April 2026 Awards and Accolades

Erin Murphy

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Erin Murphy, adjunct faculty in the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes and manager of ccean plastics research at Ocean Conservancy, is the first author of a paper awarded the prestigious Cozzarelli Prize by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Selected as one of just six papers from more than 3,600 published in 2025, the award recognizes outstanding scientific excellence and originality.

The Cozzarelli Prize is among PNAS’s highest honors, awarded annually to a small number of publications that demonstrate exceptional scientific rigor, innovation, and broad interdisciplinary impact. Named in honor of former PNAS Editor-in-Chief Nicholas R. Cozzarelli, the prize highlights research that advances fundamental knowledge and contributes to addressing pressing global challenges. The 2025 awardees were recognized at an awards ceremony during the NAS Annual Meeting in April 2026.

Murphy is a marine conservation ecologist whose work bridges science, policy, and management to improve the social and ecological health of coastal communities. At ASU, she serves as adjunct faculty in the School of Life Sciences, where her research focuses on the impacts of plastic pollution and the effectiveness of intervention strategies. She earned her PhD in Biology and Society in 2023, developing tools to inform more effective, equitable and cost-efficient solutions to marine plastic pollution.

Her award-winning study provides the most comprehensive quantitative assessment to date of how plastic ingestion leads to mortality in marine wildlife, including seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals. By identifying lethal thresholds across different types of plastic, the research offers critical, policy-relevant evidence to guide conservation strategies and global efforts to reduce plastic pollution.

Krystal Tsosie

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Krystal Tsosie, assistant professor in SOLS has been named a recipient of the Centennial Professorship Award, a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding leadership, instruction, and commitment to student success. Established in 1984 by the Associated Students of Arizona State University (ASASU), the award was created to attract and retain exceptional faculty who demonstrate excellence both within and beyond the classroom.

Supported by the Associated Students Centennial Endowment Fund, the Centennial Professorship is awarded annually to a select group of faculty who exemplify high-quality teaching, mentorship and meaningful engagement with students. Recipients are recognized each spring by ASASU and the Graduate Student Government (GSG), reflecting the award’s strong foundation in student-centered values and its emphasis on educational impact.

Tsosie is widely recognized for her student-centered approach to teaching, which integrates inclusive, culturally grounded practices into the life sciences curriculum. Her courses emphasize critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning and real-world applications, creating opportunities for students to engage with complex scientific and societal issues. She is also known for her commitment to mentorship, supporting students from diverse backgrounds and fostering an environment that encourages participation, collaboration and academic growth.

Her recognition with the Centennial Professorship Award highlights her sustained contributions to teaching excellence and her impact on the student learning experience at ASU.

Kailin Johnsson

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Kailin Johnsson, a Biology (Neurobiology & Physiology) PhD student received multiple honors at the 2026 American Physiology Summit, recognizing the quality and impact of her research in human metabolism. She was awarded the Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Award, as well as two distinctions for her abstract: the Walter B. Cannon Lecture Abstract of Distinction and the Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Section Abstract of Distinction.

These awards are presented by the American Physiological Society to highlight outstanding graduate research and to recognize abstracts demonstrating scientific rigor, innovation and significance within their respective fields. Receiving multiple honors at the summit underscores the strength and visibility of Johnsson’s work within the endocrinology and metabolism research community.

Johnsson’s research examines how aerobic exercise influences muscle protein synthesis in individuals with obesity. Her study found that, while amino acid infusion typically stimulates muscle protein synthesis, this response is significantly blunted when it occurs immediately following aerobic exercise. This finding provides new insight into the complex interactions between exercise, nutrition, and metabolic health, with implications for optimizing interventions aimed at improving muscle function in obesity.

Conducted in collaboration with researchers at ASU and Mayo Clinic Arizona, this work contributes to a growing body of research focused on understanding metabolic regulation and developing evidence-based strategies to improve health outcomes.

Zion Hubbard

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Zion Hubbard, an accelerated master’s student in biological sciences, has earned national recognition for his research on honeybee health, highlighting both his scientific contributions and leadership in student research. Recently, he was awarded a North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) Honey Bee Health Grant, supporting his work on one of the most pressing challenges facing global pollinator populations.

Hubbard participates in the School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research (SOLUR) program and studies mechanisms that improve honeybee resilience to disease. His research focuses on hygienic behavior in honeybees and its role in mitigating the spread of RNA viruses transmitted by the parasitic Varroa mite—one of the leading threats to colony survival.

In addition to his research accomplishments, Hubbard has demonstrated strong leadership and a commitment to mentorship, supporting fellow students and contributing to collaborative research environments. His national recognition and competitive grant award reflect the impact of his work and his continued development as a researcher in the life sciences.