Established by Yale University and Howard University in 2005, the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
The Bouchet Graduate Honor Society seeks to develop a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students in the academy. In the spirit of Bouchet’s commitment to these pursuits both within and without the academic realm, inductees into the honor society bearing his name should also exhibit these qualities.
Edward Bouchet (1852-1918) graduated from Yale College in 1874. He went on to be the first self-identified African American to earn a doctorate from an American university when he earned a PhD. in physics at Yale University in 1876. At that time, Bouchet was the sixth person in the western hemisphere to earn a doctorate in physics. He was also one of the first African Americans to be elected to the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society.
BGHS Member Qualities
Character | Bouchet Graduate Honor Society members exhibit the highest values of their university, through their integrity, honor, and exemplary conduct and behavior. Character may be exemplified through an individual’s emotional courage, principles, endurance, and perseverance. He or she must be reliable and consistent. At each member’s core must be an awareness of the importance of contributing and working for the good of society. |
| Leadership | Bouchet Graduate Honor Society members take their responsibility for their departments and their academic fields of study seriously. Bouchet Society scholars are the embodiment of the ideals of their respective universities. They not only represent the mission of their university, but they also demonstrate strong initiative. WashU Bouchet Scholars play a leadership role in extending access to the university to a wider community by creating and sharing knowledge. |
| Advocacy | Bouchet Graduate Honor Society members should advocate for broader access to graduate education and other resources within the academy. Activities might include advocating for the concerns of postdoctoral fellows and students, serving as a mentor, or helping to address the needs of other communities. |
| Scholarship | The Bouchet Graduate Honor Society is an academic honor society that is committed to the goals of lifelong education, as well as the production and dissemination of knowledge in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Bouchet Society members are committed to contributing to the development of their field(s) of study and to the application of knowledge into action that improves the lives and conditions of their communities. |
| Service | Bouchet Graduate Honor Society members are expected to actively contribute to the well-being of society by giving, remaining involved, sharing personal gifts and talents, and exhibiting a Bouchet-like commitment to the service of others. Examples of service might include participating in an educational program for youth, serving in local or state politics, or volunteering with a local non-profit organization. |
Application Information
Review the following information to learn more about eligibility, requirements, and how to apply.
To be eligible, an individual will:
- Be a WashU graduate student or postdoctoral appointee
- Through initial research achievement in a humanities, social sciences and sciences field, show outstanding promise as a scholar, as evidenced by independent investigation or current/former work on a dissertation project.
Graduate Student Applicants must:
- Be enrolled in a PhD program at WashU and be in good academic standing.
- Be considered “All But Dissertation” (ABD) (i.e., completed qualifying exam, orals, qualifying papers or equivalent) and be within a reasonable time frame of completing their PhD degree as expected within their discipline.
Postdoctoral Appointee Applicants must:
- Be a WashU postdoctoral associate or postdoctoral scholar at the time of the application submission and at the time of induction to the Bouchet society
- Show exemplary abilities as an early-career scholar, as evidenced by achievement in research and scholarship.
Members of the BGHS at WashU are required to:
- Register for and attend the Annual Yale Bouchet Conference on Graduate Education in the year that they are inducted into the Society and participate in the BGHS Induction Ceremony. The 2026 conference dates are April 10-11, 2026.
- Participate in WashU chapter inductee reception scheduled for each spring.
- Represent WashU’s BGHS chapter, assist in the selection process for the annual WashU Bouchet Speaker event and may be asked to speak at events.
Members of the BGHS at WashU receive:
- Coverage of travel costs and registration fees for the Annual Yale Bouchet Conference on Graduate Education in the year that they are inducted into the Society to participate in the BGHS Induction Ceremony.
- Participate in WashU chapter inductee reception and chapter events on campus.
- Access to the BGHS member network via the Bouchet Connect platform and invitations to national BGHS programming.
The application for the 2027 cycle will open in Fall 2026.
- A completed application form (link below). Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- A personal statement (1-1.5 pages) that explains how the applicant embodies the characteristics of Dr. Bouchet. The statement should describe the applicant’s character, leadership, advocacy, scholarship, service, and anticipated contribution to the Society.
- A current curriculum vitae.
- A 250-word research description.
- For graduate student applicants only: An unofficial copy of the applicant’s transcript.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- For graduate student applicants: One letter should be from the applicant’s dissertation advisor or graduate faculty member who is knowledgeable about the applicant’s research and can describe the nominee’s current and potential contributions to their field(s) of study.
- For postdoctoral appointee applicants: One letter should be from the applicant’s current faculty mentor or PI who is knowledgeable about the applicant’s research and can describe the nominee’s current and potential contributions to their field(s) of study.
- For all applicants:
- The second letter can be from a faculty member, dean, director, or other professional contact or mentor familiar with the applicant’s research and/or service.
- Both letters should address how the applicant exemplifies each of the core values of the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (i.e., CLASS: Character, Leadership, Advocacy, Scholarship, and Service) and embodies the Bouchet legacy.
Graduate Student Applicants: Please contact Jessica Weldon, associate director, fellowships and funding, The Graduate Center, Office of the Provost, with questions at jessica.weldon@wustl.edu.
Postdoctoral Appointee Applicants: Please contact the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs with questions at postdoc@wustl.edu.
2026 Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Inductees
Joseph Adjei
Plant and Microbial Biosciences
Joseph Adjei is a Ph.D. candidate in the Plant and Microbial Biosciences (PMB) program seeking to explore intracellular/intercellular communication within organisms, with the aim of improving food security and human condition. He is a deaf student from Ghana, West Africa. Joseph received his BS with Honors in Biomedical Science from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2022 and was a Sasakawa-DeCaro Scholar. He joined the Burch-Smith Lab at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center as a remote data analyst. Besides research, he mentors and engages in social development causes in his community, and he hopes to spearhead science education for the Deaf in Ghana.
Marlene Campos Guerrero
Cancer Biology
Marlene Campos Guerrero is currently a PhD candidate in Cancer Biology at WashU working in Dr. Stephanie Markovina’s lab. Marlene received her BS in Microbiology from Kansas State University, where she conducted virology research focused on reprogramming vaccinia virus to target cancer cells and received two Johnson Cancer Center Awards for her work. Her PhD research focuses on cervical cancer progression, invasion/metastasis, and the treatment resistance biomarker SERPINB3 to elucidate novel therapeutic treatments for patients. Marlene is also passionate about science communication and outreach, which led to her selection for the Pivot314 internship program, where she interned with the
BioSTL Education to Workforce team. As a first-generation student, Marlene has served multiple leadership roles throughout her academic journey including president of the WashU SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) chapter, as well as graduate student organizations GALNACS (the Graduate Association for Latinx, Native Americans and Caribbean Students, and ProSPER (Promoting Science Policy, Education, and Research). Her commitment to outreach has led her to participate in several public science demonstration events at the science center and greater STL community. Marlene actively seeks opportunities to mentor the next generation of scientists, especially those of underrepresented backgrounds while working to make meaningful contributions to the field of oncology.
Elizabeth J. Carlen, Ph.D.
Biology
Elizabeth J. Carlen is a postdoctoral research fellow with the Living Earth Collaborative and the Biology Department at WashU. She earned her Ph.D. in biology from Fordham University in New York City.
Her research focuses on how cities shape the evolution of urban wildlife, revealing that humans have profound impacts on urban wildlife populations. At WashU, Dr. Carlen examines how environmental racism creates unequal urban landscapes that, in turn, shape the evolution and ecology of eastern gray squirrels. Her research demonstrates that racial policies including redlining continue to influence genetic diversity and population structure in urban wildlife decades after implementation. This place-based, community-driven work has been published in over a dozen journals including Nature Cities, Ecology & Evolution, and People & Nature, earning her the Spark Award from the Association for Women in Science and the Early Career Investigator Award from the American Society of Naturalists.
Beyond research, Dr. Carlen is committed to advocacy and service, serving on diversity
committees for the Society for the Study of Evolution and American Society of Naturalists where she successfully championed gender-neutral restrooms and free menstrual products at conferences. She has mentored over two dozen undergraduates and several graduate students through independent research, earning the Outstanding Postdoc Mentor Award from WashU. She enjoys creating mixed media art that celebrates diversity in science, with her piece “Queer Kingdoms” featured in the inaugural diversity zine published by the American Society of Naturalists.
Pallavi Chhabra, Ph.D.
Education
Pallavi Chhabra is a postdoctoral research associate in the Translational Fellows Program in Education at WashU. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on transforming educational systems by examining how institutional structures shape teaching and learning in increasingly digital contexts, with particular attention to amplifying voices traditionally marginalized in education policy and practice. By centering perspectives traditionally excluded from research conversations, her scholarship challenges deficit narratives, repositions diverse stakeholders (including students, families, communities, teachers, and school leaders) as holders of valuable knowledge. Her scholarship generates actionable insights for creating more equitable classrooms and education systems. At WashU, Dr. Chhabra builds research-practice partnerships with school districts and research organizations to address critical challenges including achievement gaps in math and literacy, exclusionary discipline practices, chronic absenteeism, and teacher preparedness with digital technologies. Her collaborative approach brings together policy and practitioner perspectives to co-design evidence-based solutions that sustain equity for underserved populations. Her scholarship has been published in reputable journals, and she regularly presents at national conferences, including AERA, CIES, SREE, and NNERPP.
Beyond research, Dr. Chhabra is committed to building inclusive communities and advancing equity at the institutional level. As treasurer of WashU Postdoc Society and past President of C&I International Student Association, she advocates for systems-level solutions to challenges faced by international and early career researchers. Her work reflects compassionate leadership through contemplative practices including yoga, mindfulness, and reflective awareness workshops at conferences and community spaces.
Kevin Hurtado, Ph.D.
Nephrology
Kevin Hurtado is a postdoctoral research scholar in the Division of Nephrology at WashU. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Arizona.
His research focuses on metabolic dysfunction in acute and chronic kidney injury, with particular emphasis on the role of peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation in renal proximal tubule injury and disease progression. At WashU, Dr. Hurtado investigates renal metabolism in the context of both acute and chronic kidney injury. His work has been supported by an NIH-funded metabolism T32 training grant, and he is currently an American Heart Association postdoctoral fellow. His undergraduate and graduate training led to first- and middle-author peer-reviewed publications in high-impact journals, and his research has received awards at national conferences.
Beyond research, Dr. Hurtado is committed to leadership, advocacy, and service through his role as President of the WashU Postdoctoral Society, where he represents postdoctoral researchers and works to enhance professional development, wellbeing, and institutional engagement. He is also dedicated to mentorship and scholarship, actively mentoring undergraduate students during summer research programs and throughout the academic year, with a particular emphasis on encouraging higher education among first-generation students and fostering collaborative research environments.
Qingwei Niu
Molecular Cell Biology
Qingwei Niu is a Ph.D. candidate in the Molecular Cell Biology program within the Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences at WashU. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and her master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, and is jointly mentored by Dr. Polina Lishko and Dr. Rui Zhang.
Qingwei’s research integrates structural biology, ion channel physiology, reproductive biology, and parasitology to investigate how essential molecular systems—most notably the inwardly rectifying potassium channel Kir7.1 and the ciliary and flagellar cytoskeleton—govern signaling, motility, and ion homeostasis across diverse biological contexts. Using high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and electrophysiology, her work has revealed molecular mechanisms underlying key physiological processes, including cerebrospinal fluid regulation, fertility, and vision, as well as pathological conditions such as ciliopathies, parasitic infections, and age-related blindness. Her research has resulted in multiple high-impact publications, including papers in Cell, Nature, and Science. She has been invited to present at national and international conferences. Her work bridges fundamental discovery and translational relevance, advancing understanding of conserved cellular mechanisms with broad implications for human health.
Qingwei is committed to leadership and service. She mentors trainees at multiple career stages, contributes to graduate education and recruitment, and supports collaborative research efforts across laboratories. Qingwei’s long-term goal is to build an academic career centered on mentoring the next generation of scientists and contributing to a more inclusive and impactful scientific enterprise.
Anthony J. Nixon, Jr.
Public Health Sciences
Anthony J. Nixon, Jr. is a Ph.D. candidate in the Public Health Sciences program within the School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis and a social and perinatal epidemiologist focused on family health and family formation. His research focuses on Black fathers, their roles, and contributions to perinatal health and well-being, exploring how race, gender, and socioeconomic status influence fathering experiences and health outcomes. His work bridges public health, epidemiology, and family systems by examining the impact of fathering on family health outcomes. He uses community-based participatory approaches and mixed methods, including quantitative epidemiologic analyses and qualitative research.
In addition to his research, Anthony serves as a Student Representative on the Governing Council for the School of Public Health at Washington University in St. Louis and as a Race & Ethnicity Scholar with the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity. He is also President of the Student–Postdoctoral Committee for the Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) and a Graduate Research Fellow with the American Institute for Boys and Men. Anthony holds a Bachelor’s of Science (BS) in Biology from Morehouse College with honors and a Master’s of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology from The Ohio State University. He is dedicated to advancing health equity and social justice with a focus on improving health outcomes for marginalized communities.
Jessica S. Samuel, M.Ed., Ph.D.
African & African American Studies
Jessica S. Samuel is a postdoctoral research scholar in the Department of African & African American Studies at WashU. She earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from Boston University.
Her research focuses on the interconnectedness of environmental justice, educational opportunity and political self-determination across the African Diaspora. At WashU, Dr. Samuel has been working on her first book manuscript tentatively titled From Virgin Land to Virgin Islands: How Colonial Myths Haunt Educational Aims on St. John, where she examines the ways conservation impedes educational opportunity on the 20 square-mile island. Her scholarship has been published with such outlets as Environment and History, Environment and Planning F, and History Workshop. In addition to working on her scholarship, Dr. Samuel serves as conference chair for the Black Women’s Studies Association. In 2025, she received the Maya Angelou Postdoctoral Award for Excellence in Leadership.
Dr. Samuel is committed to bridging the gap between scholarship and civic life through an ethic of radical love. Currently, she sits on the board for Ujima, a food justice nonprofit working in north St. Louis city and also serves as education co-chair for Right to Democracy, a decolonial advocacy group dedicated to confronting American colonialism in the unincorporated territories of the U.S. In the past, Dr. Samuel served as an appointed board member of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Racial Imbalance Advisory Council. Through her education consultancy, R.E.A.L., she provides identity-affirming personal and professional development to students and those who serve them.
Meles Weldegebriel
Electrical & Systems Engineering
Dr. Meles Gebreyesus Weldegebriel earned his PhD in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis. His research focuses on wireless communications and spectrum coexistence, with emphasis on Pseudonymetry, a privacy-preserving protocol that enables device accountability under extremely low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. Through this work, he aims to promote fair, responsible, and cooperative use of shared spectrum resources. His research combines theoretical modeling with practical over-the-air experimentation using software-defined radios and large wireless testbeds, including field trials at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory, where his work shows real impact in protecting scientific and critical
spectrum users. He has published peer-reviewed papers in IEEE conferences and journals on dynamic spectrum access and interference management. Before his doctoral studies, Dr. Meles spent more than ten years in academia at Mekelle University, Ethiopia, including service as Dean of the Mekelle Institute of Technology, where he worked to strengthen research capacity, expand educational opportunities, and support student success.
