Best Microbiology Poster Award (SACNAS)