Dr. Thumbi Mwangi received the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence, largely in recognition of his research on emerging zoonotic diseases that can spread from animals to humans, during the 28th annual College of Veterinary Medicine Research Symposium.
Since 1985, the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine has recognized research faculty with the annual award for their contributions to veterinary science. Outstanding professional students and undergraduates are also honored for their research.
Mwangi joined the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health in 2012. His work in Africa has helped strengthen disease surveillance and response across some of the continent’s most pressing public health challenges, including COVID-19, rabies, and Ebola. Through his involvement with the Center for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (CEMA) and other collaborative efforts, he has contributed to research, partnerships, and initiatives to detect emerging threats, understand how diseases spread, and protect both people and animals.
Mwangi credited his colleagues, mentors, collaborators, and students for supporting and motivating him throughout his career.
“This award reminds me of two things: first, to be useful; and second, that I stand at the end of a long chain of people — my father in the fields, my mentors, my collaborators, and the incredible students I’ve had the privilege of working with. I am because they are. So I accept this award on behalf of everyone in that chain,” he said.
Dr. Steph Seifert, an assistant professor in the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health, received the Dean’s Outstanding Junior Faculty Research Award.
Sponsored by the dean, the award recognizes junior faculty who are establishing themselves as innovators and leaders in their fields. Eligible recipients are pre-tenure or clinical-track faculty within six years of beginning their independent research careers.
Student researchers were also recognized in five categories: undergraduate student, graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine student/intern, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine resident.
In the undergraduate student category, Anastasia Martinez and Taylor Page tied for first place, while Nicole Diefenbach earned second place.
Cameron Coyle took first place in the graduate student category, followed by Andrea Gomez in second place and Chelsea Weeks in third place. Samuel Shahzad earned first place among postdoctoral researchers, and Amit Thakar and Victoria Jefferson tied the category for second.
In the DVM student/intern category, Jyot Patel received second place and Aspen Scott earned first place. Lariab Saeed received first place in the DVM resident category and N Neely received second place.