Congratulations to all the FIU Outstanding Student Life Award Recipients. In particular, we’d like to acknowledge the following CASE students for their awards:
Amro AlAshi, Undergraduate Scholar Award
Amro AlAshi is an exemplary scholar, majoring in both biology and chemistry in the pre-med program with a near perfect GPA. He has participated in several coveted medically-related research programs, like the Miami Children’s Research Institute and the Knecht Group, and has represented FIU at 8 conferences through poster and oral presentations. In addition to his research, AlAshi has also found the time to volunteer for day long service projects to week long medical brigades, serves as a learning assistant, tutor, mentor, and in various capacities in medically related student organizations on-campus. He has been awarded the Dean’s Active Citizenship Award and the Dean’s Service Award from the Honor’s College, as well as the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold) from Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
James Stroud, Graduate Scholar Award
Author of 16 scientific publications plus three in preparation, along with another 13 popular publications and natural history notes, James Stroud is described as being in the top one percent of all the graduate students. He has orally presented at 11 local, regional and national conferences; prepared 10 poster presentations for other conferences; and has received international media coverage 11 times. For the last several years, Stroud has led a team of international experts to develop a comprehensive series of projects using the recently introduced anolis lizard communities of South Florida as a model system to test the theories of ecological release, character displacement and adaptive radiation. Additionally, Stroud makes time to mentor undergraduate students and served as the graduate student advisor for FIU’s ecology club, GLADES, which was recognized in 2015 as the best student chapter in the nation under his guidance. He also worked with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden to develop the “Lizards on the Loose” program to educate local elementary students about the lizards they interact with in their schoolyards and backyards.
Robert Wood, Kaplan Prize
Chemistry major and biology minor Robert Wood plans to use his science knowledge and passion for serving others to attend medical school in 2018. While a student at FIU, he has served as both a learning assistant and a teaching assistant in the chemistry department for three years, providing support and education to his peers. Additionally, Wood has given chemistry presentations to underprivileged youth through the Upward Bound Program, and for middle and high school girls through the Geeki Girl Program. He has also served as a science fair judge at local middle and elementary schools, and has represented FIU students with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Department of Education and New Faculty Orientation.
