They are inspirational teachers and notable scholars whose work expands the reputation of the University and guides student research paths. They are mentors who become sources of personal and professional support for students who are far from home or having personal or educational challenges during their graduate careers. They’re regarded as faculty members devoted to student success and who routinely become lifelong professional-world advocates.
Those attributes, and many more, are the basis for why nine Syracuse University professors have been named as Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Award recipients. BioInspired Executive Committee member Shikha Nangia is one of the awardees for 2022.
Shikha Nangia studies the blood-brain barrier using theoretical and computational techniques, and how drug molecules transport across the blood-brain barrier. Her NSF-CAREER funded project looks for a cure for brain-related ailments such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Her group also focuses on computational multiscale modeling of nanomaterials, including nanomedicine, drug delivery nanocarriers and nano-bio interactions as a key to a new era of cancer treatment. Her nominator (Ph.D. student Katie Piston), says Nangia is “a fantastic teacher and mentor,” a “true scientist, creating innovative solutions to scientific problems,” and that her “resolute confidence…is what has guided me and allowed me to make it to the end” of the doctoral program.
By Diane Stirling