2024 Champions for Biotechnology Education Awards Gala

The 9th Annual Champions for Biotechnology Educations Awards Gala was held on Thursday, October 17, 2024, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Museum of Science.

View more photos from the event here.

View the video program:

2024 Champion Awardees

Jiani Johnson
Champion Student

Originally from Valley Cottage, NY, Jiani is a junior at Harvard College studying Bioengineering with a focus on Chemical and Material Design. She works as an undergraduate researcher in the Mitragotri Lab, where she is helping to develop an innovative process for fabricating a new cell therapy treatment for cancer. Jiani also serves as president of Harvard iGEM, a student-run synthetic biology research group. She is deeply committed to promoting STEM education through her involvement with Science Club for Girls, an organization that brings free STEM education to local elementary school girls. She serves as a volunteer mentor and Harvard Mentor Chapter Co-President for the organization to help increase the number of women in STEM. Outside of the scientific world, she works as an ambassador for Kaplan, an exam prep company.

Anna DiCenso
Champion Educator

Anna DiCenso is in her eighth year of teaching at Revere High School where she teaches biology and forensics. She is a 2017 graduate of Stonehill College, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Secondary Education, and a 2020 graduate of Salem State University, where she earned her Master of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language. She has spent her entire teaching career so far in Revere where she received her PreK to grade 12 education to give back to her community who helped shape the teacher she is today. Anna’s firm belief in students immersing themselves with hands-on experiences of the concepts they are learning drives her commitment to exposing students to authentic labs during their high school education. Looking ahead, she is excited to further enhance her biology and forensics curriculum with more advanced laboratory activities for her students to engage in. She is excited to share these opportunities with her coworkers for all Revere High School students to have access to.

Collegium Pharmaceutical
Champion Organization

We are proud to honor Collegium Pharmaceutical for their deep support of STEM education, educators, and the broader community. Their commitment to education is evident in their recently launched Collegium Pharmaceutical Scholarship Program, which gives two renewable full-ride scholarships to Massachusetts high school seniors who plan on majoring in a STEM field. They sustain a volunteer partnership with the Brockton public schools and are working with MassBioEd’s BioTeach ACCESS program to build a volunteer network in the Stoughton schools. Since 2020, Collegium has been a proud partner and supporter of MassBioEd’s events and programs. Their partnership goes beyond financial support: Collegium volunteer teams have participated in the Advising sessions at the life sciences workforce conference (a round table where industry and academics come together in small groups to learn about what companies are looking for from graduates and how they can partner) and donated time to meet with Bridgewater State students at the Life Sciences Career Expo.

Lauren Jones, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Champion Public Advocate

Secretary Jones has been selected as this year’s Public Advocate Champion in recognition of her commitment to support the growth of local life sciences, expanding access to career opportunities for underserved and underrepresented communities, and advocacy for training programs, education and employment support that include innovative and non-traditional career pathways. Secretary Jones shares MassBioEd’s mission to build a more equitable and inclusive economy, and her initiatives investing in training, education and career awareness are helping all of us to work with industry, educators, and community partners to address barriers to employment in the industry.

Thank You to our 2024 Sponsors!

About Champions

The Champions for Biotechnology Education Awards Gala celebrates outstanding advocacy for, and contributions to, life sciences education in Massachusetts. Each year, MassBioEd honors an organization, an educator, a public advocate, and a school for their commitment to fostering science literacy and advancing life sciences education.

The Champion Student is awarded the Henri A. Termeer Student Scholarship to be used towards their life sciences field of study. The Student Scholarship is supported by the Henri A. Termeer Foundation in honor of Henri A. Termeer and his commitment to scientific discovery and mentorship of aspiring and accomplished scientists. The Joshua Boger Innovative Educator Champion Award, is supported by the Joshua Boger Family Foundation and named after Joshua Boger to recognize his sustained commitment to excellence in science education. The award is given to a teacher to support their own professional development and needs of their school.

The Champions Gala is MassBioEd’s annual fundraiser, raising funds to support innovative programs that build a strong and diverse life sciences workforce.

2023 Highlights

• View Photos from the Event
• Download the Program
• Over 200 people attended

2022 Highlights

• View Photos from the Event
• Download the Program
• Nearly 200 people attended the event

Past Awardees

Champion Students – Henri A. Termeer Student Scholarship

• Genesis Gonzalez, Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School and Harvard University (2023)
• Wahaaj Farah, Roxbury Prep High School and Boston University (2022)
• Rim Bozo, Pioneer Charter School of Science & Dartmouth College (2021)
• Camila Wendorff, Framingham State University & MassBay Community College (2020)

Champion Educators – Henri A. Termeer Teacher Award

• Julia Buben, North Quincy High School (2023)
• Debora O’Reilly, Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School (2022)
• Stacey Chapley, Frontier Regional High School (2021)
• Sarah Goldberg, New Mission High School (2020)
• Dr. Laurie Jackson-Grusby, Brockton High School (2019)
• Lindsey L’Ecuyer, Andover High School (2018)
• Eric Leigh & David Enos, Gloucester High School (2017)
• Jonathan Shapiro, Brockton High School (2016)

Champion Schools – Joshua Boger Innovative School of the Year Award

• Tyngsborough High School (2021 – 2022)
• Everett High School (2020-2021)
• East Boston High School (2019-2020)
• Innovation Academy Charter School (2018-2019)
• Essex Technical High School (2017)
• Hingham High School (2016)
• Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School (2015)
• Barnstable High School (2014)
• Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School (2013)
• Gloucester High School (2012)
• Norton High School (2011)
• Somerville High School (2010)
• Bellingham High School (2009)

Champion Organizations

• Cummings Foundation (2023)
• Corning Life Sciences (2022)
• Bristol Myers Squibb (2021)
• Biogen (2020)
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (2019)
• Takeda Pharmaceuticals (2018)
• Sanofi Genzyme (2017)
• EMD Serono (2016)

Champion Public Advocate

• Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston (2023)
• Senator John J. Cronin (2022)

Early Champion Industry Leaders

• Dr. John Maraganore, CEO, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (2019)
• Dr. Udit Batra, CEO, MilliporeSigma (2018)
• Dr. Jeffrey Leiden, President & CEO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (2017)
• Michael Bonney, Former CEO, Cubist Pharmaceuticals & Partner, Third Rock Ventures (2016)