Award Recognition
Health and Wellness
Sophie López strives to be an active listener and advocate. At Columbia, she serves her community with empathy and compassion as a peer advocate for Columbia Health’s Sexual Violence Response (SVR). She supports students academically as a Peer Academic Skills Consultant (PASC) and tutor for the Columbia Center for Student Advising. Through the Columbia Mentorship Initiative (CMI), Sophie has mentored first year students as they navigate Columbia as a mixed heritage individual. Sophie has pursued her scientific curiosity as a student researcher in the Chalfie laboratory; here, she is part of a team that investigates the genetics of drug resistance and sensitivity in C. elegans. Furthermore, she promotes diversity and inclusion in STEM as the secretary of the Columbia chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanx/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS+ All Inclusive). Throughout her life, Sophie will continue to support those who are marginalized.
I am honored to be receiving this award; I could not have succeeded at Columbia without my family’s support, love, and encouragement. I would like to thank my research mentor, Dr. Martin Chalfie, for his guidance, support, and dedication to mentorship. A big thank you to the SVR team, the PASC team, CMI, SACNAS+, my advisor Dean Angie Carrillo, Dean Daveena Colwell, Dean Megan Rigney and Meghan Flaherty.