Graduate Student Awards

George Sosnovsky Award for Excellence in Graduate Research

Professor George Sosnovsky was born in 12.12.1920 in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee from 1967 to 2018. George received his PhD from the University of Innsbruck in 1948, where he met his wife Christine who was born in Vienna. Christine received her PhD in 1949 from the Department of Physical Chemistry (University of Innsbruck) and both went to Melbourne (Australia) for a brighter future. Christine and George worked for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization at the University of Melbourne. A couple of years later, George worked for Imperial Chemical Industries Australia, north of Adelaide. In 1956, George was invited to work for Professor M.S. Kharasch at the University of Chicago as a postdoctoral Research Associate.

Dr. Christine Sosnovsky joined him a year later in the United States and started at the Illinois Institute of Technology Research Institute (IITRI) in Chicago. Unexpectedly, Prof. Kharasch died in 1957 prompting Dr. Sosnovsky to work as a Senior Scientist at IITRI. In 1963, he got promoted to Associate Professor and was invited as Senior Research Fellow of Public Health Service at the University College in London and the University of Tübingen (1967-1968). Two years later Christine was promoted to Associate Professor as well and taught on the topics of physics and chemistry of solid surfaces.

In 1967, George accepted a position as Professor at UWM and was responsible for the design of the UWM Chemistry Building (1974-2024). He co-founded the Journal Synthesis in 1969 and served as editor from 1969-1985. Dr. Sosnovsky has authored more than 175 publications and wrote two books. His first book titled “free Radical Reaction in Preparative Organic Chemistry” was published by MacMillan in 1964. He wrote his second book in his 90s titled “Solar-Energy-Absorbing Substances and Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Diseases”. Dr. Sosnovsky’s interests spanned over a wide range of topic such as research and development of fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides, amidine derivatives as anti-radiation agents, and diazo dyes leading to a commercial copying process. Free radical chemistry in particular metal ion catalyzed redox reactions involving antioxidants and reactions with peroxides resulted in the discovery of the famous Kharasch-Sosnovsky reaction in 1958. Later, Dr. Sosnovsky focused on photochemical synthesis, oxidative phosphorylation reactions, synthesis of spin-labeled phosphorus compounds of biological interest including anticancer agents, organosulfur and organoselenium compounds. In 1980, his reach interest focused on medicinal chemistry, especially on structure-activity relationship of anticancer drugs involving design and biological evaluations. Related to his interest were pursuits in the synthesis of contrast-enhancing agents for diagnostic NMR-imaging (MRI) radiation sensitizers and synthesis of aminoxyl-labeled probes for studies of intracellular environments such as hypoxic cells by EPR and MRI. George was is Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry London England. In 2009, Dr. Sosnovsky was made an honorary citizen of the University of Innsbruck for being one of their first graduate students after the Second World War.

Dr. Sosnovsky is actively supporting our Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry by providing funds for the George Sosnovsky Award for Excellence in Graduate Research.

2025: Michelle Meyer
2024: Robert Bavisotto
2023: Daniel Webb
2022: Qi Zhang
2021: Md. Rashid Roni
2020: Tania Mutchie and Nemanja Vuksanovic
2019: Guanguan Li
2018: Md. Toufiqur Rahman
2017: Lanlan Han
2016: Nina Yuan
2015: Phani Babu and Kelly Teske
2014: John Kestell and Haubing Sun
2013: Megan McCallum
2012: Matthew Youngblut
2011: Ryan Kohlmeyer
2010: John Frost
2009: Shahiahan Kabir
2008: Jeffery Meeusen and Michael Van Linn
2007: Maria Veronica Rigo
2006: Octavio Furlong and Beth Ruddy
2005: Kayunta Johnson Winters and Jalal Siddiquee

James A. Krogh Chemistry Scholarship Fund

The James A. Krogh Chemistry Scholarship Fund, established by his family to honor Jim, provides annual support to both undergraduate and graduate student Research. We are honored to recognize the legacy of James A. “Jim” Krogh, a brilliant mind who deeply valued education and lifelong learning. Jim earned his B.S. in Chemistry in three years from Dominican College in Racine. He continued his academic journey at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, where he obtained his M.S. in Organic Chemistry with Professor George Sosnovsky. His thesis was titled, “In Search of New Methods for Synthetic Organic Chemistry: The Reactions of Selected Organic and Inorganic Sulfur and Selenium Reagents with Nitrogen-Containing Compounds.” A total of six publications accrued from his research with Professor Sosnovsky. Jim’s subsequent career was a testament to his dedication to chemistry and research. He began at PPG in Illinois, then moved to Exxon in Janesville, and eventually co-founded Tomah Products. In memory of James Krogh, the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry annual awards go to support graduate student research.

2025: Faija Akter, Maya Fernando, Mayurika Mahendran, and Mujidat Shittu

Sterling Pharma Conference Travel Awards

Sterling Pharma Solutions is a small molecule partnership development and manufacturing organization delivering comprehensive small molecule services spanning preclinical development to full commercial manufacturing. With locations in the UK, US and Ireland, Sterling Pharma Solutions are purpose-built to handle your needs from discovery through full commercialization. The UWM Chemistry & Biochemistry Department has a strong relationship with Sterling Pharma Solutions in Germantown, Wisconsin providing a robust talent pipeline for organic and analytical chemists. Due to the generosity of Sterling Pharma, we are pleased to be able to award travel grants to students to attend conferences to share the exciting work done here in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department.

2025: Ethan Kowalczyk, Stephen Nkwocha, Thilini Ponnamperumage, Nurul Islam Setu, Justice Mallen, Kayode Medubi, Md Nazmul Hasan, Temidayo Joseph Oke, Shabnam Marium, and Sujan Kundu.

Gloria Moczynski Teaching Assistant Award in Chemistry Supplemental Instruction

Dr. James J. Magnino was a family practitioner in the Kenosha area who received his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from UWM. Despite relocating to other areas of the Midwest, Dr. Magnino remained connected to UWM. To honor his two favorite professors, Joseph Baier (Biological Sciences) and Dr. Peter Kovacic (Biochemistry), he contributed his estate to create a scholarship intended to support chemistry student awards and to benefit other students in biological sciences. The Gloria Moczynski Student Teacher Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in teaching chemistry, either as a TA or through the Supplemental Instruction program.

2025: Cody Beck
2024: Allison Tomczyk
2023: Leah Johnson
2022: Rebecca Dominguez
2021: David Schreurs
2020: David Koltermann
2019: Alexander Vincent
2018: Xavier Udad
2017: Sandra Simon
2016: Sarah Oehm
2015: Shalini Srinivasan
2014: Matthew Huisman and Md. Nazmul Hussain
2013: Kelly Teske and Daniel Pauly
2012: James Wankowski
2011: Steven Kopilzke
2010: Athena Baranowski
2009: John Frost
2008: Sorokina Kleczka
2007: Md Monzur Morshed
2006: Michael duPrey, Matt Dudley and Ruiyun Wang
2005: Christine Carlson and Beth Ruddy
2004: Jessica Ammerman, Md Shahid Islam and Aaron Roerdink
2003: Darin Evan and Jason Harb
2002: Jalal Siddiquee
2001: Christopher Johnson, Rebecca Johnson and Jennifer Kloss
2000: Deanna Janzen, Christopher Johnson, Jennifer Kloss and Yeki Ohigashi

Peter Kovacic Award in Organic Chemistry

Dr. James J. Magnino was a family practitioner in the Kenosha area who received his Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from UWM. Despite relocating to other areas of the Midwest, Dr. Magnino remained connected to UWM. To honor his two favorite professors, Joseph Baier (Biological Sciences) and Dr. Peter Kovacic (Biochemistry), he contributed his estate to create a scholarship intended to support chemistry student awards and to benefit other students in biological sciences. The Peter Kovacic Award is given to one or more students who have achieved academic excellence in organic chemistry.

2025: Cody Miller
2024: Ameer Eweisi
2023: Benjamin James Nelson
2022: Elliott Perez
2021: Alexis Hope Stauffacher
2020: David Deshpande
2019: Matida Bojang
2018: Evan Bennett
2017: Anthony Javier Garcia
2016: Nicolas Williams
2015: Michael Sportiello
2014: Jonathan Bogart
2013: Bruce Lee
2012: Daniel Murphy
2011: Julia Keyes
2010: Michael van Sistine
2009: Robin Fortney
2008: Connie Burbey