Rahoul Banerjee Ghosh
Dean’s Medalist in the Natural Sciences
BS, Chemistry
Rahoul Banerjee Ghosh’s perfect 4.0 GPA — earned while taking some of the UW’s most challenging courses — is the least of his many accomplishments. He has been a valued member of several chemistry faculty research teams, has volunteered as a tutor in Seattle schools, and has helped with K-12 outreach through the UW’s Clean Energy Institute.
“He’s the kind of student that reminds you why you went into teaching, and is easily among the smartest, hardest working, and hungriest (for knowledge and success) that I’ve ever worked with,” says mentor David Ginger, B. Seymour Rabinovitch Endowed Chair in Chemistry, Washington Research Foundation Distinguished Scholar, and chief scientist at the UW Clean Energy Institute.
Banerjee Ghosh worked in Ginger’s lab, conducting research for a Center for Science of Synthesis Across Scales (CSSAS) project. He also worked in the lab of Xiaosong Li, Larry Dalton Endowed Chair in Chemistry, where he proactively created a computation database in addition to his research projects. His contributions led to co-authorship of two scientific papers. “Rahoul’s ability to quickly grasp workflows and intricate concepts is truly remarkable,” Li wrote in his recommendation letter for Ghosh.
Academically, Banerjee Ghosh has been equally accomplished. Last year he was honored by the Department of Chemistry as both the outstanding physical chemistry and organic chemistry student.
“With over 300 chemistry and biochemistry students graduating from our department each year, it is unusual for the same student to be recognized as both the outstanding organic and physical chemistry student during their time at the UW,” says Anne McCoy, Natt-Lingafelter Professor of Chemistry. “It is unprecedented for a student to receive these recognitions, for independent bodies of work, in the same academic year.”
Banerjee Ghosh will continue his academic journey at the University of California, Berkeley, where he will pursue a doctorate in chemistry.
Yingtong Chen
Dean’s Medalist in the Social Sciences
BA, Political Science
Yingtong Chen is interested in nationalism and its role in international conflict. Once she had absorbed all she could about nationalism in undergraduate courses, she compiled an impressive reading list of scholarship on the topic and reached out to Elizabeth Kier, professor of political science, to pursue an independent study. "We met to talk about each week’s readings,” Kier recalls. “These were fascinating discussions. Few graduate students bring such close and critical readings to seminar discussions.”
Building on that independent research, Chen developed her own research project through the Political Science department’s Center for American Politics and Public Policy (CAPPP) Undergraduate Fellows Program. CAPPP fellows spend a year developing a quantitative research project; Chen sought to explain the development of Taiwanese national identity.
“I have never encountered an undergraduate with such intellectual firepower and such an aptitude for research,” says Kier. “Yingtong thinks theoretically and can translate big ideas and big questions into doable research projects.”
Chen pursued a second independent study with Kier, as well as one with Jon Mercer, professor of political science. She will begin a political science doctoral program at Columbia University this fall.
“Yingtong’s research interests may change, but whatever direction she goes, she will produce important and original research,” says Kier.
Tran Huynh Bao Ho
Dean’s Medalist in the Humanities
BA, Korean; Asian Languages & Cultures; MINOR IN Naval ROTC
Tran Huynh Bao Ho came to the UW after seven years as a Sailor in the U.S. Navy. At the UW, she has excelled at two demanding majors in the Department of Asian Languages & Literature (ALL) while also dedicating herself to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps program in the Department of Naval Science.
“Tran has been an invaluable addition to the Department of Naval Science,” notes Elizabeth Schilder, US Marine Corps Captain and assistant professor of naval science. “She brings exceptional curiosity, organization, and new perspectives to every endeavor. Her ability to balance academics, rigorous physical training, early morning labs, weekend events, various duties, and challenging leadership positions while maintaining family life is a testament to her unwavering dedication.”
Tran has been equally dedicated to her studies in Asian languages and culture. A native speaker of Vietnamese, she studied Korean at the UW through ALL courses, then further explored Korean language and culture through study abroad in Korea, with support from a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship. She studied at Chungbuk National University and also participated in the Seoul National University Exchange Program.
Though her study of Asian languages and culture and her interest in naval science are seemingly unrelated, ALL associate teaching professor EunYoung Won notes that Tran’s naval perspective sparked meaningful discussions in her ALL classes. “Her unique insights, often drawn from her extensive experience in strategic planning and leadership in the military, have brought invaluable perspectives to our coursework,” Won says.
Tran will now begin a new chapter as a Naval Flight Officer. “This brings her full circle from launching jets off aircraft carriers as an enlisted Sailor to the opportunity to attend flight school and be the one sitting in the jet,” says Schilder.
Olivia Wang
Dean’s Medalist in the Arts
BA, Music (Theory); BS, Computer Science
Olivia Wang has excelled in music and computer science and found a way to combine the two interests through an honors research project on video game music — a field known as ludomusicology. Wang has explored the ways that music influences the player experience in video games when the music is used as a core game mechanic, impacting how the game works and what players can do.
The research project involved planning and programming a video game, incorporating existing music, and running participant studies of the game. The project combined Wang’s interests in human-computer interaction, video games, and music theory.
“Perhaps Olivia’s greatest strengths are her creativity and ability to make interdisciplinary connections,” says Anne Searcy, assistant professor of music history, who served as Wang’s adviser for the project. “I have spoken to colleagues within the field of ludomusicology, and they are impressed with the project and eager to learn more about Wang’s results.”
An accomplished musician, Wang has trained as a pianist, violinist, and concert percussionist. She performed with the UW Symphony Orchestra, Campus Philharmonia Orchestra, UW Percussion Ensemble, and other chamber ensembles. She also served as president of the School of Music Student Advisory Council, and as the student representative on the School’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) committee.
Wang also participated in research in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, including a project that explores the use of wearable augmented reality technology to make sports more accessible to people with low vision. She served as an undergraduate teaching assistant and research peer adviser in the Allen School, and for two years was CEO of the UWROV (Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles) team — an interdisciplinary robotics team that designs and builds underwater robots. For one of those years, Wang also served as a software lead for UWROV.
“Olivia engages rigorously with the sciences through a creative and artistic mindset,” says Searcy. “She exemplifies the best possibilities of undergraduate research at the UW College of Arts & Sciences.”
Wang will begin a PhD program in informatics at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign this fall.
More Stories
Dancing Across Campus
For the dance course "Activating Space," students danced in public spaces across the University of Washington's Seattle campus this spring.
Celebrating Excellence in Arts & Sciences in 2024
This spring, the UW and the College of Arts & Sciences celebrated faculty, staff, and students for their many accomplishments.
Meet Our 2024 Graduate Medalists
Meet the three students selected by the College of Arts & Sciences as 2024 Graduate Medalists for their accomplishments.