The rockefeller university

2026 marks the 70th anniversary of Rockefeller’s graduate program. (Credit: Scott Rudd)

On June 4, The Rockefeller University’s 2026 graduating class received their Ph.D.s in Caspary Hall in a ceremony that began with a luncheon in Welch Hall, followed by the traditional procession across campus.

“I am incredibly proud of each of these incredible scientists,” says Tim Stearns, dean of Graduate and Postgraduate Studies. “Their creativity, fortitude, and vision will serve them well in meeting the scientific challenges of the future.”

This year’s graduates are Abdul Abdul, Emily Atlas, Sofia Caetano Avritzer, Matthew Thomas Baffuto, James Newton Brandt, Cayla Olivia Broton, Clare Wen Cahir, Hera Canaj, Melissa Cipolla, Madeleine Delbeau, Alex Epstein, Michael Grodus, İrem Başak İzgi, Priyanka Lakhiani, Simin Liu, Yuyang Liu, Rafal Piwowarczyk, Cameron Roberts, Adriana Rosas, Rohan Saleem Roy, Marwa Ahmed Saad, Victoria Saca, Sairaj Munavar Sajjath, Marina Schernthanner, Rochelle Shih, Gabriel Small, Sarah Soellner-Szwed, Jan Soroczynski, Gianna M. Stella, Yael N. Tsitohay, Elena Waidmann, John Wilson Watters, Zihan Xu, Joanna Yeung, George Zakusilo, and Mengyin Zhang.

During the ceremony, Joseph L. Goldstein, M.D. received the David Rockefeller Award for Extraordinary Service, which is granted to an individual from the community who exemplifies David Rockefeller’s commitment to our scientists, their research and mission. Scientifically, Goldstein is renowned for discovering the LDL receptor and advances that led to the development of life-saving drugs called statins. Honorary degrees were also awarded to Carolyn Bertozzi, Ph.D., and Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. Bertozzi is a Nobel-winning chemist whose work has allowed scientists to visualize sugar molecules in living cells and organisms. Collins, a renowned geneticist, is well known as the 16th director of the National Institutes of Health from 2009 to 2021.

“The work of our three honorees vividly illustrates how great science translates into enormous benefits for humanity,” said President Richard P. Lifton, who introduced the recipients and presided over convocation. “As we mark the 70th anniversary of our David Rockefeller graduate program, it is especially fitting to recognize these distinguished individuals, whose careers exemplify the transformative impact of scientific discovery. Their scientific leadership embodies our highest ideals and serves as an inspiration to us all.”