Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) has honored four faculty members for their exemplary qualities as mentors to graduate students.
The winners of this year’s Graduate Mentor Awards are Andrew Wang, associate professor of internal medicine (rheumatology) and immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine; Moira Fradinger, associate professor of comparative literature in Yale’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS); David Moore, associate professor of physics in FAS; and Rourke O’Brien, associate professor of sociology in FAS.
“The Graduate Mentor Award recognizes faculty members who are exceptional in fostering the intellectual, professional, and personal development of their students,” said GSAS Dean Lynn Cooley. “It is the university’s principal award for superb teaching, advising, and mentoring of graduate students.”
Graduate students are invited to nominate faculty members for the award every spring term. Winners are chosen by a selection committee comprised of previous mentor award recipients, and delegates from the Graduate Student Assembly (the graduate school’s student government) and the graduate school.
An award is given in each of four divisions: biological sciences, humanities, physical sciences and engineering, and social sciences.
This year’s winners will be recognized at the GSAS convocation on Sunday, May 18, at the Yale University Art Gallery.
Andrew Wang (Biological Sciences)
Wang is a rheumatologist who sees patients with inflammatory conditions and rheumatologic diseases. He runs a lab that studies inflammatory physiology, placebo and nocebo physiology, and how the environment interacts with the host to affect disease trajectories. His student trainees praised his unwavering commitment to their growth as scientists. He fosters a supportive and inclusive environment in his lab, they said, and regularly encourages a healthy work-life balance.
Moira Fradinger (Humanities)
Fradinger’s research interests include South American, Caribbean, and European fiction; film and intellectual history; literary and feminist theory; and the anthropology of violence. Students said she goes out of her way to ensure their success, often staying long after class to offer one-on-one feedback and professional guidance. Additionally, they said, she supports each student’s individuality and encourages independent thinking.
David Moore (Physical Sciences and Engineering)
Moore’s research focuses on experimental nuclear and particle physics, including tests of the fundamental nature of neutrinos and dark matter. He is a member of the Yale Quantum Institute and leads a research group housed at Wright Lab. Students on his research team cited his infectious enthusiasm for scientific research, and his commitment to making time for and supporting each student. He encourages students to embrace challenges and to have confidence in their abilities and ideas, they said.
Rourke O’Brien (Social Sciences)
O’Brien studies the reasons for and impact of inequality in rich democracies, particularly as it pertains to public and household finance, economic mobility, and population health. His consistent support for his students extends to taking the time to help them work through roadblocks in their research or guide them through a daunting thesis project, students said. They praised his innate kindness, and said his commitment to addressing social inequality has inspired them as researchers.
