Two Illinois chemistry graduates, Michelle Bishka and Yilun Li, have been awarded 2025 Certificates of Undergraduate Excellence by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
The RSC awards the certificates as part of its recognition program for university students in North America who have shown significant achievement in the chemical sciences. The award recipients are selected by their departments for demonstrating exceptional dedication, performance, and engagement in coursework and research.
Michelle Bishka
As an undergraduate and specialized chemistry major, Bishka worked in the laboratory of Prof. Scott Silverman for three and a half years participating in research on DNAzymes that use small-molecule substrates. She was coauthor of a manuscript, mentor to multiple other lab members, a general chemistry lab Teaching Assistant, an active member of the ACS student chapter, and president of the campus undergraduate neuroscience journal, Brain Matters. Her research advisor, Prof. Silverman, describes Bishka as "one of the most tenacious, productive, inventive, and scientifically fearless students at any level that he has ever had in his lab." Bishka is now attending the University of Chicago, refocusing her research to earn her Ph.D. in physical chemistry.
Yilun Li
As an undergraduate and specialized chemistry major, Li worked in the laboratory of Prof. Scott Denmark participating in research on synthetic organic chemistry, specifically, the chiral disulfonimide-catalyzed atroposelective iodination of pyrimidines. His research advisor Prof. Denmark said Li demonstrated impressive abilities to conceptualize experiments to validate hypotheses, troubleshoot problems independently, and master new experimental and computational techniques through self-directed learning. Li had a 4.0 GPA and will have a first-author publication on his research. In August, Li will enter the graduate program at Princeton University to earn his Ph.D. in organic chemistry.