Four Johns Hopkins faculty members — all from the School of Medicine — received special recognition on Tuesday, April 29, from the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences’s Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity (URSCA). Koko Ishizuka, Michael Kodobskiy, Frances Northington, and Philip Wong were announced as the nominees for the inaugural Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship award, to be given annually to a faculty member who has gone above and beyond to support one or more undergraduate researchers in their growth and development — intellectual, professional, and personal.
Nominations were sought from all undergraduates pursuing independent research projects in an URSCA-sponsored grant or fellowship program during the 2024-2025 academic year. The four nominees were honored during an awards luncheon at the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research Symposium in the Levering Great Hall, and a trophy was presented to the winner.
Koko Ishizuka, nominated by Woodrow Wilson Fellow Sophia Wu, was recognized for her dedication to mentorship in the big, milestone moments — like helping Sophia prepare for her first conference presentation at the Society for Neuroscience — and in the smaller, day-to-day interactions — like engaging Sophia in thoughtful conversations, sharing resources with her to deepen her understanding of her field, and connecting her with others to strengthen her sense of belonging in the broader lab community.
Michael Koldobskiy, nominated by Camp & Farber Awardee Jordyn Craig-Schwartz, was lauded for making evident in both words and actions his fundamental belief that “undergraduates should have a real role in shaping the research of a lab.” Dr. Koldobskiy spent countless hours training Jordyn, guiding her in ways that allowed her to develop the critical thinking skills she needed to work through lab techniques and solve problems on her own. He also invited her to shadow him in the hospital, which has helped her imagine a future that involves both research and medicine, and he continues to provide advice and guidance on navigating that path.
Frances Northington, nominated by Dean’s ASPIRE Grantee Andrew Cavanagh, was honored for her extraordinary attentiveness to the many undergraduates she supports. Andrew describes her as “generously interruptable,” with an office door that is always open and that serves as an invitation to undergraduates to come receive advice on the lab, on academics, or on life in general. She regularly takes undergraduates with her to present at conferences across the US and the world, but at the same time remains grounded in the Hopkins community and helps her students see the value in building professional and personal relationships with everyone in the lab, including the administrative and janitorial staff.
Philip Wong, nominated by Albstein Research Scholar Margery Chen, was commended for seeing the potential in a student who did not see it in herself. In inviting Margery to join his lab despite her lack of knowledge of ALS or of scientific research in general, Dr. Wong taught her that “it is okay to start from scratch and take time to learn.” In Dr. Wong’s lab, thanks to his encouraging nature, research never feels intimidating, even to those with the least experience. He has created an environment where, for Margery, “going to lab quickly became the most meaningful part of my undergraduate experience.”
Following expressions of gratitude to these four outstanding mentors, the 2025 Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship award was presented to Michael Koldobskiy.
In her letter of nomination, Jordyn Craig-Schwartz reported that being a part of Dr. Koldobskiy’s lab has been a highlight of her entire Hopkins experience, and his constant encouragement of her questions has led to her tremendous growth as a scientist. Furthermore, she shared, “His excitement about the work he does has helped to instill a love of research into me, allowing me to go from a freshman unsure of what epigenetics was to a co-author of two publications with a refined curiosity and understanding of how to conduct scientific investigations.”
Dr. Koldobskiy offers a model of true support and guidance for the students in his lab, and we share Jordyn’s gratitude that she found “such an inspiring, supportive, and compassionate mentor” as an emerging researcher.