Awards & Recognitions
Our educators and trainees are the key to our future success. UT MD Anderson offers multiple awards to celebrate and recognize the outstanding achievements of educators, trainees and alumni who have gone above and beyond to support our institution's Education mission area.
Educators and trainees in spotlight
Open the different sections below to view the educators, trainees and alumni who have been recognized in the past year for their exceptional contributions to UT MD Anderson and/or their specialty.
Distinguished Alumnus Award
The annual Distinguished Alumnus Award & Lecture is sponsored by UT MD Anderson Alumni and was established in 1980 to recognize a prominent alumnus who has made distinguished contributions to his or her respective field. The recipient of this award is selected from nominations received by the UT MD Anderson Alumni. Candidates must have completed a UT MD Anderson-based program or received a degree or certificate from a UT MD Anderson school.
Qihui “Jim” Zhai, M.D., FCAP, is a board-certified surgical pathologist specializing in head, neck, genitourinary and endocrine pathology. He is a professor in and the Albert G. and Harriet G. Smith Chair of the Department of Pathology and Translational Pathobiology at Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Shreveport. Additionally, Zhai is the pathologist-in-chief with Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport’s pathology service.
He earned his medical degree from the Medical School of Shandong University in Shandong, China, and completed his graduate studies at Peking Union Medical College and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Beijing. Zhai then undertook postdoctoral research training in neurology at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., before joining the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo as an assistant professor (research track). He later advanced to associate professor (research track) at Henry Ford Health in Detroit. Zhai subsequently completed a pathology residency at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and an oncologic pathology fellowship at UT MD Anderson.
Prior to joining LSU Health Shreveport, Zhai held a faculty appointment at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Jacksonville, Fla. There, he served as a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, where he was also the director of research and the founder and medical director of the Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Molecular Laboratory.
Zhai has published more than 200 peer-reviewed articles, manuscripts, and abstracts, and he has authored and edited nine major textbooks spanning his subspecialties, including best practices and quality assurance. Additionally, Zhai has served on the Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine editorial board since 2005. He has extensive experience leading extramurally funded, hypothesis-driven initiatives that have been successfully implemented in clinical practice. His work spans basic science and translational research, morphological studies, clinical correlations, the application of artificial intelligence, and liquid biopsy techniques. He also has been instrumental in translating technological advances into patient care, ensuring the continued delivery of effective, accurate and up-to-date diagnostic and therapeutic services.
Zhai’s pathology practice experience encompasses academia, large group settings and private practice. As a passionate advocate for pathology, pathologists, an integrated care model and optimal patient care, Zhai remains a dedicated educator and mentor, guiding junior faculty members in their career trajectories.
Zhai is an active member of numerous organized medicine and pathology societies, including the Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists, the Florida Society of Pathologists, the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the American Board of Pathology, the Association for Molecular Pathology, the Association of Pathology Chairs, the Chinese American Pathologists Association and the College of American Pathologists (CAP).
He has been a fellow of the CAP since 2004 and actively served on several of its committees and councils as a member, vice chair or chair. He was elected to the CAP’s Board of Governors in 2019.
In 2023, Zhai became the CAP’s president-elect, and in 2025, he was inaugurated for a two-year term as the CAP’s 39th president.
A list of Distinguished Alumnus Award recipients from previous years is located in the resource section of the UT MD Anderson alumni portal. Log in or join today to view.
The University of Texas Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education
The University of Texas System Kenneth I. Shine, M.D., Academy of Health Science Education recognizes educators across the UT system who have implemented an innovative project or program with proven success.
Kristy Brock, Ph.D., professor, Imaging Physics - Research, demonstrates her lifelong commitment to learning, discovery and service through her involvement in a wide range of educational initiatives.
She is the founding director of the Image Guided Cancer Therapy (IGCT) Research Program, an academic initiative designed to accelerate the development of innovative imaging techniques that improve access to cancer care and patient outcomes by tracking tumor and normal tissue conditions in near-real time. This thriving program fosters collaborative learning and interdisciplinary education through monthly research seminars and quarterly workshops, drawing participation from nearly 90 faculty members.
Brock also serves as a co-principal investigator for UT MD Anderson’s IGCT T32 Training Program, a prestigious, extramurally funded multidisciplinary postdoctoral fellowship for clinician-scientists and scientists specializing in surgery, interventional and diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology and correlative pathology. In this role, she mentors trainees as they develop specific aims for their independent research projects and present them effectively.
As a full faculty member in the Medical Physics graduate program at the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Brock teaches the Scientific Writing course, serves as the primary mentor on graduate thesis committees and acts as a radiation therapy examiner for Ph.D. qualifying exams.
Brock further supports the development of scientists and clinicians – both established and aspiring – through extensive educational outreach. She is a faculty member for the International Summer Academy on AI in Healthcare, Medicine and Biology, a world-renowned program funded by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. She has also developed educational materials and taught didactic courses across a broad range of topics, sharing her expertise with practicing medical physicists, medical physics residents, radiation oncology residents and radiation dosimetry students.
A. Kyle Jones, Ph.D., professor, Imaging Physics - Research, is the deputy director of the Medical Physics graduate program at the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He has taught at the graduate school for more than 15 years, challenging his students to identify and navigate around dogmatic teachings and outdated traditions embedded in their textbooks as they learn the latest principles and clinical applications of medical imaging, radiation biology and radiotherapy.
In addition to serving on UT MD Anderson’s Professional Education Committee, which reviews the quality of educational activities submitted for continuing medical education designation, Jones developed the educational material used in the institution’s fluoroscopy credentialing program approved by the State of Texas as an alternative to the standard certification process.
Over his 19-year career at UT MD Anderson, Jones has trained and mentored hundreds of UT MD Anderson residents and fellows and has supported the professional development of others through regional, national and international talks and workshops.
In 2025, he was recognized with the John P. McGovern Award for Outstanding Teaching by students at the MD Anderson UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
For the last 25 years, Dimitrios Kontoyiannis, M.D., professor, Infectious Diseases, has led multifaceted educational activities as a clinician and laboratory researcher.
As deputy head of research in Internal Medicine, Kontoyiannis has long advocated for and helped create mentorship opportunities for trainees. He personally coaches and mentors many of the division’s trainees and junior faculty and is deeply committed to supporting their professional development in academic infectious diseases. Of the more than 700 peer-reviewed articles he has co-authored, more than 30% list a trainee as first author.
In the clinic, Kontoyiannis often engages in direct bedside teaching and encourages trainees to think outside the box when facing challenging clinical cases. Every week, he shares the most recent and noteworthy published articles, creating a virtual journal club where trainees and colleagues can discuss the latest advancements in clinical and translational infectious diseases.
In his role as president of two international societies – the International Immunocompromised Host Society and the Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium – he spearheaded several important educational activities, including lectures, reviews and webinars for physicians, allied health professionals and the general public.
Click here to see a list of previous members inducted into The University of Texas Kenneth I. Shine, MD, Academy of Health Science Education.
The William Randolph Hearst Foundations Faculty Achievement Award in Education
The William Randolph Hearst Foundations Faculty Achievement Award in Education recognizes faculty members who’ve made significant, original contributions in education, while enhancing the institution’s international reputation.
Gottumukkala Raju, M.D., professor, Gastroeneterology and Hepatology, was the 2024 recipient of The William Randolph Hearst Foundations Faculty Achievement Award in Education.
Click here to see a list of previous recipients of The William Randolph Hearst Foundations Faculty Achievement Award in Education.
Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Education
The Rogers Award recognizes one employee who consistently demonstrates excellence and dedication to UT MD Anderson's mission to end cancer. The award rotates among the institution's four mission areas, so this award is given once every four years to a faculty or staff member who works in the area of Education.
Sylvia Brown, program director, Nurse Navigation, was the 2025 recipient of the Julie and Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Education.
One nominator wrote, “Sylvia's longstanding commitment to advancing excellence in teaching and advocating for the nursing profession is evident in every aspect of her work. Her exceptional teaching skills, active community engagement, and steadfast dedication to professional development reflect her deep passion for the transformational role nurse navigators play in the patient experience.”
Click here to see a list of previous Julie & Ben Rogers Award for Excellence in Education recipients.
Emil J Freireich Award for Excellence in Education
This Emil J Freireich Award for Excellence in Education is an annual award that recognizes faculty members who have made exceptional contributions to education at UT MD Anderson.
Emma Holliday, M.D., serves as associate program director of the Radiation Oncology Residency Program and has been instrumental in curriculum development, instructional design and continuous program improvement. She consistently goes the extra mile to ensure learners leave each lecture with new knowledge. She uses innovative approaches such as flipped classroom techniques to keep learners engaged.
Holliday also has an exceptional track record in education scholarship, publishing extensively on residency education, burnout, work-life balance, academic productivity and career development. She mentors numerous residents and medical students on research projects that have resulted in presentations and peer-reviewed manuscripts with trainees as primary authors.
One nominator wrote, “Her creativity, dedication, and leadership in medical education have improved the lives of countless students, residents, and patients, and we are confident she will continue to elevate future generations of learners.”
Click here to see a list of previous Emil J Freireich Award for Excellence in Education recipients.
Faculty Educator of the Year Award
The Faculty Educator of the Year Award honors faculty members who demonstrate excellence and innovative practices in education.
A professor of Behavioral Science, Lorraine Reitzel, Ph.D., is recognized by her nominators for inspiring others through her enthusiasm for education, compassion and mentorship.
She has led expansive educational initiatives throughout her academic career and brought this tenacity for education to UT MD Anderson when she joined the faculty in 2022. She spearheaded the trainee infrastructure for health disparities research, including recording and maintaining resource manuals, developing new educational supplements and organizing professional development seminars.
Perhaps her most significant contribution to education has been her impact on trainees, many of whom she has extended a role in her research, resulting in credit as co-authors in academic presentations and publications.
One trainee wrote, “She was the first professor to validate my curiosity in the sciences and to encourage me to explore my interests and to take up space. She allowed me to grow into the person I am today by fostering an environment where I could be comfortably inquisitive, thoughtful, and at times lost.”
Click here to see a list of previous Faculty Educator of the Year Award recipients.
Staff Educator of the Year Award
The Staff Educator of the Year Award acknowledges employees who demonstrate dedication, originality and enthusiasm for education.
Devan Ford
As director of Workforce Communities and Connections, Devan Ford, Ed.D., makes incredible efforts to understand the needs of UT MD Anderson’s workforce members and works with her team to build educational content based on that information. Her determination to support our workforce members has thus yielded many relevant and authentic conversations around menopause in the workplace, domestic violence awareness, mental health, women in medicine and a multitude of cultural celebrations.
Recently, Ford developed an educational roundtable to continue the conversation on generational dynamics, which was initially broached during Leadership Day. This roundtable event was well-attended and well-received – so much so that it has been requested by individual areas within the institution for smaller sessions.
Her nominator wrote, “Anyone who knows Devan knows her kind heart and her gentle, loving spirit. She knows no strangers. She is the first person to sign up to take on something that will teach someone something new. She looks forward to opportunities to showcase our educational offerings to the MD Anderson community and is constantly looking for topics to engage our workforce.”
Mary Sizemore, Ph.D., director of faculty development, Education Practice and Workforce Advancement, joined UT MD Anderson in 2021 and has since led transformative initiatives to strengthen education and professional development for students, clinicians and educators across our institution.
Sizemore oversaw the development of the Certificate of Clinical Educator Excellence, also known as C2E2, to enhance teaching skills for clinical educators, as well as the SEARCH certificate – short for Scholars in Education Advancement and Research in Clinical Health Care – which aims to strengthen knowledge around education research. She paved the way for registered apprenticeships at UT MD Anderson. Sizemore also has been instrumental in advancing interprofessional education (IPE) across the institution, leading the creation of a virtual IPE certificate program focused on team-based competencies and integrating these principles into the School of Health Professions’ workforce preparedness curriculum.
Her nominator wrote, “Through her visionary leadership, she inspires others to embrace education as a transformative tool, driving continuous improvement and collaboration across MD Anderson and beyond.”
Click here to see a list of previous Staff Educator of the Year Award recipients.
Distinguished Mentor Award
Every year, the Distinguished Mentor Award is presented to an UT MD Anderson faculty member who demonstrates exceptional mentoring of their postdoctoral fellows.
Tina Cascone, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, Thoracic-Head and Neck Medical Oncology, received the Robert M. Chamberlain Distinguished Mentor Award in recognition of her exceptional mentoring of postdoctoral fellows.
GME Trainee Awards
Each year, the Office of Graduate Medical Education recognizes excellent work performed by UT MD Anderson residents and fellows in professionalism, teaching and teamwork.
Resident/Fellow Award for Excellence in Professionalism
Amma Asare
Amma Asare, M.D., Ph.D., a fellow in Gynecologic Oncology, recognized for her ethical, compassionate, and respectful interactions with patients, families, colleagues and staff received the 2026 Excellence Award in Professionalism. Whether guiding peers through emotionally difficult moments or advocating for patients in high pressure situations, she consistently demonstrates poise, empathy and an unwavering commitment to safety and stewardship.
One nominator wrote, “Dr. Asare has a calm presence and shows genuine respect for everyone she encounters. She recognizes that our values and those of our patients may differ, and she navigates that space with compassion and respect. She models accountability not only for herself, but for the wellbeing of those around her.”
Vartan Pahalyants
Vartan Pahalyants, M.D., a fellow in Internal Medicine, who is described as bringing a “quiet calm” grounded in deep empathy for patients facing life threatening illness also received the 2026 Excellence Award in Professionalism. He arrives each day with the simple goal of doing good in the world, often the first to notice small but meaningful needs, like offering a pillow, a blanket, or a helping hand as patients prepare to leave clinic.
A nominator wrote, “His style is to offer solutions and anticipate needs. He works until the job is done and he is tireless.”
Resident/Fellow Excellence Award in Teaching
Naomi Adjei
Naomi Adjei, M.D., a fellow in Gynecologic Oncology, recognized for her extraordinary gift for transforming routine clinical encounters into rich learning opportunities received the 2026 Excellence Award in Teaching. Adjei asks thoughtful questions, gives clear and supportive feedback and creates psychologically safe learning spaces. She also excels at translating complex diagnoses into language that patients can understand and has limitless patience for questions. In one instance, she spent an extended period helping a distressed ovarian cancer patient sort through her options until she felt empowered to make her decision.
One nominator wrote, “Dr. Adjei creates a caring, collaborative learning environment wherever she goes. She teaches ethics, empathy, and service by example and turns every interaction—whether with a resident on call, a patient in distress, or a summer student—into an opportunity for growth.”
Jordan McDonald
Jordan McDonald, M.D., is a fourth-year resident in Radiation Oncology whose dedication to education took root early in her academic journey also received the 2026 Excellence Award in Teaching. As an undergraduate, she served as a supplemental instructor in chemistry and volunteered with community and youth based outreach programs—experiences that helped shape her identity as both a teacher and a mentor.
Her patience, clarity, and ability to meet learners exactly where they have made her a trusted resource for rotating and visiting students. She played a thoughtful and intentional role in shaping the program’s mentorship initiative, ensuring that students could be paired with resident mentors who shared not only their professional interests but also their hobbies and personal passions. This approach has strengthened the sense of connection and belonging within the program.
One nominator wrote, “Jordan serves as an outstanding ambassador for the department and the specialty, offering honest insight, encouragement, and informal mentorship that many students cite as pivotal to their experience.”
Resident/Fellow Excellence Award in Teamwork
Rehema Thomas
Rehema Thomas, M.D., a fellow in Radiation Oncology, is described as a collaborative spirit who defines exceptional clinical practice received the 2026 Excellence Award in Teamwork. She builds relationships grounded in trust and respect and ensures every team member feels heard and valued. Her influence has strengthened psychological safety within clinical teams—enhancing collaboration and elevating patient care.
One nominator wrote, “Her influence is both subtle and profound—she elevates those around her through example, encouragement, and genuine investment in collective success.”
Reeja Raj
Reeja Raj, D.O., co chief fellow in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, is recognized for her instinctive commitment to supporting others. Whether stepping in quietly to help a colleague in need, sharing information freely, or guiding discussions toward solutions, she models thoughtful, team centered leadership. She works tirelessly to nurture a culture that is connected, supportive and humane.
One nominator wrote, “She is a leader who leads by doing, and a teammate who elevates everyone around her.”
Clinical Education Awards
Each year, the Office of Graduate Medical Education recognizes two faculty members and two administrative staff members for their outstanding dedication to education at UT MD Anderson.
Outstanding Program Director Award
Phyu Aung
Phyu Aung, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of Anatomical Pathology and program director of the Surgical Pathology fellowship program, received the 2026 Outstanding Program Director Award.
As director of the nation’s largest ACGME-accredited Surgical Pathology Fellowship Program, Aung leads one of graduate medical education’s most complex and high-volume learning environments. She provides direct guidance to 14 fellows and oversees nearly 40 additional rotating residents and trainees annually.
Beyond the size of her program, what truly sets Aung apart is the meaningful connection she builds with her trainees. She has created a safe, respectful environment where learners feel comfortable sharing their challenges, ideas and aspirations. Trainees say she has an exceptional ability to break down complex diagnostic concepts, offer actionable feedback and treat them as valued colleagues. This approach fosters confidence, professional growth and a strong sense of belonging.
One nominator wrote, “She exemplifies mentorship, empathy, professionalism, collaboration, and excellence in academic pathology. Her impact on trainees is profound, and she truly shapes the next generation of pathologists through her guidance, integrity, and generosity.”
Brian Chapin
Brian Chapin, M.D., a professor of Urology and associate program director of the Urology fellowship program, also received the 2026 Outstanding Program Director Award.
Chapin’s nominators credit his robust curriculum design, responsiveness, and unparalleled professional support for creating an exceptional fellowship experience. His mentorship has directly contributed to the success of his graduates, many of whom secure their top-choice faculty positions.
Often described as the program’s “unofficial social chair,” he plays a major role in organizing social and wellness activities and connecting trainees with external mentors. He has also been instrumental in collaborating with the department of Surgery to develop the division’s Clinical Trials Design and Surgical Trainee Leadership courses. These efforts have elevated not only his own trainees, but surgical trainees across UT MD Anderson.
One nominator wrote, “Dr. Chapin leads by example. He models professionalism, integrity, compassion, and academic curiosity in all aspects of his work. His leadership fosters trust, accountability, and excellence, and he has set a standard for mentorship and educational engagement within the division.”
Outstanding Program Administrator Award
Dawn Dean
Dawn Dean, a program coordinator in Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology who supports the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship program, received the 2026 Outstanding Program Administrator Award.
She is deeply admired by her trainees for being organized, focused and consistently proactive, qualities that help trainees meet their requirements without added stress. She is quick to respond, collaborative and genuinely invested in supporting trainees through both professional and personal challenges.
One nominator wrote, “I genuinely aspire to emulate her level of professionalism, dedication, organization and commitment to excellence in my own career. Her example inspires those around her and elevates our entire program.”
Alyssa "Allie" Word
Allie Word, a program coordinator in Interventional Radiology, also received the 2026 Outstanding Program Administrator Award.
As program coordinator, Allie supports the Interventional Radiology program and is often described as the backbone of the program, or as one nominator put it, “the oil that makes this machine run smoothly.” From the very first moment prospective trainees interact with interventional radiology, Allie is a steady, welcoming presence. She guides them through recruitment and interviews, and once they’re on board, she fosters a sense of community and connection that stays with them throughout their training. She navigates the complex transition of rotations, and, as one trainee wrote, ensures that “a kink is never endured more than once.”
She brings this standard of excellence to everything she touches, quietly improving processes before anyone even notices something needed improving.
Mike Hogg Award
The Mike Hogg Fund is dedicated to the support of academic proposals that will further the advancement of clinical care through medical research, education and the implementation of new diagnostic or therapeutic techniques. UT MD Anderson's division of Education and Training manages the annual Mike Hogg Award and Lecture, given to outstanding external researchers in academic medicine.
The fund was established in 1955 by Alice Nicholson Hanszen in memory of her first husband, Mike Hogg. The annual lectureship honoring Hogg was established in 1958, and Arthur Kornberg, M.D., delivered the first lecture the following year. Kornberg, a Nobel laureate, set the standard for the superior caliber of the scientists and physicians chosen to receive this honor in subsequent years.
Brent R. Stockwell, Ph.D., is the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biological Sciences and Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Professor of Chemistry in Arts & Sciences, Columbia University, and Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center. His research involves the discovery of small molecules that can be used to understand and treat cancer and neurodegeneration, with a focus on biochemical mechanisms governing cell death. In a series of papers from 2003-2012, Dr. Stockwell discovered compounds that activate a previously unrecognized form of cell death that he termed ferroptosis. His lab defined key mechanisms governing ferroptosis, its therapeutic implications, and essential reagents for studying this new form of cell death.
Dr. Stockwell has received numerous awards, including being elected to the US National Academy of Medicine, the 2024 Cell Death and Differentiation Award, a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award at the Scientific Interface, a Beckman Young Investigator Award, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Early Career Scientist Award, the BioAccelerate NYC Prize, the Lenfest Distinguished Columbia Faculty Award, and the Great Teacher of Columbia College Award from the Society of Columbia Graduates.
He has been in the top 1 percent of highly cited researchers the last five years and was named as one of the 50 most influential life science individuals in New York. He has published >200 scientific articles, been awarded 23 US patents, and received >50 research grants for >$40 million.