Past Alumni Awards honorees

For generations, Illustrious Alumni Award recipients have made extraordinary contributions to their fields, communities and the world, inspiring pride across the Triton community. Explore our past honorees and discover the remarkable alumni whose achievements have helped shape the UC San Diego legacy.

PAST HONOREES

2021 to recent Honorees

2010-19 Honorees

2019 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Taner Halıcıoğlu ’96
Honorary Alumna: Carol Littlejohn Chang
International Alumna: Bryn A. Sakagawa, MPIA '98
Changemaker: Ronda S. Henry-Tillman, MD '92, FACS
Changemaker: True Xiong '05
Emerging Leader: Emily K. Foecke Munden, MIA '16
Emerging Leader: Suman Kanuganti, MBA '14

2018 Award Recipients (40 under 40)

Change Agents

Wesley Chan '06
Shraddha Chaplot '08
Ted Fu '06
Alicia Garza '02
Kent Lee '07
Regan Linton, MFA '13
Allison Long Pettine '04
Keri Yen Ng '02
Peter J. Preuss, MBA '14
Amanda Schochet '11, MS '14
Philip Wang '06
Hillary Whittington '04
Christopher Yanov '99

Explorers

Albert Yu-Min Lin '04, MS '05, PhD '08
Jessica Meir, PhD '09
Kate Rubins '99
Alexander Schafgans '05, MS '07, PhD '11

Healers

Melanie Hayden Gephart ’01, MAS ’07, MD ’07
Albert Hsiao, MS ’03, PhD ’05, MD ’07
Chukwuemeka Okeke, PharmD '12
Matthew Schultzel '05

Masterminds

Daniel Caspi '02
Sarah Guthals BS '10, MS '13, PhD '14
Nicole Truitt, MS '03
Paul Martini '01
Byron Myers, MBA '10
David Puerta, PhD '06
Andrew Radin '07
Sameer Samat '01
Pierre Sleiman, MBA '13
Joshua Windmiller '07, MS '09, PhD '12

Social Innovators

David An, MPIA '07
Emily Callahan, MAS '14
Matt Ellis '03
Elena Foukes Lucas, MPIA '12
Amberlea Jackson, MAS '14
Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, MS '09, PhD '11
Tamar Benzaken Koosed, MPIA '09
Ashley Van Zeeland, MBA '12
Milana Vayntrub '08

2017 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumna: Rachel Axler, MFA '04
Outstanding Alumnus: Gary Darmstadt, MD '89
Outstanding Alumnus: Brian Druker ’77, MD ’81
Outstanding Alumnus: Dhanurjay “DJ” Patil ’96
Outstanding Alumna: Carrie Mae Weems, MFA '84

2016 Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumnus: Bruce Beutler, '76
Distinguished Alumnus: Timothy Gallaudet, M.S. ’91, Ph.D. ’01
Distinguished Alumna: Sherri Lightner, ’72, M.S. ’78
Emerging Leader: David Peterson, M.A. ’05
Emerging Leader: Ashley Van Zeeland, M.B.A. ’12

2015 Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumnus: Mike Judge, '85
Distinguished Alumna: Cindy Marten, M.A. '95
Distinguished Alumnus: Ken Kroner, Ph.D. '88
Emerging Leader: Philip Wang
Emerging Leader: Wesley Chan, ’06
Emerging Leader: Ted Fu, ’06
Emerging Leader: Pierre Sleiman, M.B.A. ’13

2014 Award Recipients

Nick Woodman
Larry Goldstein
Paloma Young
Julia Brown
Steven Schreiner, ’80

2013 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Kurt Campbell, ’80
Distinguished Leadership: Leo Spiegel, ’83
Distinguished Service: James Rohr, M.S. ’80, Ph.D. ’85

2012 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: William A. Lee, M.Sc. '79, Ph.D. '82
Distinguished Leadership: Jan Tuttleman, M.B.A. '06
Emerging Leader: Albert Yu-Min Lin, Muir '04, M.S. '05, PH.D. '08

2011 Award Recipients (50 Years | 50 Leaders Gala)

Robert Akins
William Atkinson
Carol Becker
Robert Berlinger
Patricio Bernal
Kirsten Brandt
Kurt Campbell
Carolyn Chase
Joyce Cutler-Shaw
George DeVries
Brian Druker
Donald Eigler
Sheldon Engelhorn
Jodi Finkel
Robert Glushko
David Goeddel
Lawrence Goldstein

Larry Groupé
Taner Halicioglu
Steven R. Hart
Khaled Hosseini
Naomi Iizuka
Gary E. Jacobs
Kim Jones
Lucy Killea
John Knauss
Robert Koenigsberger
Kenneth Kroner
Frank Longo
Kim MacConnel
Eleanor Mariano
Katherine Megan McArthur
Marcia McNutt
Walter Munk

Donald Murphy
Clyde Ostler II
Russell Preisendorfer
Peter Preuss
Laverne Ragster
Timothy Roemer
Richard Sandstrom
Maurizio Seracini
David Shaw
John Shoven
Judith Swain
Susumu Tonegawa
Guy Tribble
Gunars Valkirs
J. Craig Venter
Alfred Zollar

2010 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumna: Bun-Ching Lam
Professional Achievement: LaVerne Ragster
Distinguished Teaching: Sam Popkin
Distinguished Service: Thom Sherman

2000-2009 Honorees

2009 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Donald Murphy
Professional Achievement: Abbie Celniker
Distinguished Teaching: Jeffrey Rabin
Honorary Alumnus: Wayne Kennedy

2008 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Khaled Hosseini
Professional Achievement: Gunars Valkirs
Distinguished Teaching: David Jordan
Distinguished Service: Anthony Jackson

2007 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: David E. Shaw
Professional Achievement:Maurizio Seracini
Distinguished Teaching: Martin Yanofsky
Distinguished Service: Robert Glushko
Honorary Alumnus: Joseph Watson

2005 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Paul Lamb
Professional Achievement: Kim Stanley Robinson
Distinguished Teaching: William “Billy” O’Brian
Distinguished Service: Dr. Irwin M. Jacobs

2004 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumna: Marcia McNutt
Professional Achievement: Ancel Keys
Distinguished Teaching: Barbara Sawrey
Distinguished Service: Sheldon Engelhorn

2003 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumna: Heidi Feldman
Professional Achievement: Dr. Rodney Hood
Distinguished Teaching: Prof. Wayne Cornelius
Distinguished Service: John Cambon
Honorary Alumnus: Richard C. Atkinson

2002 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Michael Robinson
Professional Achievement: Prof. John Atkinson Knauss
Distinguished Teaching: Prof. Willie C. Brown
Distinguished Service: DeAnn Salcido and Patti Garcia

2000 Award Recipients

Mark Allen
Judith Bays
Marc Brutten
Patty Brutten
Carolyn Chase
George DeVries
John Doback
Brian Druker
Zachary Fisk
Jay Fukuto
Dani Grady
Steve Hart
Alma Hills
Gary Jacobs
Naomi Iizuka
Mike Judge
Abby Leibman
Peter Libby
Hung Liu
Frank Longo
Ed Lopez
Eleanor “Connie” Mariano
Jeff Moses
William Piggot
Ellen Potter
Rusty Preisendorfer
Diane Moss
Greg Papdopoulos
Steven Peace
Tim Roemer
Daniel Rosen
John Shoven
Lyle Turner

1990-1999 Honorees

1999 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumna: Carol Becker
Professional Achievement: J. Craig Venter
Distinguished Teaching: Mark Kritchvesky
Distinguished Service: Jorge Mariscal
Honorary Alumnus: Paul Saltman

1998 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Donal Eigler
Professional Achievement: Rodey Batiza
Distinguished Teaching: Paul Pickowiz
Distinguished Service: Wayne Akeson
Honorary Alumnus: Monroe Trout

1997 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: John Orcutt
Professional Achievement: David Brin
Distinguished Teaching: David Miller
Distinguished Service: Lenny Goins
Honorary Alumnus: Kwan So

1996 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: David Goeddel
Professional Achievement: Michael Greif
Distinguished Teaching: Thomas O’Neil
Distinguished Service: Charlie Robins

1995 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Wolfgang Berger
Professional Achievement: Edwin Hutchins
Distinguished Teaching: John Wixted
Honorary Alumnus: Clair Burgener
Distinguished Service: Peter Preuss

1994 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Laurel Wilkening
Professional Achievement: Yareli Arizmendi
Distinguished Teaching: Immo Scheffler
Honorary Alumnus: Jerome Katzin

1993 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumna: Sandra Dijkstra
Professional Achievement: James Avery
Distinguished Teaching: Philip Kitcher
Honorary Alumnus: Ernie Mort

1992 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Walter Munk
Professional Achievement: John Zil
Distinguished Teaching: Paul Price
Honorary Alumnus: Margaret & Hamilton Martson
Distinguished Service: Viviane Warren

1991 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumni: Nathan East / Hollis Gentry III
Professional Achievement: Glen Evans
Distinguished Teaching: Stephen Cox
Honorary Alumnus: Judy Sweet
Distinguished Service: Bill Otterson

1990 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumni: Bill Atkinson / Bud Tribble
Professional Achievement: Clyde Ostler
Distinguished Teaching: Jehanne Teilhet-Fisk
Honorary Alumnus: DeWitt Higgs

1980-1989 Honorees

1989 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Roger Revelle
Distinguished Teaching: Paul Drake
Honorary Alumnus: Mandell Weiss

1988 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Susumu Tonegawa
Distinguished Teaching: Shirley Strum

1987 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumni: Paul Chu / Brian Maple
Distinguished Teaching: Sherley Anne Williams

1986 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Joe Martinez
Distinguished Teaching: Kristin Luker

1985 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumni: Mia Tegner
Distinguished Teaching: David Luft

1984 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Peter Preuss
Distinguished Teaching: Cecil Lytle

1983 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Lucy Killea
Distinguished Teaching: Paul Saltman
Distinguished Teaching: Jorge Huerta

1982 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: John B. Slaughter
Distinguished Teaching: Claudio Fenner Lopez
Distinguished Service: DeWitt Higgs

1981 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Tom Shepard
Distinguished Teaching: Charles Chamberlain

1980 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Roger Showley

1970-1979 Honorees

1979 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus:Herve Sweetwood
Distinguished Teaching: Tom Bond

1978 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Walter Munk
Distinguished Teaching: Michael Real
Distinguished Teaching: Paul Wolf

1977 Award Recipients

Outstanding Alumnus: Roger Revelle
Distinguished Teaching: David Laitin
Distinguished Teaching: Patrick Ledden
Distinguished Teaching: Hans Oesterreicher
Distinguished Teaching: Kent Wilson

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