College Honors Alumni, Student Achievements With 2024 Awards

The College of Sciences recognized four alumni and two students for their outstanding achievements and contributions at its annual awards dinner on Oct. 30 at The Terrace at Lonnie Poole Golf Course.

Meet this year’s award recipients.

Distinguished Alumnus Award

The Distinguished Alumnus Award honors alumni whose exceptional achievements and service have brought honor and distinction to the college. Distinguished Alumnus recipients from each college were also recognized at a universitywide lunch hosted by the NC State Alumni Association during Red and White Week.

This year’s recipient, David Britt, is the Winston Ko Chair and distinguished professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of California, Davis. In this role, he inspires and educates the next generation of chemists while pursuing innovative research that bridges chemistry and biology.

Britt’s expertise and contributions have established him as a leading figure in bioinorganic chemistry. He has earned numerous accolades and awards recognizing his contributions to the field. Most notably, he was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

His recent awards include the 2020 Fellow of the International EPR Society; the 2020 Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance; and the 2022 American Chemical Society Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganice or Bioorganic Chemistry. In 2023, he was named Visiting Miller Professor at the University of California, Berkeley and elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

While on campus, Britt generously offered to host a P-chem seminar for chemistry students and faculty. He earned his B.S. in physics in 1978 from NC State. He earned his doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley.

Zenith Medal for Service

The Zenith Medal for Service award recognizes those who demonstrate distinguished contributions or advocacy that advance the college’s ability to make powerful impacts on science.

This year’s recipients are Don and Pat Johnson. Pat earned her undergraduate degree in mathematics from Meredith College, where she serves on the Board of Trustees. She earned her master’s in education in 1972 from NC State. Don earned his B.S. in applied mathematics in 1969, his master’s of mechanical engineering in 1971 and his doctorate in mechanical engineering in 1974 – all from NC State. 

Pat served in the local government as assistant city manager in Kinston and Chesterfield County, Virginia. She directed statewide grants programming for the NC Law Enforcement Assistance Administration.

Don served in key management positions at DuPont. This included serving as vice president and senior vice president in several areas of the multinational chemical company. He served as a member of the College of Sciences Foundation Board of Directors for multiple terms. He also received the College of Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2006. 

Don and Pat regularly and generously offer their time and resources to support the college’s mission. They are members of the Chancellor’s Circle and the Dean’s Circle. Through the Patricia A. and W. Donald Johnson Scholarship, they support several undergraduate students in the College of Sciences and the College of Engineering. This endowed fund will continue to provide support for generations to come. 

Outstanding Young Alumnus Award

The Outstanding Young Alumnus Award recognizes accomplished early-career graduates who have excelled in their professions or through public service.

This year’s recipient, Alease Barnes, earned her B.S. in genetics in 2018 from NC State. She is a dedicated member of the college’s Alumni Advisory Board. She regularly offers her time to mentor students and participates in the university’s annual Day of Giving.

Barnes has also established herself as a skilled embryologist, educator and content creator. She leverages her extensive knowledge to educate and advocate for fertility awareness. On Instagram and TikTok, she has amassed over 181,000 followers. News outlets including Good Morning America and BuzzFeed have featured her content. 

Student Leadership Awards

The Student Leadership Awards awards honor one senior and one graduate student who actively pursue leadership roles within the college and across NC State. They do this either in the classroom or through community service, philanthropy or campus involvement.

This year’s winners are David Sieg for the undergraduate senior award and Juliana O’Brien for the graduate senior award. 

Sieg is majoring in mathematics and is the recipient of two scholarships — the Park Scholarship and the Fulton and Ruby H. Starling Scholarship. During his academic career, he has exhibited a unique blend of academic interest, excitement and leadership. 

In addition to his undergraduate coursework, Sieg is completing three master’s-level math courses and three doctorate-level math courses. This showcases his academic ambition and ability to thrive in advanced topics. 

Sieg’s leadership is not confined to the classroom. Over the past four years, he has led trips through the university’s Alternative Service Break program. Sieg is also president of the Society for Undergraduate Mathematics Club. He has expanded its activities to include: a speaker series; career panels and networking events; and outreach activities with elementary age students.

O’Brien is a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry. She is president of the Chemistry Graduate Student Association and is known for cultivating a culture of wellness through activities that focus on mental and physical health and community building.

O’Brien also creates professional development opportunities for her classmates, including spearheading a resume-building workshop that focuses on field-specific criteria. She led the high-profile community outreach event called “Picture Perfect Chemistry,” a free science festival hosted by graduate students. This event, which was part of National Chemistry Week, was geared toward positive and engaging demonstrations that promote chemistry to the public and in particular to young children.

Last year, she volunteered as the graduate student lead during the Department of Chemistry’s recruitment weekend. She recruited the largest number of volunteers in recent history. With these positive impacts from O’Brien’s leadership, the department’s Recruitment Weekend 2024 achieved its highest acceptance rate ever.

Student Leadership Award: Undergraduate Honorable Mentions

Camryn Kline, Biological Sciences
Saumya Gangwal, Statistics

Student Leadership Award: Graduate Honorable Mentions

Wei Zhao, Statistics 
Julia Nguyen, Chemistry
Carley Huffstetler, Genetics