Casey Zipfel Wins Harold N. Glassman Dissertation Award in the Sciences

Casey Zipfel, a doctoral student in the department of Biology, has been named the recipient of the 2023 Harold N. Glassman Dissertation Award in the Sciences by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The Harold N. Glassman Dissertation Award is a prestigious award that is given to the outstanding doctoral dissertation in the sciences each year. The award is based on nominations from the department, mentor, and dissertation readers.

Zipfel’s dissertation, titled “The Interplay between Human Behavior and Infectious Disease Dynamics”, is a significant contribution to the field of infectious disease modeling. The dissertation examines the reciprocal feedback loop of human behavior and disease, characterizing the effects of disease on behavior through empirical data and exemplifying the downstream effects of those behavioral changes on infectious disease dynamics through epidemiological models.

Dr. Bansal noted that she combines strong technical skills with a broad understanding of social and public problems, and brings valuable experience and perseverance from having been trained during the pandemic.

Dr. Janet Mann remarked that the impact of the student’s dissertation research was breathtaking, given its timing and importance. The student’s work was so influential that she was offered a prestigious fellowship at the Center for Disease Control months before finishing her dissertation. Three chapters of her dissertation were published in top journals, which is a testament to the quality of her work.

The award was presented to Zipfel at the Doctoral hooding ceremony on May 18.

We congratulate Casey Zipfel on this outstanding achievement and look forward to her continued contributions to the field of science.